Event of SHVACHER, a Russian manufacturer of IT equipment that produces modern solutions for business and the public sector. During the meeting, Andrey Lemekha, director of the manufacturing company, spoke in detail about SHVACHER products: servers, storage systems, and trusted PACs. Participants learned about the technical specifications, advantages, and use cases of the solutions. According to Andrey, SHVACHER has been working on register-based solutions for four years. These are solutions from the register of radio-electronic products and from the registers of the Ministry of Digital Development, the so-called PAC register.
Our company has an R&D department that develops software. The software is written for storage systems.
The advantages of our organization are shown on the next slide.
We have a lot of warehouse reserves, which allow us to quickly process orders, because today the turnover of money and the timing of each individual delivery are of great importance. It is important for everyone to quickly close the delivery, receive money, and for the customer to receive the equipment. On average, for small orders, in 1, 5, 10 servers, the order fulfillment time is two weeks. If something is larger - up to 4 weeks. We assemble storage systems within 2 weeks. If this is a large quantity, in the amount of 5-10 pieces, we are able to assemble in 2 weeks. Of course, in the fourth quarter, the terms increase, but slightly. That is, as a rule, we fully meet the specified deadlines. We have demo equipment that we provide for testing to our partners and customers. Demo equipment is available both in terms of server equipment, and in terms of PACs, and in terms of HSD systems. We are ready to provide it upon request.
We support all our partners and customers at all stages of the project. We provide consulting services, we can analyze the infrastructure, issue recommendations regarding the replacement of equipment from our portfolio. We help with the technical task, with the preparation for 223-FZ and 44-FZ. We have extensive experience in this area.
We participate in various exhibitions.
Last year, we began to actively attend such events, and we ourselves organize local exhibitions. Today, together with PMSS, we are discussing joint marketing, local off-line events and conducting a series of webinars. All this is gaining momentum, as the equipment line is constantly updated with new models. We are preparing to announce and promote our data storage system on our own software, on our own management software. Therefore, marketing will develop, we are always ready for dialogue, we can conduct webinars.
Now I will tell you about what we are ready to offer. And the first product is servers based on V4, V5 processors.
These servers in Russia are in the form of ready-made motherboards. Now they are being tested. Now we are working on software adaptation and plan to finish by the end of June. As for obtaining a register entry, we plan that when the platform is ready at the end of June, we will have a register number, because this process was launched a long time ago, and we have already passed a number of approvals and adjustments. Thus, starting from July, it will be possible to sell and ship this solution. We will, of course, make an additional announcement when more accurate information appears, and we will announce the appearance of the register number. But already today we have all the prices, all the calculations, you can contact our account managers, they will be ready to quickly calculate this or that competition for you. A huge plus of these solutions is a platform that is completely independent of anyone.
There will be three models, starting in July, these are two-unit platforms. One for 12 LFF, the other for 25 SFF. The difference between the two models for 25 SFF is that one is completely for NVME disks, the second supports 4 NVME disks and 20 SAS/SATA disks. That is, there will be variations. As for the most popular platform - 12 disks for 3.5, it supports SAS/SATA and NVME completely in the entire basket, with hot-swap. In general, there are no super-characteristics of the server, everything is quite standard. In general, this is a standard, best-selling, universal platform for 12 and 25 disks. We are also planning to release 1 Unit. But there will be a separate announcement about it. You can count on it until the end of summer.
The next item in our portfolio is the data storage system.
This is perhaps the most interesting product for implementation in terms of project deliveries and earnings for everyone, both for partners and distributors. The data storage system is a standard 4-unit, 2-controller. We do not have 2 U-controllers, only 4 U. That is, this is a single product for 24 LFF disks with the possibility of installing digital disks. You need to understand that we use third-party software to manage this "hardware", since we are still refining our software. But everyone in the market knows that there is such a company Raidix and there is such a company Baum. We are a gold partner of Raidix. But they offer their solutions to a wide range of manufacturers, including small ones.
If we talk about the data storage system on Raidix, then what advantages can there be when working with us? I say this because there are many competitors on this solution. If we are talking about writing some kind of technical task, then, in order for a partner to be interested in implementing the project with us, we have a number of "goodies" that we are ready to provide in the technical task. They do not depend on Raidix, they concern the device precisely in the hardware part of the platform with certain functionality. Here, within the framework of this webinar, I will not go into these functions, but upon request we will provide you with this information.
However, I note that in the last auctions that we had, within the framework of the cost of the solution, we are still profitably competing with everyone. There were seven participants in the last auction with Raidix. It was not our competition and not even our partner's, we just came and gave ourselves and our partners a good opportunity to earn money. That is, we have the opportunity to compete on price for Raidix solutions. Unfortunately, the reality is that there is always competition with Raidix. We are trying to come to reduce it a little, but for now it is there.
As for the solution on our second technology partner, this is Baum. Everything is simpler with Baum, and at the time of implementation, no additional questions usually arise. But you need to understand that the cost of our solution system, on Baum and on Raidix, differs significantly, because the management software has a decent difference in cost. Therefore, here we, of course, proceed from the needs of the customer, from his budget, and also, you need to understand why Baum is more expensive. The fact is that it carries a certain corporate functionality that Raidix does not have. Things like duplication of compression, which, unfortunately, Raidix does not have. Therefore, when the customer requires such functionality, the choice is small. And the only question remains in the budget. Naturally, if the customer's budget allows to buy in the middle segment storage system, this is exactly the storage system on Baum, then you need to lobby for this solution, because it will be interesting to everyone, both the customer, the partner, the distributor and us as well, because it simplifies the headache at the time of bidding. So today these are two systems. Naturally, they are with current register numbers. The delivery time for them today is two weeks. We are ready to assemble and unload without problems.
Here you can see the technical features in more detail for each data storage system. Here is a standard data storage system. We can connect disk shelves to each storage system. They come in different variations. Here it is indicated on the section of expansion disk shelves. That is, we have 2-unit for 24-12 disks, or 4-unit large for 72 and 78 disks. This is when the customer needs a lot of disks, we are ready to assemble such systems. Moreover, we have cases where we connected several disk shelves for 78 disks, and it all worked perfectly, without any failures.
As for software and hardware complexes.
In fact, the story with PACs began more actively this year, because there is Federal Law 19-12, which obliges the subject of critical infrastructure to purchase solutions from the register of PACs of the Ministry of Digital Development. How does it differ from REP? The fact that there can be no other software on this "hardware" other than the one that is entered in the register specifically on this "hardware". If we, for example, buy a hardware platform separately from the REP and buy software separately for it, then this is not a PAC. If the customer is obliged to buy a PAC, he goes to the register of the Ministry of Digital Development, chooses according to the direction of the task that he faces, for example, virtualization, chooses, for example, Z-Wirt. So, he can only buy this hardware with this specific software and cannot change anything on it. That is, if we proceed from the side of the law, then he cannot demolish the server in the future from the computing module for storing software, and put his own. He thereby violates the register and the legality of the acquisition. There are quite a lot of such customers now. The funniest thing is that not all customers know that they are required to use the register of the Ministry of Digital Development. It happens that during the approval of the purchase, he is told about this by higher authorities, and it happens that not. And some cases are implemented bypassing this law. But I think this law will actively develop, because the PAC register is gradually expanding. We probably have the largest number of PACs that cover almost all areas in terms of the main software that the customer needs.
And what are we ready to offer here? First, PACs for data storage. These are the same data storage systems, with the same software, just in the PAC format with the current number from the Ministry of Digital Development. In order to, in case the customer needs to purchase a data storage system, and he belongs to a critical infrastructure, we have the opportunity to provide him with a number specifically from the register of the Ministry of Digital Development, and not from the REP register. That is, you can easily use either the register of the Ministry of Digital Development, or the REP register, if the customer does not need the Ministry of Digital Development.
We have one of the most ambitious tasks - virtualization.
Here we work more with OrionSoft. They are probably the first key partners for us, they have a lot of necessary certificates and licenses that are needed. With them, we are actively working on various cases, so Z-Wirt as a product for us in the framework of virtualization is one of the main ones. We also have a solution on HostVM. HostVM is also a virtualization solution from a Russian developer. We recently contracted with them, and unfortunately there were no specific cases for them, so within the framework of how much it is in demand on the market, I can't say now, because we focused on OrionSoft and Z-Wirt in the framework of virtualization. In general, the virtualization module, the hardware platform, is essentially the same server. That is, the server that we have in the RF register already has some software product that makes it essentially a PAC.
We also have a solution on Cyber Protect.
This is one of the largest solutions, because it is essentially a hybrid system on which you can use virtualization, and use it as data storage on the same disks, on the same servers on which the software itself is installed. That is, you do not need to use separate data storage systems. This is a very popular solution on the market. In addition, everyone knows Cyber Protect. They have a fairly large pool of customers, with whom we regularly hold joint events. This is one of our most important strategic partners. We have interesting cases that we have already closed, and which successfully operate in significant structures. All this has current registry numbers, they can be used and offered to customers.
This is an additional backup module to the same Cyber Protect, that is, it is often not used separately, but is used as part of the PAC or, for example, Z-Wirt with this module for data backup. That is, this is also one of the most common cases.
In general, the advantage of Shvacher's trusted PACs is that, firstly, they can be combined.
That is, you can take a solution, combine a virtualization module with a storage module and a backup module, write a common technical task for them. And thereby make it more interesting and unique. This is not prohibited, they can be changed, built, scaled, connected. The main thing is that each module has its own register number. This is the most important thing. Also for the partner and customer of the PAC - a single point of entry for contacting the service guarantee. If your customer has a problem when he purchased the PAC, he goes specifically to us as the manufacturer of this PAC. He does not go to the server manufacturer or the software manufacturer, but in the case when the customer buys a PAC, he has a single window of contact, his problems are solved within one window.
The second important advantage is compatibility. That is, if the customer buys a PAC with specific functionality, this equipment is exactly compatible, and it will definitely start during installation. There are a number of cases when the customer bought registered hardware, for example, server equipment, and tried to run some software on it. And it did not start, because the hardware was not validated and tested. It is clear that this can be fixed, but it is all time and nerves and, I think, no one needs it. It is clear that a convenient device management system is what developers of Russian software solutions are now striving for.
It is clear that you can scale in various keys, that is, increase storage modules. It is most interesting to work with PAC in this, because it is very difficult to sell a clean server now due to high competition in the market. All servers are similar to each other. This used to be the case in the market of system units, laptops and others, when 10 participants came to each competition. Now this is happening within the framework of the server solution. Unfortunately, we have to compete hard with market participants. The absence of KTRU restrictions, I have already said that within the framework of PACs we are not obliged to write a technical task according to KTRU.
This slide shows the latest projects that have been implemented in our company. There is our equipment. One of these projects is the SBE "Ritual". We can say that the entire data center is built on our equipment. There are PACs and data storage systems. PACs there use a data storage system and cyberbackup for backing up data copies. Recently there was a big competition in Sakhalin. CRCT (Center for Regional Digital Transformation). It was divided into two parts at one time, our partner supplied our solutions through distributors. It was the supply of data storage systems and the supply of server equipment. There were about 75 servers delivered in a short time. The competition ended on the first days of December, and on December 21 the equipment was already at the customer in Sakharin, delivered by plane. Well, in general, you can get acquainted with each case separately, you can see and buy, and if necessary, see the essence of the project. We show that we are implementing complex large cases. Our equipment successfully works for many customers.
Our technological partners, I have already told about most of them, these are mainly software developers: Baum, Raidix, Z-virt, Cyber Protect.
But there are others, including developers of Russian processors Baikal and Elbrus. If we don't particularly bet on Elbrus, then things are not so simple with Baikal. They promise to provide the opportunity to order some quantity of ready-made solutions of motherboards with Baikal 48s processors in the near future. And we are preparing to release some kind of solution on Baikal type 1. That is, it can be a server and a data storage system. But it's too early to talk about this, because not everything is so transparent in the interaction. The number of processors is very limited, they will definitely not cover the market, so we are not betting on them yet. And with Elbrus, unfortunately, everything is clear. They are unlikely to release anything to the domestic private market.
The deal cycle is a standard accepted by everyone.
You can contact our company through a distributor. If you write directly to our account manager from a partner on the account contacts, in any case, when the deal is ready and confirmed, we will choose a distributor. If you came through OCS, it will be OCS, if you came from the side, when the deal has not yet been confirmed at the time when you are ready to place an order, you can choose. We do not ship equipment to partners directly now, we work through the distribution channel. Be sure to check the possibility of registering such a transaction, registering a project, whether there have been similar requests before at the time of the request. We try to do this quickly. I will say right away that there are some delays with calculations on Baum, because if we consider the data storage system on Baum, then, unfortunately, there may be a week or two with an answer. Because Baum has a number of changes and bureaucratic moments that do not always allow them to quickly issue calculations for management software. In any case, if the deadlines are burning, we try to lobby this calculation as much as possible. There are a number of contacts that allow this to be done, but we do not always use them so as not to abuse them, so that really in case of emergency it would be possible to contact them so that something would be calculated quickly, because they have a large load. After confirming the possibility, we calculate, issue you a commercial offer, and wait for placement or bidding, depending on the format in which the purchase takes place. Also, at the stage of preparation for the competition, we provide all kinds of consultations regarding the technical task. We have various "fish" for our solution. All this can be requested and received in an operational mode.
Guarantees and service.
This is a three-year warranty, standard. But it is also possible to buy an extended warranty for 3 or 5 years. The three-year standard warranty includes acceptance of requests through basic channels, access to software updates and all documentation, remote diagnostics and work on constructive replacement of shortcomings and breakdowns of the motherboard, or service in the service center. We have an extensive list of service centers, we cover almost all of Russia, where possible, where there are qualified specialists who are ready to provide services to restore operability. What is good about the extended warranty is that we also carry out work on replacing detachable components, plus we promptly send the components necessary for replacement on the next business day, that is, this is not a warranty period of two weeks, not 45 days. The replacement is made either by our specialist at the installation site, or by the customer himself. In cases where you need to replace a disk or RAM, the customer can do it himself. Basically, on-site service services are needed by customers when we are talking about complex replacements, such as replacing the motherboard entirely. The customer can replace the power supply, disk, memory elements himself. And, as a rule, this is what happens: components are sent, the customer installs them, and we take the broken component from him if necessary. Non-return of drives is also provided. Recently, it is often found that customers ask for non-return of drives in case of warranty on disks. We also have this option. Within the framework of the extended warranty, 3 and 5 years differ only in that within the framework of 5 years it costs more, since we need to store a separate dedicated zip for a specific hardware, because within the framework of 3 years the necessary hardware that will be needed for replacement in the future may simply disappear from the market, and we will have nothing to service. Therefore, for each unit of equipment for which an extended five-year warranty is purchased, we create and store a separate box in the warehouse Zip, from where components are subsequently taken for replacement and maintenance. All this is calculated separately within the framework of each specific case, it all depends on the complexity of the configuration, the number of disks, memory, technological load and other things. But in any case, such a guarantee can be requested. SLA is also posted on the website, you can find it in the "Support, warranty" section. There, all the conditions for providing a guarantee are described quite extensively.
Also, for the convenience of our customers and partners, we have a service portal.
The service portal is a system that allows the customer to track all purchased equipment, search by serial number and create cases, tickets for warranty and service issues, that is, for each individual hardware, and monitor the status of the execution and processing of a particular ticket. The convenience lies in the fact that the customer conducts this correspondence not in the mail, where the correspondence is fragmented, but goes to a separate portal, sees in the form of chats and comments what and where for each case. He also sees when the warranty is coming to an end. He can also request the possibility of extending the warranty, updating the warranty. That is, almost any requests related to service and technical support can be made through the service portal. An account is created automatically when a transaction is made, if it has not been created before. Because there are customers who have already purchased something, they, of course, use a single account. Access to a single account within one organization can be obtained by several employees. One record is a master record, and the rest can be added to the list of employees who need to be granted access using this master record. Also, of course, access to all updates, knowledge base, which the customer may need during the operation of the equipment. I also want to say that each unit of equipment is necessarily accompanied by a memo on how to work with the service. Everything is clearly and understandably written there so that the customer knows exactly where to go. I, of course, understand that customers are often lazy in some moments, and that it is easier for them to contact the organization where they bought this equipment. But in any case, you need to understand that the person you contact will go to the manufacturer. This turns out to be an extra shoulder, which can be excluded and speed up the process of solving your problem. If the customer wants to get a quick solution to his problem, he needs to contact the service directly. The memo describes various ways to contact: Telegram, phone, mail, service portal. That is, any convenient way. Therefore, you need to try to immediately switch customers to contacting the service in response. We register each ticket, we have an automatic system, we will definitely not miss anything. Therefore, everything is quite transparent within the framework of the guarantee.
The partner portal is currently under development.
I just want to say with this slide that this is an analogue of the service portal. It is needed for our partners to make it easier for them to work with requests, because each partner may have ten, twenty, thirty of them. And in order not to lose important information, to see the status of each transaction, where registration is issued, where there is no registration, where you need to update something, where there are some clarifications, so as not to search, not to write in the mail, so as not to lose important data. Everything will be in a single portal, in a single list, where you go, see each transaction that you have started with us, and you can make some data on it: request an additional discount, request some data update, make some adjustments, get a specification. All this will allow you to process your requests more quickly and add transparency to our interaction with you. This is definitely better than creating endless correspondence in the mail. However, if a person wants to use mail or phone, we are not against it. We also have people for this who will do everything for you. But the partner portal, in my experience, is a transparent story, convenient for controlling even from the side of your transactions started on one or another partner. Therefore, we strive to add convenience to the relationship with us.
Illustrations are provided by the press service of SHVACHER.
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