Modernize Core Banking Without the Big Bang
Rip-and-replace core banking modernization fails 70% of the time. Ververica enables incremental migration using the strangler fig pattern.
Legacy Core Systems
Are the Bottleneck
Banks run core banking on systems built decades ago. Batch processing cycles dictate settlement times. Integration requires custom point-to-point connections. Every new product takes months to launch because the core cannot adapt.
Big bang replacements carry catastrophic risk. TSB's 2018 migration failure cost 1.9 billion pounds and years of customer trust. The cost of legacy is high. The cost of failed migration is higher.
Core Capabilities
Strangler Fig Pattern
Wrap legacy systems with a real-time event layer. Intercept batch inputs and outputs. Migrate functionality incrementally. The legacy system shrinks as the streaming layer grows. No cutover date. No risk cliff.
CDC Integration
Capture every change from legacy databases in real time using Change Data Capture. Debezium connectors stream inserts, updates, and deletes from Oracle, DB2, and mainframe data stores into the Ververica pipeline.
Event-Driven Service Layer
Build new banking services on event-driven architecture from day one. Account opening, loan origination, payment processing. Each service consumes and produces events. The core becomes a collection of independent, real-time services.
Real-Time Sync
Maintain consistency between legacy and modern systems during migration. Bi-directional sync ensures both systems reflect the same state. Validation operators compare outputs continuously. Discrepancies trigger immediate alerts.
Key Reasons To choose Ververica
Why Ververica
Zero Downtime Migration
No service interruptions during migration. Legacy and modern systems run in parallel with continuous validation. Cutover happens per-service, not per-system.
70% Faster Time to Market
New banking products deploy in weeks on the event-driven layer, not months through legacy change management. Business agility increases immediately.
40% Lower TCO
Measured reduction in total cost of ownership as workloads migrate from legacy infrastructure. Mainframe MIPS, batch scheduling, and manual reconciliation costs decrease with each migrated capability.
12-Week First Service
First banking service migrated to real-time processing within 12 weeks. Subsequent services deploy faster as patterns and connectors are established.
Under the Hood
Ververica's core modernization approach uses Change Data Capture as the bridge between legacy and modern architecture. Debezium connectors capture every database change from Oracle, DB2, IMS, and VSAM data stores with minimal impact on source system performance. Changes stream into the VERA engine as events, where they feed both the new event-driven services and validation operators that compare legacy and modern outputs.
The strangler fig implementation uses an event router that directs traffic between legacy and modern paths based on configurable routing rules. Initially, all traffic flows through the legacy path with the modern path shadowing for validation. As confidence grows, routing shifts traffic to the modern path per-service. The legacy path remains available for fallback. Each routing change is reversible in seconds.
State migration is handled through a combination of CDC backfill and streaming state bootstrapping. Historical data loads from legacy databases while the streaming pipeline processes live changes. The VERA engine's exactly-once guarantees ensure no data is lost or duplicated during the transition. Once backfill completes and the streaming state catches up, the modern service is authoritative. The entire process runs without service interruption.
Related Solutions
Mainframe Offloading
Offload mainframe workloads to real-time stream processing. Reduce MIPS costs without replacing the mainframe.
Real-Time Payments
Build instant payment processing on event-driven architecture with sub-10ms latency.
Customer Personalization
Deploy real-time personalization on the new event-driven banking platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
01What is the strangler fig pattern for core banking?
What is the strangler fig pattern for core banking?
The strangler fig pattern wraps legacy systems with an event-driven layer that intercepts inputs and outputs. New functionality is built on the streaming platform. Legacy functionality migrates incrementally. The legacy system handles a shrinking workload until decommission. No big bang. No risk cliff.
02How does CDC work with legacy banking databases?
How does CDC work with legacy banking databases?
Change Data Capture monitors transaction logs on legacy databases (Oracle, DB2, IMS, VSAM) and streams every insert, update, and delete as an event. Debezium connectors handle the capture with minimal source system impact. Events flow into Ververica for real-time processing and service migration.
03What happens if a migrated service fails?
What happens if a migrated service fails?
The event router maintains fallback paths to legacy systems for every migrated service. If a modern service fails health checks, traffic routes back to the legacy path in seconds. No manual intervention required. Bi-directional sync ensures state consistency across both paths during any routing change.
04How long does a full core modernization take?
How long does a full core modernization take?
Full core modernization typically spans 18 to 36 months depending on system complexity and scope. The first service reaches production in 12 weeks. Each subsequent service deploys faster as patterns, connectors, and team expertise compound. Banks realize value incrementally from the first migrated service.
05Can Ververica work alongside existing core banking vendors?
Can Ververica work alongside existing core banking vendors?
Yes. Ververica operates as the event-driven processing layer alongside existing core vendors (Temenos, Finastra, FIS, TCS). It does not replace the core vendor. It replaces the batch processing model. Banks maintain existing vendor relationships while gaining real-time processing capabilities.
Legacy Core Banking
Is a Strategic Risk
Every month on batch architecture is a month competitors gain ground. Incremental migration eliminates the risk of big bang failure. The first service runs in 12 weeks.