Перед лицом производительности: как справиться с вызовами высоконагруженных систем

The modern world of finance is a world of high speeds and colossal amounts of data. Banking systems serve millions of customers daily, and they face complex tasks in ensuring uninterrupted operation. Any delay or failure can lead to financial losses and loss of customer trust. In these conditions, specialists who can guarantee the stable operation of high-load systems and find effective solutions for the most complex tasks are especially valuable. IXBT talks to one of these specialists, Vitaly Leshchuk, Head of IT at one of the leading Russian banks, about how to ensure the stability of banking systems.

Vitaly, tell us about your journey in the IT field. How did you come to work with high-load systems?

My professional journey in the field of financial technologies began more than 10 years ago, when I first encountered large-scale, high-load banking information systems during a student internship. I was deeply impressed by the complexity and critical importance of these platforms for serving millions of customers. This prompted me to focus on developing competencies in this area. Throughout my career, I have gained a comprehensive understanding of the architecture of high-load systems, advanced network technologies, and IT infrastructure management methods. The experience of implementing and practically applying DevOps and Site Reliability Engineering approaches has been particularly valuable. This allowed me to significantly increase the fault tolerance and efficiency of servicing critical financial services. Now, working as a leading technical specialist in one of the leading fintech companies, I continue to deepen my knowledge and skills, applying the most modern methodologies and tools for designing, deploying, and monitoring distributed, high-load systems. This work, which requires high responsibility, brings me great professional satisfaction, allowing me to fully realize my technical ambitions and desire to solve non-standard tasks.

Vitaly, which areas of IT were of greatest interest to you? Were you attracted to the tasks of scaling, optimizing resources, automating routine operations, and implementing advanced DevOps methods?

For me, the areas related to the reliability and performance of IT systems have always been the most interesting. This is due to my deep interest in SRE (Site Reliability Engineering) and the tasks that this area solves. In the processing centers of banks and payment systems where I work, high fault tolerance and infrastructure performance are required. The slightest failures can lead to huge losses and reputational damage. Therefore, the SRE approach, focused on preventing incidents, monitoring, and quickly responding to problems, has become critical. You are right, the tasks of scaling, optimizing resources, automating routine operations, and implementing advanced DevOps methods — all this captivates me. I see potential in using machine learning, predictive analytics, and other advanced technologies to predict and prevent failures in critical systems. Constantly evolving banking IT systems present me with increasingly complex tasks. This inspires me, because I can apply my experience, knowledge, and creative approach to find innovative solutions.

One of your most significant works was the creation of a methodology for the effective maintenance of critical systems. What problems did you encounter, and how did you solve them?

It was an ambitious project, since we worked with systems on which the operation of the entire bank depended. The main problem was that the existing processes were not efficient enough and did not allow us to quickly respond to emerging problems. I had to completely revise the maintenance process, starting with the collection and analysis of information and ending with the implementation of changes. As a result, we managed to create a clear and effective system that significantly improved the reliability and stability of critical systems. It is also worth noting my work on solving problems with the performance of databases that are subjected to high loads. This is a complex area that requires deep knowledge and experience. I had to study the specifics of database operation under high loads, conduct many tests and experiments to find optimal solutions. As a result, we developed algorithms and methods that allow us to significantly increase the performance of databases without loss of reliability. Thanks to this, developers can independently maintain performance at a high level without having to seek help from specialists. And I, in turn, received an award — a nomination for the "IT Manager of the Year" award in 2023 for creating a methodology for proactively solving database performance problems.

Getting nominated for the "IT Manager of the Year" award is always a great honor. What does this award mean to you?

Receiving a nomination for the "IT Manager of the Year" award is a significant professional recognition for me. This is evidence that my efforts to develop, integrate, and optimize critical information systems have been effective and have brought real benefits to the business. However, for me, the fact of the award itself is not as important as its deeper meaning. This nomination became a symbol that my team and I managed to create and implement solutions that really help financial companies work more productively and efficiently. Ultimately, our main goal is to ensure high reliability, scalability, and performance of the banking IT infrastructure, allowing business units to effectively focus on their core tasks.

The opportunity to see the real positive effect of my work, to observe how the implemented innovations change people's lives for the better — that's what brings me the greatest satisfaction. The award is not an end in itself. It is much more important to know that your efforts are really needed and in demand, that they make a significant contribution to the development of the business. Receiving the "IT Manager of the Year" nomination is just an external confirmation of this fact.

Vitaly, you have extensive experience working in leading Russian technology companies. In your opinion, how do Russian specialists manage to maintain leading positions in this field, despite the high competition in the global market?

In my opinion, Russian specialists in the field of information technology manage to maintain leading positions in the global market due to a combination of several key factors. Firstly, it is the high quality of technical education in leading Russian universities. Fundamental training in mathematics, physics, and programming lays a solid foundation for further professional development. Secondly, Russian IT specialists are famous for their non-standard, creative approach to solving complex technical problems. The ability to think "out of the box", to find non-trivial solutions is especially in demand when working with high-load, scalable systems. Finally, Russian IT specialists, as a rule, demonstrate a high motivation for continuous self-education and improvement. They quickly master new technologies, methodologies, and tools to meet the most advanced requirements of the industry. The combination of academic fundamentals, a creative approach, and a desire for continuous development creates a sustainable competitive advantage for Russian IT professionals in the global market. I am proud of my belonging to this community and the contribution I make to the development of the domestic IT industry.

Vitaly, as a technical leader with more than 10 years of experience who specializes in managing high-load fault-tolerant systems, what, in your opinion, are the key problems facing the Russian IT industry today?

From my point of view, one of the key problems facing the Russian IT sector today is related to the effective management of young talents. Russian technical universities produce a large number of highly qualified specialists in the field of information technology. However, young developers, analysts, and engineers often face difficulties in realizing their potential in a professional environment. Team leads — technical team leaders — play a key role in this process. The success of the latter depends on their ability to effectively manage, mentor, and motivate young specialists. Unfortunately, many team leads do not have sufficient skills in the field of personnel management, coaching, and employee development. In addition, strong technical leaders often quickly "outgrow" the role of team lead and strive to solve more complex, strategic tasks. As a result, there is an acute shortage of qualified middle managers in the market who could competently organize the work of young talented specialists. Solving this problem, in my opinion, requires a comprehensive approach: from improving management training programs in technical universities to creating effective mentoring and career development systems within IT companies. This is the only way to fully unlock and apply the enormous potential that the Russian IT industry possesses.

In the modern world, where financial flows know no boundaries, and technologies change with dizzying speed, the experience and knowledge of specialists like Vitaly Leshchuk become a valuable asset. It is thanks to their work and talent that Russian banks not only keep up with the times, but also set the tone in the field of financial technologies. The development of the domestic IT sector, the training of highly qualified personnel, and the introduction of advanced technologies are the key to the successful future of the Russian banking system.