Chapter Guide

0:38 Rearchitecting the platform in 2006: Reasons for rearchitecting; How it was rearchitected

1:53 Why was this such a brave decision?: Difficulties of developing a new system whilst keeping original functionality

4:36 Performance is our superpower: Ensuring performance in the new system

6:30 Why Alfa is different to monolithic 'modern' systems: Difference between Alfa architecture and some other modern systems

8:15 Software should be a joy to use: Making a system that users like to use

9:26 Making sure technology is not an inhibitor: Key decisions in the design that allows Alfa to use different technology as it emerges

11:42 The benefits of containerisation: What is containerisation/Docker?; What are the benefits?

12:51 There is only one Alfa: What it means to be a true product; Explanation of a single version of Alfa; Benefits of a single-version approach

15:19 Reengineering development, automated testing built-in: Changes in software development methodology; Test-driven development

17:40 Agile development, four-week cycle: Reasons for a four-week development cycle

19:15 Seamless upgrades: Reasons for seamless upgrades; How the deployment works; Advantages of backwards-compatibility

22:16 Collaborative ecosystem, backwards-compatible: How Alfa sits in an ecosystem; Backwards-compatibility of APIs; Advantages of upgrades

24:36 API-led since 2006: What is an API?; What does API led mean?; Advantages of being API-led; Advantages of creating a system from building blocks

29:54 SaaS – the people who know the software best are running it: What does SaaS mean?; Advantages of SaaS; What does single-tenant SaaS mean?; What advantages does single-tenant SaaS have versus multi-tenant?

32:48 Cloud-native – we were born in the cloud: Why is Alfa cloud-native?; Advantages of being cloud-native

35:46 Alfa is cloud-agnostic: How is Alfa cloud-agnostic?; Why being cloud-agnostic is important

37:14 Evolving technology, quickly delivered to customers: What are the benefits to customers of being cloud-native?

39:24 2024 – Alfa Systems 6: Reasons for launch of AS 6; What is 'composable'?

43:19 Frictionless upgrades: Moving from v5 to AS 6; Frictionless major version upgrade

45:22 Continuous investment into our product: Building on the functionality; Ability to move into adjacent markets

46:50 One system, one engine, one workflow: What does a common engine mean?; Advantages of common engine

49:19 Alfa Time Machine: What complex processes does Alfa’s design make simple?; Automation of processes; Ability to backdate changes

52:28 'Baking in' flexibility: Reasons for systems to be flexible; How does Alfa 'bake in' flexibility?

54:10 Configuring for customer needs: Philosophy of business ownership of the software; How we understand customer requirements; Collaboration in developing software

56:38 Serving a large niche, designed with years of asset finance knowledge: Vertically focused software; What makes Alfa Alfa; Barrier to entry

57:26 What Alfa Does : (slide)

58:05 What Alfa Does Differently : (slide)

Transcript

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Don't let outdated systems write your future.

Evolving asset finance software for a sustainable future.

Securing future readiness for our customers.