TAdviser Interview: Nikolay Zemskoy, the Tambov region - about difficulties of transition on Russian software

Nikolay Zemskoy: As well as the majority of regions, we use Russian software which can substitute import solutions if competitive offers are of both functionality, and the price at the level. It, for example, and solution for Mind video conferencing, both 1C-Bitrix, and PostgreSQL DBMS.

I can give some provisional figures by 2017 as we did not collect complete data yet. On the region last year 51% of all purchased software were the Russian origin. Its main part is made by different user programs, support systems of business processes in the different departmental systems.

In the field of completion of software this indicator is even higher – about 71% of all software which is improved, belongs to the Russian software entered in the register of the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications.

Nikolay Zemskoy: The basic, perhaps, is EDMS and also a part of the departmental systems. At the same time a part of the Russian solutions which we use is not a craze, we began to use them to a general course towards import substitution because it were real competitive solutions. For example, 1C-Bitrix the centralized solution for the region based on Mind - in 2014 was implemented somewhere in 2010.

There is an opinion that import substitution needs to be considered not only as migration on the Russian solutions, but also on the free software. I agree with it because yet not everything that at us is developed, functionally for 100% substitutes import solutions which exist in the market. I think, it is a matter of time.

In our region among freely distributed solutions Zabbix — a free monitoring system of various services of a computer network, servers and network equipment is used.

Nikolay Zemskoy: As always, it is a question of users on places. With the server software in this segment there are no problems because it the centralized solutions at the level of the region, at the level of large municipal entities. There people who are ready to migrate, use DBMS of domestic production and freely distributed operating systems, including FreeBSD work.

On places situation other: here great efforts will be required to go to this direction. There was a moment when in the region Linux was actively used. We carried out the analysis recently, and saw that the share of use of Linux gradually decreases in activity of public authorities and local government. For us it is a little guarding indicator, and we will analyze still why it occurs.

Regarding replacement of the most widespread operating system either by Open Source, or by operating systems of the Russian production with a decisive factor there will be a readiness on places for such transition and existence of analogs of the programs capable to work at such OS. In some regions there is already such positive experience.

At the same time, in this area I do not do for myself distinctions concerning whether commercial it is structure or public authorities: the purpose at us one is cost reduction. Issues of import substitution can be resolved, of course, by normative and restrictive influence, but economic support of these processes is one perspective more interesting.

Nikolay Zemskoy: Yes, in our region there is such strategy, it was approved in 2015, target indicators on an import share on separate segments of the software were delivered. At the initial stage of a share were from 50% to 70%, by 2020 on separate categories softwares an indicator – 40-50%.

At the same time it is important to understand that the document in itself not always guarantees the movement towards a main goal and is not always a support measure. Happens that in the region such transition progresses individuals or at the level of all region, or at the level of the separate project. In our case the movement towards import substitution goes, but it rather natural character: where there is an opportunity without serious consequences to replace software, there it also occurs.

Nikolay Zemskoy: From our point of view, the basic is an economic feasibility of projects, understanding that in public authorities and local government are not ready to invest hundreds of millions now. Therefore offers on projects which will arrive should be such that, for example, it was possible to earn from them jointly.

Important also presence of the people in the management of the region understanding need to go in this direction. In the Tambov region the task of the general increase in expense efficiency was set by the governor, and such task in the field of IT was set by the first vice governor of the region.

And it is possible to refer to the main problems, first, availability of the software which can be applied, and the second - that economic feasibility.

Nikolay Zemskoy: Here it is difficult to give some qualitative indexes, and concerning quantitative - it is enough to come into the register of the domestic software of the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications and to look what was and what became. It is an indicator that the IT industry hears conceptual offers of the authorities. I think, also the trend works for giving preferences to domestic developers.

The problem of limitation of the offer of domestic software is gradually solved. If earlier spoke about a problem, for example, of lack of the Russian DBMS, then now the Russian DBMS is also it is used including in the high-loaded systems.

For more mass effect it is necessary to pay more attention to broadcasting of import substitution policy at the level of the subjects of the Russian Federation regarding development of the IT companies on places. Only it will give to the market emergence of such companies as Google.