Smooth Transitions: Zero Downtime Deployment for Next-Generation Core Banking Systems


In today’s fast-paced banking industry, the ability to implement new versions of core banking systems without any disruptions is crucial. Financial institutions need to keep up with customer expectations, regulatory requirements, and technological advancements while ensuring continuous service availability. This challenge has led to the concept of zero downtime deployment, where upgrades, improvements, and new features are seamlessly integrated into the core banking system without causing any interruptions.

ZDD– what’s it?

Zero downtime deployment (ZDD) refers to the process of deploying new versions of a core banking system without causing any disruption to its ongoing operations. It allows financial institutions to introduce updates, improvements, and new features seamlessly while maintaining continuous service availability for customers.

In our company, we offer various capabilities and features that support zero downtime deployment. BOS’s architecture is designed to ensure high availability and scalability, enabling financial institutions to implement new versions of their core banking systems smoothly. They leverage cloud-native technologies, microservices, and containerization to achieve this objective.

Rolling deployment

One of the key approaches used to implement zero downtime deployment is the concept of rolling updates (or rolling deployments) With this technique, new versions of BOS system are deployed incrementally, in small batches or segments, rather than all at once. By deploying updates in this manner, the risk of system failures or disruptions is minimized. If any issues are encountered during the deployment of a particular segment, it can be rolled back while ensuring the rest of the system remains operational.

“Despite the increasing demand for core banking system transformations, only around 30% of such transformations have successfully migrated ledgers and products to new systems, indicating the complexity involved”.
Source: McKinsey Digital

At INCAT, we provide comprehensive documentation and resources that guide financial institutions on how to achieve zero downtime deployment. By following these guidelines, financial institutions can mitigate risks and ensure a smooth transition to new versions of their core banking systems.

We also attach great importance to proper testing and monitoring during the implementation process. Thorough testing, including unit testing, integration testing, and performance testing, helps identify potential issues before they affect the live system. Continuous monitoring of the system during and after the deployment ensures early detection of any anomalies and allows for immediate remediation.

Benefits of Zero Downtime Deployment

Uninterrupted Banking Services
With ZDD, banks can update their systems, introduce new features, and fix bugs without causing disruptions to customer access or transaction processing. This ensures uninterrupted banking services, preventing any inconvenience or financial loss to customers.

Seamless User Experience
ZDD ensures a seamless user experience by eliminating any service disruptions or downtime during the deployment process. Customers can continue using the banking applications without any interruptions, accessing their accounts, making transactions, and utilizing various financial services offered by the bank.

Continuous Availability
Core banking systems need to be available 24/7, as customers expect round-the-clock access to their financial services. ZDD enables continuous availability by allowing updates and changes to be deployed without affecting system uptime.

Banks worldwide spend millions of dollars each year maintaining their core banking systems, which handle high transaction volumes and are expected to function without interruptions.”

By following best practices and leveraging the resources provided by platforms like BOS financial institutions can successfully implement new versions of their core banking systems while ensuring continuous service availability for their customers.