Offshoring

Customer Benefits

Dedicated infrastructure:

The hardware and software can be replicated and upgraded in synchronization with the customer's setup. Dedicated and isolated infrastructure can help protect the intellectual property of the customer.

Scalable resources:

Transteq can draw upon its multi-skilled resources depending on the requirements. This enables the product vendor to utilize resources for only the time they are needed. The company can transfer technological knowledge gained from other projects, thereby reducing the risk of failure when introducing new technologies into the product.

Transteq also allocates a few dedicated resources to the product to ensure long-term continuity.

Well-defined processes:

Delivering quality products goes a long way in reducing future costs. Our product management and software development processes are aligned with ISO-9001 and SEI-CMM Level 5 requirements. The approach is to prevent faults rather than detect and rectify them. Tools and methodologies to manage configurations, releases, feature prioritization and defect tracking are established and tested in projects for many software product vendors.

Offshore delivery model:

Companies can take advantage of the time differences to decrease the elapsed development time, in turn bringing the products to market in shorter time scales. Transteq has learnt from experience to effectively utilize this time difference. The company has well-defined client communication and issue resolution mechanisms to ensure consistency in understanding of requirements, effective project management in multiple locations, and better coordination between the customer and Transteq.

Data Security Measures

Safeguarding Applications and Data

The increasing globalization and evolution of disruptive technologies are forcing companies across industries to provide superior customer service, reduce the cost of operations across the board and place continued focus on rapid implementation of IT projects. However, with the rise of cross-border technology projects, security surrounding company assets is becoming increasingly crucial. Providing proper safeguards for applications and data components in an offshore environment is essential for banks, government bodies and other security-conscious institutions. Broadly speaking, in a technology project, security implications have two main components:

  • Data and infrastructure security
  • Personnel-based security

Data and infrastructure security:

When choosing a technology delivery organization for offshoring, companies must ensure that comprehensive data and infrastructure security policies and procedures are in place.

There are a number of examples of approaches to implementing data and infrastructure security:

  • Client data need not move offshore. Application construction can be carried out offshore using dummy/test data or scrambled data. This ensures that client data will be secure in company managed locations.
  • Network elements on client projects can be physically or virtually separate from the service provider’s networks.
  • Computer floppy drives, share drives and USB connectors can be disabled across the organization.
  • Offshore projects may be conducted within physically enclosed areas accessible only to client-approved personnel.

Personnel-based security:

Personnel issues are among the factors driving the increase in offshoring as developed nations face a shortage of skilled IT workers and rising employee costs. However, many companies worry about the quality and reliability of offshore personnel. A strict policy of background checks and screening of potential candidates should be part of a service provider’s standard procedures.

  • Verification of educational and professional qualifications
  • Verification of employment history
  • Public record searches

Transteq Security Measures:

Following a stringent security audit, Transteq India facility included the following aspects:

  • Physical and environmental security
  • Network security for the secure VPN (Virtual Private Network) tunnel setup
  • System build and maintenance
  • Access control within the project network and password protection policies
  • Project equipment change control
  • Communication and operations management
  • Personnel security with respect to background verifications by an external agency
  • Recruitment and termination policies and processes for Transteq employees
  • Business continuity management
  • Overall Transteq security measures

Based on this measure, we suggest that the SAP “build” and system test would be delivered from Transteq India. Deliverables included technical design and code for interfaces, forms and reports; system documentation; and unit test results.

A critical aspect of the project involved addressing security issues.

i)For example, real-life data is not part of the build process, which incorporates rigorous security features such as the use of unclassified data and/or fictional data, terminal connectivity with client site via VPN and unit testing to be done in India with “approved” data.

ii)All Transteq India team members (onsite and offshore) are security cleared by the external verification agency appointed by the Client.