Import substitution strategy affected radio electronics as well. The government is developing a plan to stimulate the demand for nationally produced equipment. Russian companies are doing research in this area to meet the rising market demand.
Sitronics Group is one of those companies. They started developing a new server model based on the Russian-made processor Baikal, and have already produced the server platform based on Elbrus 8SV CPU. Prototypes are already made, and now the company is testing and adapting them to Russian software.
RBC TV’s representative interviewed Alexander Trokhin, Sitronics Group Vice-President for Information and Communication Hardware Solutions, and Mikhail Rybchinsiy, Sitronics Group Vice-President for Sales and Operations.
Alexander Trokhin: The next stage for us will be developing a product based on Elbrus 16S and Baikal-S CPUs. These platforms are somewhat different, they have different architecture. Baikal-S server is used for tasks requiring a high degree of adaptation to Russian software. Elbrus server is a somewhat different platform that will be used in data processing centers. It boasts high resistance to external impacts. The benefits are that the server platforms using Russian CPUs are completely based of Russian technologies.
At what stage is the research right now?
At the first stage of the engineering documentation development and manufacturing of prototype Baikal-S CPU servers, the company invested about 100 million. The serial production will require much larger investments.
Sitronics Group production facilities are located in Novosibirsk. The company has already launched a serial production line for х86 servers. Our production capacity will be over 30 thousand pieces per year.
Are the national servers competitive compared to the foreign ones?
Mikhail Rybchinsiy: With regard to х86 server model, we already deliver batches of servers to our clients and partners. They undergo testing, and based on those testing results we get positive feedback regarding efficiency and specifications, which are in no way inferior to those of our competitors.
We have two main competitive advantages. First, it is a Russian product, and second, Sitronics Group, being a systems integrator rather than just a producer of servers, can solve complex tasks for our clients, from supplying the servers to integrating whole systems with their subsequent servicing.
What prospects does the new servers release open up for your company?
Mikhail Rybchinsiy: We are planning to be registered with the register of servers based on Russian-made CPUs. Our goal is to fill a considerable niche in this market segment, that is in the segment of servers with Russian CPUs.
Starting the production of servers with Russian processors Baikal and Elbrus, Sitronics Group is intending to make a substantial contribution to the substitution of imported computing electronics on the national market.
RBC TV