Chichetkin Vladimir

Chichetkin Vladimir

Interview

Vladimir whether approaches to creation of IT architecture in banks changed, in your opinion?

Vladimir Chichetkin: I do not see any global serious changes in approaches to creation of IT architecture which would happen in time or after crisis. In general everything develops approximately in the same direction, as earlier. Though, it is necessary to notice, in work we begin to apply the new solutions and technologies proposed by the market. For example, we already actively use the principles of service-oriented architecture (SOA).^[1]

Crisis, on the one hand, acted as a stop factor which suspended some of our plans, with another – allowed to rethink and correct the direction of the further movement.

I can explain on the example of our bank as as a result of impact of crisis the decision to change the concept of development of IT infrastructure was made. In crisis year we actively developed the subject BCP (Business Continuity Plan) – ensuring business continuity. Within a certain plan the big program for a part of the organization of computer centers was provided. Crisis allowed us to carry out only a part of tasks. And now we return to this subject, but already with other approach.

We leave from the standard circuit of the organization of data processing centers when there is the main computer center and reserve. The fundamental difference of new approach is that the distributed computer center in which duplication and ensuring capacities is possible not only in extreme situations is created. Now we more think that it is necessary not just to solve a problem of existence of reserves, but to provide the permanent high performance of servers. Problems which arise in activity of bank not always concern only failure of the different equipment. More often in daily practice it is necessary to face shortage, for example, additional volume in storage systems or computing powers, it can be peak loads on systems or not planned falling of performance … So there is a large number of factors, in addition to accidents which reduce quality of service. Existence of the duplicative server and some remote reserve point, of course, can save the organization in case of accident, but at the same time a system constantly can work badly, slowly, with a bad response. And it is a much bigger problem for business, than lack of the reserve platform.

The possibility of fast giving of power, adding of additional computing resources, redistribution of capacities help to solve both a problem of recovery, and a task of the current work, these problems are solved in a complex and do not exclude each other.

Essence of changes in approach – we try to rebuild infrastructure so that to provide available computing resources for the permanent and continuous performance of business.

Whether you at the same time use technologies of cloud computing?

V. Ch.: It is impossible to tell that we go to "clouds". More likely, we use some principles or parameters which are declared by this approach, such as free movement of power, creation of flexible infrastructure which allows to redistribute resources irrespective of the fact which the situation at the moment developed. The movement in this direction therefore, planning further expansion for other platforms, we are guided by this approach seems to us correct. We do not duplicate the equipment, and we create conditions for movement of power consumptions depending on requirements in each timepoint.

We partly accepted "cloud" ideology, but are yet not quite ready to go to public "clouds". It, by the way, concerns also lease of applications. After all banks are very regulated, there is a large number of legislative restrictions which do not allow to move freely abroad bank certain types of data.

Do you solve these problems by own forces?

V. Ch.: We advance the concept independently, but we implement it with involvement of contractors, them, by the way, there is not a lot of. By own efforts it is difficult to manage here, such projects, as a rule, it is the whole complex of actions. It not only servers and storage systems, it also infrastructure which should provide all system and productive communication between platforms.

Changes happen within some separate project?

V. Ch.: No, we do not put any project terms here, simply we plan the development within this ideology. It is too big complex of organizational and technical actions which cannot be finished at once. The equipment and systems allowing to implement such approach were bought not yesterday, the distributed infrastructure is created too not at once. It is a certain continuous way on which we go.

How do you estimate a present condition of IT architecture of your bank? How will it look as a result of the carried-out changes?

V. Ch.: We were always drawn towards centralizing all our computing resources, and at us it turned out. In bank the uniform information field, despite a large number of systems is created. All this gives the chance to implement those changes about which I spoke. As a result the IT architecture becomes distributed and scaled, and changes happen on all its layers.

Whether it is possible to say that the IT architecture changes in process of expansion of the services provided by bank? Now, for example, many banks strengthen the part connected with remote service, it somehow affects architecture in general?

V. Ch.: Yes, we develop new concepts and regarding development of remote banking. We leave from the classical website, passing to the portal solution. It gives more opportunities for providing to clients of more convenient and more personalized services. Of course, in terms of technologies of change occur. But they do not affect the general architecture as in the majority are self-sufficient and do not contradict it.

Yes, all our client applications began to work on mobile phones, but architectural break I cannot call it. By and large it is the same applications which were, only adapted for specific devices. The principle of their work did not exchange, architecturally everything remained the same. It is planned adaptation to new communication channels and devices.

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