Critical Days: Transitioning to Domestic Software and Hardware
April 25, 2024, 9:43 pm
The clock is ticking - there is less and less time left until January 2025, with each passing day counting down. By the beginning of next year, critical information infrastructure (CII) objects in Russia must fully transition to domestic software and hardware. These objects include government agencies, enterprises, and even entrepreneurs in sectors such as healthcare, science, transportation, communication, energy, finance, utilities, and more. Director of the EdgeCenter Infrastructure Department, Alexey Uchakin, sheds light on the main trends of import substitution and the challenges faced by organizations and companies obligated to act within these measures.
Money, time, people
Two presidential decrees, several government resolutions, and directives from various ministries. The regulatory framework for transitioning to domestic IT technologies is extensive. But can the same be said about the paths and opportunities of this process? Some substitution plans have so-called restrictive markings, meaning they are not available in open sources. This indicates that the total number of tasks is significantly greater than it seems at first glance. The main content of all these documents is a ban on the use of IT products manufactured in states "engaging in unfriendly actions" towards Russia or companies under the control of such states.
Both the development of proprietary software and the creation of hardware require significant financial resources, time, and a large number of highly qualified specialists. According to government statements, Russia will invest over 65 billion rubles in projects aimed at the country's technological sovereignty this year. Time is running out, and it is evident that there is very little left. The hope lies in the resourcefulness of employees.
From development to sale
Today, the "Domestic Software" database maintained by the Ministry of Digital Development contains over 520 Russian software products that can be used on CII objects. The question is, how scalable are they? Can they replace familiar operating systems and programs that have become global industrial standards over the years - such as Oracle, Red Hat, or VMWare? For some organizations, replacing such software with a Russian counterpart is so expensive and complex that it may be easier to cease operations altogether. However, there are cases where everything goes smoothly and does not pose significant problems.
Some companies began import substitution as early as 2014 - without haste, but with an understanding that the need to completely abandon Western software would eventually arise. By 2022, these firms had some of their own developments. Some relied on OpenSource, customizing software to their needs. Others ventured into proprietary development, writing programs from scratch for their specific tasks. For example, a Russian bank boasts work on an ERP system that will serve as an alternative to the departed SAP. The suite of financial, procurement, real estate, and HR management platforms was initially intended for internal use but is now being considered for sale to external users. The product is expected to enter the market in about five years.
Working together
The readiness of companies to switch to domestic software is determined by the availability of specific solutions and the ability to change certain business processes. However, the main challenge today is that most developments are scattered and practically unrelated to each other. Building a working ecosystem from them is extremely difficult. Currently, there are no clear market leaders in Russia whose solutions could claim to be mass-produced standard software or hardware. In these conditions, consumers are demanding integrated solutions. In a sense, this can be called a trend towards simplification: when one vendor can provide several products at once - for example, virtualization, email, and video conferencing services. This approach will undoubtedly simplify migration and create a "synergistic effect."
In this context, one can also talk about the relevance of hardware-software complexes (HSC) - where the customer receives a "kit": domestic equipment equipped with Russian software. Ideally, the software should be optimized for a specific HSC, and the hardware should take into account the software's features. Therefore, the collective, systemic work of all types of IT companies is crucial, involving collaboration both in the design and production stages, as well as during the operation and maintenance of products. There are more questions for manufacturers of technical components than for software developers because, it is no secret that there is still no full-cycle domestic microelectronics production in Russia. In the coming years, this sector will continue to depend on imports - even from friendly countries.
When competition is evil
In an effort to stimulate domestic information technology and software manufacturers, the government is trying to support Russian IT companies. However, this, in turn, creates certain problems - paradoxical as it may sound. Domestic vendors are listed in specific registries and receive points that reflect their achievements. Companies may be tempted to do something not so much for the development of the domestic IT industry but to advance in the rankings and secure large government contracts. To avoid this, transparency in all processes and a real assessment of localization are crucial. By motivating developers and manufacturers, the regulator must try to avoid competition. Currently, it is not beneficial to disperse. The situation where each organization with critical information infrastructure will have its supplier will not lead to a quick solution to import substitution. In the face of tight deadlines, coordinated decisions and common approaches are needed. By the way! Specialized universities can help in this matter: teachers, students, and postgraduates can strengthen the personnel base as developers and specialists, testing new software and overseeing its implementation in enterprises.
Digital sovereignty
Most of the above concerns developers, manufacturers, and suppliers. As for consumers - the organizations with CII themselves - it is also important to adhere to a certain course of action. The first (and perhaps most important) is understanding how a specific solution fits your tasks, rather than just being a nominal replacement for some foreign software. This requires resources: pilot zones, testing and implementation plans, dedicated time for experimental operation, and so on. It is costly - both in terms of time and finances, but unfortunately, it is necessary.
When making a decision to switch to a particular product, always request references from the supplier - examples of successful/unsuccessful projects, contacts of specialists who have worked with this software or hardware as customers. Do not hesitate to ask developers questions, especially "uncomfortable" ones: what is the basis of a specific solution, are the source codes available, what is the product roadmap (and how is it followed), how does support work, how are requests for customization handled, can the solution be customized by the user.
Striving to meet deadlines, everyone involved in the import substitution process must remember that it is not significant in itself, nor is it an end in itself. The main thing is for critical positions (banks, factories, government institutions) to use software and hardware that cannot be stopped from the outside, interfere with their work, or leak important data. This is a matter of "digital sovereignty." The era of global solutions, where all processes are controlled by international corporations with headquarters in certain places, is gradually fading. The world is changing. And the field of information technology is one of the first to do so.
Money, time, people
Two presidential decrees, several government resolutions, and directives from various ministries. The regulatory framework for transitioning to domestic IT technologies is extensive. But can the same be said about the paths and opportunities of this process? Some substitution plans have so-called restrictive markings, meaning they are not available in open sources. This indicates that the total number of tasks is significantly greater than it seems at first glance. The main content of all these documents is a ban on the use of IT products manufactured in states "engaging in unfriendly actions" towards Russia or companies under the control of such states.
Both the development of proprietary software and the creation of hardware require significant financial resources, time, and a large number of highly qualified specialists. According to government statements, Russia will invest over 65 billion rubles in projects aimed at the country's technological sovereignty this year. Time is running out, and it is evident that there is very little left. The hope lies in the resourcefulness of employees.
From development to sale
Today, the "Domestic Software" database maintained by the Ministry of Digital Development contains over 520 Russian software products that can be used on CII objects. The question is, how scalable are they? Can they replace familiar operating systems and programs that have become global industrial standards over the years - such as Oracle, Red Hat, or VMWare? For some organizations, replacing such software with a Russian counterpart is so expensive and complex that it may be easier to cease operations altogether. However, there are cases where everything goes smoothly and does not pose significant problems.
Some companies began import substitution as early as 2014 - without haste, but with an understanding that the need to completely abandon Western software would eventually arise. By 2022, these firms had some of their own developments. Some relied on OpenSource, customizing software to their needs. Others ventured into proprietary development, writing programs from scratch for their specific tasks. For example, a Russian bank boasts work on an ERP system that will serve as an alternative to the departed SAP. The suite of financial, procurement, real estate, and HR management platforms was initially intended for internal use but is now being considered for sale to external users. The product is expected to enter the market in about five years.
Working together
The readiness of companies to switch to domestic software is determined by the availability of specific solutions and the ability to change certain business processes. However, the main challenge today is that most developments are scattered and practically unrelated to each other. Building a working ecosystem from them is extremely difficult. Currently, there are no clear market leaders in Russia whose solutions could claim to be mass-produced standard software or hardware. In these conditions, consumers are demanding integrated solutions. In a sense, this can be called a trend towards simplification: when one vendor can provide several products at once - for example, virtualization, email, and video conferencing services. This approach will undoubtedly simplify migration and create a "synergistic effect."
In this context, one can also talk about the relevance of hardware-software complexes (HSC) - where the customer receives a "kit": domestic equipment equipped with Russian software. Ideally, the software should be optimized for a specific HSC, and the hardware should take into account the software's features. Therefore, the collective, systemic work of all types of IT companies is crucial, involving collaboration both in the design and production stages, as well as during the operation and maintenance of products. There are more questions for manufacturers of technical components than for software developers because, it is no secret that there is still no full-cycle domestic microelectronics production in Russia. In the coming years, this sector will continue to depend on imports - even from friendly countries.
When competition is evil
In an effort to stimulate domestic information technology and software manufacturers, the government is trying to support Russian IT companies. However, this, in turn, creates certain problems - paradoxical as it may sound. Domestic vendors are listed in specific registries and receive points that reflect their achievements. Companies may be tempted to do something not so much for the development of the domestic IT industry but to advance in the rankings and secure large government contracts. To avoid this, transparency in all processes and a real assessment of localization are crucial. By motivating developers and manufacturers, the regulator must try to avoid competition. Currently, it is not beneficial to disperse. The situation where each organization with critical information infrastructure will have its supplier will not lead to a quick solution to import substitution. In the face of tight deadlines, coordinated decisions and common approaches are needed. By the way! Specialized universities can help in this matter: teachers, students, and postgraduates can strengthen the personnel base as developers and specialists, testing new software and overseeing its implementation in enterprises.
Digital sovereignty
Most of the above concerns developers, manufacturers, and suppliers. As for consumers - the organizations with CII themselves - it is also important to adhere to a certain course of action. The first (and perhaps most important) is understanding how a specific solution fits your tasks, rather than just being a nominal replacement for some foreign software. This requires resources: pilot zones, testing and implementation plans, dedicated time for experimental operation, and so on. It is costly - both in terms of time and finances, but unfortunately, it is necessary.
When making a decision to switch to a particular product, always request references from the supplier - examples of successful/unsuccessful projects, contacts of specialists who have worked with this software or hardware as customers. Do not hesitate to ask developers questions, especially "uncomfortable" ones: what is the basis of a specific solution, are the source codes available, what is the product roadmap (and how is it followed), how does support work, how are requests for customization handled, can the solution be customized by the user.
Striving to meet deadlines, everyone involved in the import substitution process must remember that it is not significant in itself, nor is it an end in itself. The main thing is for critical positions (banks, factories, government institutions) to use software and hardware that cannot be stopped from the outside, interfere with their work, or leak important data. This is a matter of "digital sovereignty." The era of global solutions, where all processes are controlled by international corporations with headquarters in certain places, is gradually fading. The world is changing. And the field of information technology is one of the first to do so.