Kapital Bank is implementing one of Azerbaijan's most significant projects to create a unified corporate data warehouse. Together with partners IT integrator Databorn and software vendor Alphyn, the bank is deploying an innovative data processing system based on the all-purpose open-source platform Alphyn Lakehouse. Following the results of the first phase of the migration project, Kapital Bank has approved Alphyn Lakehouse as the target solution for building a new data warehouse core model and analytical data marts.
Lakehouse represents a new technological approach. Compared to classical methods, it offers more flexible analytics capabilities while optimizing data storage and simplifying configuration processes, ensuring high performance at minimal costs.
The transition to this class of solution enables the bank to shift its data management paradigm, adopt the most modern method of storing and processing big data, and, through reduced data refresh times, gain a qualitatively new tool for analytical reporting and business applications.
The Alphyn Lakehouse platform enables organizations to store and process all data in one location, regardless of the type of data being stored. The cutting-edge, high-performance tools underlying the solution enable loading and processing of traditional tabular formats, as well as files of any type, size, and format, including those without a clear structure (such as audio, video, and internet traffic). Additionally, Alphyn Lakehouse can accept data in all possible modes: batch, near real-time, and real-time; provide access to hundreds of users simultaneously; and most importantly, due to the paradigm embedded in any mature Lakehouse platform, handle significantly greater loads compared to MPP solutions (Massive Parallel Processing architecture). The platform is also oriented toward the rapid construction of user sandboxes, which can serve as a base for ModelOps, enabling the complete lifecycle of models, including solving AI tasks, all without requiring any platform modification.
For efficient operation of Alphyn Lakehouse at Kapital Bank, the Databorn team implemented several architectural solutions. In particular, they used a specialized S3 subsystem (Minio) that ensures high reliability and fault tolerance of the entire data storage system. Complementary Spark and Impala technologies are used for processing both unstructured and structured data. The solution also incorporates Apache Iceberg – an open-source file format designed for high-performance reading of large analytical tables and data modification, avoiding full data rewrites and providing ACID compliance. Data synchronization between sources and the platform in near-real-time mode occurs through a data bus built on Kafka, Debezium and Oracle Golden Gate.
Kubernetes provides flexible resource management for Alphyn Lakehouse. This allows convenient configuration of dedicated capacity for each component and, when necessary, switching between different data processing technologies – for example, between Spark and Impala: allocating more resources to Spark at night to accelerate routine data synchronization tasks, and to Impala during the day to improve platform interaction with end users.
Pavel Gamanyuk, Managing Director, Databorn: "The data warehouse migration project is undoubtedly one of the most ambitious challenges a company can face in an aggressively growing business environment, and when it comes to paradigm change, the task complexity grows exponentially. Our industrial experience and rich expertise in such projects allowed us to offer the client the most relevant data platform in terms of functionality, cost, and business scale – Alphyn Lakehouse. As a result, we solved a challenging task – updating the raw data layer from internal processing systems and other significant sources at the platform level occurs within 30 minutes after the operational day closure. At this volume, we are witnessing a technological revolution. Thus, within this initiative, the Databorn team essentially established the necessary prerequisites for a successful start to the main project phase: modifying the core data model and subsequently constructing the analytical layer, including data marts for reporting and applications within the platform. I'm confident that the professionalism and decisive approach of our partners will bring this unique project to its logical conclusion, allowing the bank to demonstrate an absolute technological victory over competitors once again."
Seymur Shabanli, Head of Data Management Office, Kapital Bank: "The rapid business development at Kapital Bank inevitably leads to outdated technologies, once the main prerequisite for growth, becoming limitations that slow further scaling. Several tasks outlined in Kapital Bank's development roadmap can only be solved on a fundamentally new technological foundation. Therefore, together with Databorn, we incorporated the most modern and innovative solutions, such as Alphyn Lakehouse, into the data warehouse reengineering project. By using this technology, we will be able to meet business needs for information processing speed, address infrastructure cost optimization requirements, and ensure quality and rapid scaling across all company activities, including the Bir Ecosystem. Our ultimate goal is to confirm Kapital Bank's position as the leading technological player in the financial market in the region and beyond."
About Kapital Bank
Kapital Bank, the country's first bank, is part of PASHA Holding and an integral part of the Bir ecosystem. As the successor to Sberbank in Azerbaijan, it has been successfully operating in the country's financial sector for over 150 years. Today, Kapital Bank is the largest financial institution with the most extensive network of branches and service centers in Azerbaijan. The bank is a founder and shareholder of the Baku Stock Exchange and Baku Interbank Currency Exchange, as well as an active member of the Association of Banks of Azerbaijan.
About Bir Ecosystem
The Bir Ecosystem unites the country's leading companies under a single brand – Birbank, Birmarket, m10, and MilliÖn, providing users with a unified space for daily financial and consumer operations. Additionally, Bir actively collaborates with strategic partners such as Trendyol Azerbaijan and BakıKart, significantly expanding the ecosystem's capabilities and making the customer experience even more convenient and diverse.
About Databorn
Databorn is a consulting company offering a wide range of IT solutions for companies across various sectors, including banking and insurance, retail, and manufacturing. Databorn helps clients enhance their business operations and boost efficiency through data-driven solutions. The company specializes in areas such as BI and Big Data, financial analytics and risk management, DWH, CRM systems, Data Science, Data Governance, Machine Learning, RPA, IoT, BPM, AML, and others.
Databorn represents high expertise and quality of completed projects. The company employs only highly qualified specialists with years of experience in the IT field. https://databorn.ai/
About Alphyn
Alphyn is a UAE-based developer of IT solutions for business. With 15 years of experience in consulting and working with leading vendors, the company develops high-performance solutions in high demand across the financial sector, telecommunications, retail, e-commerce, and manufacturing. Alphyn's products enable companies to develop CVM marketing; automate AML/CFT tasks; work with credit and other types of risks; address data analytics, machine learning, and MLOps tasks; and store and manage big data. https://alphyn.ai/