Interview of TAdviser with the deputy manager of management of informatization of administration of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Alexey Chang

Alexey Chang: I would like to begin with the main thing: what means import substitution for the customer why it is so important that in it interesting and in what difference of a position of the customer from a position of the state. From the point of view of the customer of a task there is no import substitution at all. There is other, more common problem – fight against dependence on the only supplier. What to do if the supplier changes license policy? Or, for example, if its plans for development of functionality of a product are in a conflict with plans of the customer. You should ask yourself these questions if you implement an information system and estimate perspective at least for five years. And on these questions there is an answer, including at the state level: in 2010 the plan of transition of executive authorities for the free software was approved. As for a political component of import substitution, it is clear why it is important for the state: remove or to significantly reduce dependence on foreign suppliers. But from the point of view of the customer even if to be limited to exclusively domestic suppliers, the problem of dependence on one supplier remains relevant. And transition to the open source (OS) helps to solve it.

Alexey Chang: Now I will be able to answer this question. The first reason – in a big technology gap between the western and domestic information goods. In a number of the directions of informatization domestic program systems cannot make the real competition to products of Microsoft or Google yet. As for the hardware, there is even nothing to comment – in practice on all "iron" import. The second reason consists that the project startup of implementation of any information product requires not only community of developers, but also community of users. Many positive examples of use of software should be presented at the market. Only these can break stagnancy of users, their prejudice against a new product. We were one of the first who risked to implement Logic of EDMS based on the Alfresco platform, but nevertheless not the first therefore too could rely on experience of implementation.

Alexey Chang: We looked at experience of system implementation in FMS of Russia.

Alexey Chang: We have a concept of development of software and hardware technical means. We formulated it in 2010, a year ago updated. The concept contains rules and approaches by which it is necessary to be guided when choosing an information system and its subsequent service. It is not the plan, what products to implement in what terms – there is no such information there. As soon as there is a need of transition from the used software to a new product, at first we are verified with the concept. We implemented the first transition to the free software in 2010. Then from the office suite of Microsoft we switched to LibreOffice.

Alexey Chang: One of the projects implemented by us now – transition to a new antivirus from Kaspersky Lab. It is connected first of all with requirements for certification of FSTEC of products of this class. As for more difficult products, it should be noted the following. When we speak about Open Source, as a rule, we mean basic products – the operating system, DBMS, office products. The applied systems are always either custom, or highly specialized industry development. And on this applied direction to domestic developers it is simple to compete there is nobody. For example, what western companies can compete with 1C in respect of accounting providing? The same on an EDMS segment. On the one hand, the Alfresco platform is the cornerstone of the solution implemented by us, but the workflow system is created specially under us and according to requirements of the Russian legislation domestic company "Business Logic".

Alexey Chang: Small completions were made, we have for this purpose a staff of specialists. Implementation was performed by Crillon Service company, the partner of Business Logic.

Alexey Chang: The old story, began in 2011 when we implemented the solution BOSS-Referent on the IBM Notes/Domino platform. We then studied previously experience of the mayor's office of Kazan, and initial implementation took place successfully. We really constructed completely electronic internal document management. All internal correspondence, registration of the entering and outgoing documents, their processing in the organization, preparation and the approval of regulating documents – everything was implemented in electronic form. And reproduction of the functionality working in a former system was the main objective of the first stage of implementation of new EDMS just.

Alexey Chang: First, we did not accept license policy. Each new user managed in a lump sum, and these additional expenses – a big problem for us. Did not suit us and opportunity for development of a product. During the operation period we arranged old EDMS under the requirements and as a result came to a situation when it became impossible to develop it further.

Alexey Chang: Yes. And in addition there were problems with performance which we could not lift to required level that as I suspect, it was also connected with license restrictions. In a system many documents already circulated, it just ceased to cope.

Alexey Chang: Three thousand new documents a week, and are only internal, without entering, proceeding and some others.

Alexey Chang: In February, 2015 we started trial operation of a system in the administration. Since September of the current year EDMS is brought into commercial operation entirely in administration of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

Alexey Chang: In a system about 1500 users.

Alexey Chang: I think, will not repeat. We do not touch a standard configuration of delivery – what it is, and will be such. If processing of the incoming document considerably differs from standard, we do the additional document and under it we implement the processing. And if in standard delivery as a result of updating something changes, then with our document and its processing everything remains also.

Alexey Chang: There is a lot of them, generally it is the infrastructure projects which directly are not affecting users. I already mentioned about antivirus protection and LibreOffice. Besides, we passed to Asterisk IP telephony, replaced the Cisco proxy servers with Squid, implemented e-mail Zimbra.

Alexey Chang: On mobility we are connected by restrictions which impose on us regulators of the sphere of a state administration. For example, for remote access to our network we should use the information security tools certified by FSTEC. It means that it is necessary to use the product ViPNet, but we have no right to install it on personal devices of employees – only on provided by administration.

Alexey Chang: Is, and very big. Many employees reside on exit checks, meet the population. Some in a workplace cannot be found. Especially it concerns representatives of the management who always either at a meeting, or in a business trip.

Alexey Chang: In an old system each additional user cost to us money, in a new system he does not cost anything. An old system could not work without continued support from the developer, and this support annually poured out for us in the serious amount. For new EDMS there is a support for receiving standard updates of vendor too, but it is about 3 times cheaper. So far we pay only for it and even for completions. Now the possibility of expanded support is considered, but also in this case expenses will be less former.

Alexey Chang: The complexity of the project is connected not with import substitution, and with replacement of one system by another. And here problems always identical, connected with the fact that users already adapted to an old system, thought up schemes of work, convenient for themselves in it. Even if the regulations of work of the new workflow system remain the same, new interfaces, certain features force people to be rebuilt what not all people are ready to. I will note that the majority of the problems and roughnesses connected with implementation of new EDMS were removed at a stage of trial operation. Postponement of system implementation in commercial operation was also connected with it, actually, – originally start was planned for January of the current year.

Alexey Chang: Migration was implemented, but only partially: we close ancient documents in an old system, new we prepare and we process in new. The problem arises when it is necessary to save correspondence in connection with this or that document. For its solution we ordered separate completion which allows to transfer documents from one system to another.

Alexey Chang: Yes.

Alexey Chang: I already mentioned FMS of Russia - it is very good example, looking at which we and decided on implementation of new EDMS. Also it should be noted experience of Federal Bailiff Service – in particular, transition to OpenOffice. It should be noted that resistance of users in respect of transition to office products is especially active owing to the fact that the community of users of the commonly accepted proprietary office suite is huge. And the second interesting project implemented in FSSP – transition to the GosLinux operating system certified by FSTEC.

Alexey Chang: I like what occurs in this area: domestic developers in large quantities leave from proprietary products which are the cornerstone of their developments. In particular, I especially would note transition on DBMS PostgreSQL. Some vendors already performed transition to this DBMS, others announced it. In our plans also further leaving from the proprietary systems, in the context of EDMS – its development. The classical electronic document management system means registration of the electronic document and control of its execution. Our requirements are much broader, and the document in our understanding – not only clerical paper, but also, for example, a news. Very important and development of means of joint work. Besides, we are going to implement integration of EDMS with some specialized sectoral systems – with the system of order taking from citizens, in particular. As for strategy, we are focused on integration of the EDMS of administration of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk into the workflow system of the government of the Sakhalin region implemented on other platform, but which is rather easily integrated with our solution. We will also be engaged in it further.