Generations of the Russian core banking systems

Tula and Kiev extended with source texts were those seeds from which ascended, the Russian core banking systems of the second generation were taught and grew. On the start of the ABS market (1992-1993) practically all developers with pleasure told about in what their system of bank automation to the best differs from Kiev operdnya. Top three of the second wave (read the second generation) was designated by the core banking system in 1991-1992: ^[1] (developments were conducted on FoxBase), Clipper and ProgramBank (also Clipper). Except them the noticeable phenomenon of steel market the ABT Moscow companies, Infa, SKIL, Krasnoyarsk Kombis-Rambo, the Minsk "Reliable programs", Cheboksary Tagris, Kislovodsk "Terrasoft" and some other. Approximately in 1993 - 1994 leaders of the core banking system of the second generation were seriously pressed by Diasoft also with the system of the second generation developed on Clarion^[2].

OS Novell NetWare from DOS OS in workplaces was network operating system most popular at that time for personal computers. UNIX-SYSTEMS were not so widespread, but they provided an opportunity for work of a software package running more powerful operating system, than a linking of Novell+DOS and, respectively, on more powerful and reliable hardware platforms, than personal Intel is the compatible equipment. Such OS can be UNIX, OS/400, VAX VMS and others.

Rapid growth of the Russian banks somewhat designated security concerns, reliability and high-speed performance of the core banking system on personal computers soon. Therefore almost in parallel with the second generation of the core banking system at the beginning of the 90th the first banking systems on professional DBMS appeared (later called fourth generation): the large-scale integrated circuit system of Server company on DBMS Informix, a system "VA Bank" firms FORS on DBMS Oracle, the Pyramid system of the St. Petersburg firm "Nest" also on Informix DBMS. They were called also UNIX- systems.

Let's notice that not always the operating UNIX-SYSTEMS will be more effective, than DOS systems (the system of the first or second or third of generations). Here at least two moments are important: how in applied developments architectural advantages of the distributed DBMS and operating environments of the high level and how the bank user uses the opportunities put by the developer are used.

Developer companies consider important the following characteristics of the core banking system: really a real time scale (online systems), existence of the built-in report generator, the developed system of differentiation of user rights, the multi-user mode, logically transparent and friendly user interface, simplicity of operation, flexibility of setup of a system in the course of work.

(Actually the most widespread in Russia for the first 20 years of the market) the development of RS-Bank of R-Style company which entered the market in the first half of 1993 became a swallow of third generation of the core banking system. Use as tools of the bottom level of the manager of the records Btrieve under Novell NetWare OS allowed to organize in the systems of third generation support of the mode of database transactions at the kernel level of a banking system. Of course, transactions of the la Btrieve databases are organized not with such degree of reliability, as in professional relational DBMS of a class Oracle, Informix, Progress, Sybase. And still it was the enormous breakthrough forward as banks in the majority could forget what is failure of base and reindexation of *.dbf-and *.ntx-of files (archeologists-antiquaries, fans of Clipper and Fox under DOS, and you remember?). And bank workers did not need to change the personal computers which became acquaintances and darlings for any unknown Unix platform with digital terminals.

As soon as there were similar systems of third generation (at first only RS-Bank), old residents of the ABS market at once both were sharply disturbed and started talking that supposedly "Btrieve is not the database" that "And on dbf-structures it is possible to support the mode of transactions". But when on sales R-Style jerked up, and besides other systems of third generation appeared: "Quorum" of Banking systems company (later the firm received the name "Quorum"), Macrobank of Kanopus company, IB System of the Novosibirsk Center of Financial Technologies (CFT), Optimum BS of Optimum bank, - a shaft of this not quite deserved criticism significantly fell down. For promotion of market image of R-Style the contract with Mosbusinessbank for 30 copies on branches received based on tender selection had huge value. It was the first of tenders known to the author which was carried out by the Russian bank among the Russian developers.

By 1994 the market leadership from the Big Three (ASOFT, Inversion, ProgramBank) began to pass gradually to Big Four (the same minus ASOFT plus Diasoft and R-Style). Formally ASOFT still treated grandees and even very successfully could make a speech at the first Forum of developers in June, 1995, but the firm quickly lost market positions, conceding younger and aggressive.

Noticeable gain of the core banking system of third generation took place in 1995 when transferred the developments to Btrieve Diasoft and Inversion. However, for this purpose quite strong multimodular project was required to open Inversions the new integrated Bank 2000 project with the group of developers in parallel then still (listen attentively to name music!) ACS Commercial bank. And here Diasoft got promotion, almost for nothing and "by inheritance" when changing the version of tools: Clarion v 3. * unlike Clarion v 2. * began to support transactions and all basic functions of the manager of the records Btrieve directly (Long live Clarion!).

Against the background of progress of the systems of third generation ABS developers on professional DBMS also did not linger. So, after removal of Kokomovsky restrictions in Russia became available Progress DBMS. At once two firms - the St. Petersburg CSBI EE and the Moscow large-scale integrated circuit - decided to develop the core banking system on the basis of the Progress tools. And CSBI EE took the Polish-English development of Bankier of the parent company CSBI as a prototype of the Russian Banker system, and the large-scale integrated circuit made use of rich experience of work of specialists of Vnesheconombank as directors of a task.

The architecture of the domestic core banking systems created in the majority the on personal computers was modular and optimal for small banks, or banks with independent businesses. At the initial stage of automation of such architecture there was "almost enough", and such delicacy as "the uniform customer base", "cross-sellings", "the historical statement on the client", "group of affiliated clients" of course, were used by banks in work, but formed manually. A fundamental difference in the chart of accounts of ruble and currency transactions and essentially different normative regulation promoted that almost all developer companies began to develop "the ruble trading day of bank (TDB)" and "currency ODB" in parallel as two loosely coupled among themselves technology a product. Respectively, ruble and currency customer service was conducted not only different operators in different windows, but even in the different buildings which are in the different ends of Moscow. Most banks needed only to dream of a uniform operdn.

Nevertheless, "Uniform trading day" acquired the right to life - not only from third generation of the core banking system, but even earlier, in the second generation. The Diasoft company at once created the core banking system which integrated ruble and currency accounting. The term "Uniform Trading Day" is understood as such integration of a basic information system at which the main module can process both ruble and currency transactions. At modular creation of the currency and ruble core banking system the currency subsystem could work and worked independently and separately from ruble ODB, at the same time in the best options of implementation both core banking systems remained connected by the general database (including the database on clients) and a single system of bank accounts and postings.

It was the first step to creation of the Russian integrated technology systems. And still at once it was impossible to leave from modularity because of quickly changing situation when in banking business one by one there were all new financial instruments under which the technology companies and "internal" developers hastily created new modules to the core banking systems.

For support of the specific bank business directions the modules "Credits", "Deposits", "Private deposits", "Internal Accounting", "Share Department" were created. In particular, Share the module was understood as existence of a subsystem of automation of work of share department of bank or bank depositary. At the same time types of a subsystem Depositary differed on what securities can be considered: stocks of the bank, complete share issues of third-party issuers, securities which are purchased at exchange biddings / curb market or those securities which are brought on storage by clients of bank.

Without special noise in the ABS market there were modules "Bank Client" giving the chance to service clients of banks without their obligatory appearance in bank department. In the beginning similar modules were focused on service of legal entities. These are only much later banks realize what huge potential of reduction of operating costs is put in these technologies for now these modules were optional addition to basic core banking systems. Some most far-sighted participants of the technology market at once understood that "… if banks there can be only thousands, then clients - obviously millions!" (© by Valery Konyavsky, OKB SAPR of VNIIPVTI).

In passing it became clear that the systems of a class "Bank Client" for customer service "at home", "without leaving office" can separately be delivered, and then they in principle should be compatible to banking systems of other developers. But developers ABS for the modules "Bank — the Client" most often provided a possibility of compatibility only with one bank core banking system which was developed.

Notes