Title

AWS re:Invent 2023 - Prudential: Modernizing a mainframe to improve customer experience (FSI312)

Summary

Vasu Kalli from AWS ProServe introduces the session, highlighting the challenges of migrating from mainframes to microservices.
Saurabh Patel, an architect at Prudential, discusses the company's history, services, and the need for modernizing their Customer Information Source (CIS) system.
CIS, a 30-year-old mainframe system, is being replaced with a cloud-native architecture using AWS technologies like Lambda, DocumentDB, and EventBridge.
The modernization involves aggregating data from multiple systems, designing microservices, creating a trusted master data source, and transitioning from legacy systems.
AWS ProServe assisted with architecture and design recommendations.
Urvi Joshi, Director Tech Lead at Prudential, shares the journey of modernizing the CIS, including the challenges of data transfer, ingestion, and processing.
The new system uses AWS services for ETL, data transfer, and processing, with a focus on domain-driven design and event-driven architecture.
The modernization aims to improve customer service, reduce costs, decommission legacy systems, and provide a unified customer view.

Prudential's modernization effort is a significant undertaking, involving the migration of millions of records and the integration of various data sources.
The use of AWS Serverless and NoSQL technologies indicates a shift towards more scalable, flexible, and cost-effective cloud-native solutions.
The challenges of working with legacy data formats like EBCDIC and the need for tools like Informatica for ETL processes highlight the complexities of data transformation in such migrations.
The adoption of domain-driven design principles and event-driven architecture suggests a move towards a more modular and responsive system design.
The partnership with AWS ProServe for architecture and design guidance underscores the importance of expert assistance in navigating the complexities of cloud migration.
The focus on customer experience and the use of AWS technologies to enable a 360-degree view of the customer aligns with Prudential's goal of improving customer service.
The modernization process includes not only technological changes but also cultural shifts, such as investing in talent, embracing agility, and fostering a learning environment.
The anticipated benefits of the modernization include infrastructure and cost savings, improved data matching and customer identity management, reduced call times for customer service representatives, and an overall enhancement of the customer experience.