RZD OJSC is one of the largest transport businesses in the world and one of the largest companies in Russia. As part of the digital sovereignty strategy, the company was tasked with the transition of its automated normative reference data keeping and accounting processes to an import-independent platform.
Head of the IBS Government Sector Relations Aleksandr Tolgsky: “RZD’s leadership in the technological sovereignty carries heavy responsibility for IT project contractors. Being a part of the critical infrastructure, the holding imposes strict requirements on the import-independent solutions. In view of the foregoing, successful implementation of AS CNRD-2 system powered by the proprietary IBS product Planeta.NRD, transfer of more than 1,400 process books to this system, and implementation of the standard mechanisms for integration with the related RZD’s information systems in less than 8 months are a source of particular pride for IBS. Once again, this project has proved that in Russia we are able to create and implement high quality high-end solutions with the features at least equivalent to, and sometimes even surpassing, foreign alternatives. I also would like to note that such a large-scale project could not have been possible in such a short time without the active engagement of the specialists from RZD and its subsidiaries. We are grateful to our fellow colleagues for their comprehensive support and cooperation during implementation.”
AS CNRD-2 maintains the all-Russian and interstate classifiers and the industry process reference books, such as classifiers of railway network models, transport infrastructure, transportation process, locomotive and rolling stocks, the Uniform RZD e-map, etc. These reference books are used in various processes, such as ticket booking and payment management, railway stations management as it pertains to freight handling, technical maintenance, rolling stock movement, and many other processes in RZD. The majority of the RZD’s industry automated systems were integrated as part of the project, such as those listed among the significant objects of the critical IT infrastructure of the Russian Federation (new generation ACS Express, New Generation Station ACS, New Generation Train Sheet AS, etc.). The information is also transmitted from AS CNRD-2 to the customs authorities and the information system of the Ministry of Transport and used in the Corporate Date Warehouse and reporting.
“The Russian Railways consider data as one of their most important assets; therefore the corporate IT division priorities include the systematic maintenance of normative reference data and our master data quality management. Usage of the foreign automation solutions for maintenance of the reference books in multiple process systems of RZD posed a significant risk of the system-wide software failure and fuelled the IT security concerns. Another reason why the project of the RZD’s reference books and classifiers transition to a domestic import-independent platform was in the focus of our particular attention was that the deadlines of the related process systems import substitution projects largely depended on its timely and seamless implementation,” said RZD Informatization Department head Kirill Semion.
According to Kirill Semion, the company decided to design a new version of the automated CNRD system powered by the digital products from the domestic software register of the Ministry for Digital Technology, Communication and Mass Media of the Russian Federation (Mintsifry of Russia) which would comply with all requirements of RZD for such category of solutions. The project commenced with the analysis of the products from the domestic software register and then the developers were offered to undergo complex testing based on the RZD’s methodology to prove applicability of their solutions in terms of both performance and functionality.
The product by IBS proved the best compared to other solutions from the domestic software register in terms of its functionality and performance under load. The test also proved compliance of the Planeta.NRD platform with the reliability requirements of RZD, as well as the import substitution criteria: it has the certificate of software program state registration with Rospatent and is included in the Unified Register of Russian Software of Mintsifry of Russia.
Following the decision of RZD to implement the project based on the Planeta.NRD platform the IBS team consisting of more than 140 specialists has integrated and adapted the solution for the requirements of RZD in less than 8 months. This work resulted in creation of an e-bank of the normative reference data used in the corporate process procedures, migration of 1,400 reference books, and integration with the existing RZD automated systems sourcing and consuming the normative reference data.
The IBS specialists also developed all necessary methodological documents governing the normative reference data maintenance and updating in the structural subdivisions of RZD. The introduction of AS CNRD-2 ensures integrity and consistency of input data and easy scalability, which is the expansion in the number of reference books, source and consumer systems.
Thus, IBS has successfully migrated the legacy NRD system of RZD with the data from the foreign vendor’s solution to the new Russian platform allowing RZD to obtain the high-end secure solution in line with the current trends and requirements for master data management products and to comply with the provisions of Decree of the Russian Government No. 1478 dated August 22, 2022.