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Insurance systems: ready to move to the cloud
- HAMBURG
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Dr. Philipp Kordowich (Stuttgarter Lebensversicherung, left) and Hans-Jürgen von Henning (IKOR): "Building integration in such a way that it supports a gradual transition to the cloud."
Cloud-ready with the regulatory nod
Speakers Dr. Philipp Kordowich (Chief Architect at Stuttgarter) and IKOR Manager Hans-Jürgen von Henning talked about how the Stuttgart based “Lebensversicherung” integrated a new life platform into its existing application landscape and which to-dos insurance companies should include on their agenda with regard to the cloud capability of their system landscape.
Under the title "Cloud meets host" at the Cloud Expert Forum on 28 November 2023 at the Versicherungsforen Leipzig trade fair congress, Kordowich outlined how his organization has developed an architectural strategy for the future. Against this backdrop, cloud-capable IT structures and regulations can certainly work hand in hand.
Cloud-enabled means: integration masters complexity and creates flexibility
In the meantime, the Stuttgart-based company has implemented the first integration adapters by introducing an open-source framework SIP developed by IKOR, which will ensure the cloud-capable end-to-end integration of the system landscape. The in-house teams are already autonomously working with it.
Using microservices for flexible end-to-end integrations as part of the software architecture, von Henning, Partner at IKOR, explained which success factors play into the hands of integration. And: How Stuttgarter Lebensversicherung wants to make its application landscape cloud-capable, lightweight and highly scalable. The aim behind this was to exploit as much savings potential as possible through a solution-oriented architecture.
"Although the path to the cloud is steep and rocky, it is increasingly becoming an important mandatory topic," commented Kordowich. "We have therefore structured the integration in such a way that it comprehensively takes regulatory requirements into account." On this basis, all relevant systems could be cloud migrated in the future. "The integration architecture supports this approach, because the applications themselves are not affected by adjustments in this way," added von Henning.
Checklist: Building blocks for successful cloud-enabled integration
The architecture and integration experts recommended the following key success factors to their audience at the Cloud Forum:
- Clarify whether you are ready to use standard software. (Note: standard does not necessarily mean simple).
- Evaluate how open your organization is to the cloud and its benefits: The cloud enables flexibility. However, it is also challenging in operational business.
- Surprises will occur during the course of the project, so be prepared for them.
- Distribute implementation tasks across all relevant teams. Maintain an overall view.
- Determine all relevant information about the systems involved for planning purposes and do not focus exclusively on new solutions to be integrated.
- Develop an integration mindset that recognizes the complexity and impact of cross-cutting issues and thinks ahead.
- Design sufficiently long cycles for agile time periods or sprints.
- Text the integration extensively and not just "with".
Contact
Hans-Jürgen von Henning
Partner
IKOR GmbH
info-finsure@ikor.one
+49 40 8199442-0