CitiGroup

Client & Industry

Engaged by CitiGroup, a premier global bank, to stabilize the critical CAS system (a white-labeled CitiDirect SaaS application). CAS empowered clients with self-service user and entitlement management, directly reducing CitiGroup's maintenance costs and legal liabilities. Addressed paramount need for system stability and reliability within the 'Phoenix' portal platform.

The Challenge

Confronted significant instability within the strategically vital CAS system, stemming from extreme technological heterogeneity across the full stack. Addressed critical impediments to performance and development velocity:

• Resolve pervasive defects across a complex technology matrix: .NET (ASP.NET MVP, MOSS, SharePoint, Smart Parts, WCF, EntLib, C#), JavaScript (jQuery), UI (Telerik), Caching (NCache), Security (SiteMinder, OES), Java (Spring, Hibernate, WebSphere), Database (Oracle, SQL Server), Messaging (Tibco).
• Stabilize core system performance and ensure operational reliability.
• Bridge coordination gaps between siloed .NET and Java development teams for unified defect resolution.
• Eliminate backend inefficiencies, including redundant Java data polling via Tibco and unnecessary Hibernate usage.
• Overcome slow, weekly build cycles hindering rapid defect identification and remediation.
• Guarantee correct functionality of dynamic, entitlement-driven navigation within the SharePoint portal (OES).

Solution by Nimbletec

Deployed expert .NET Technical Leadership within a daily scrum framework to drive system stabilization and optimize development methodologies:

• Lead .NET Defect Management & Full-Stack Reparation: Directed the systematic identification, prioritization, and resolution of critical defects across the complex .NET technology stack powering the Client Access System (CAS). This included the ASP.NET Model-View-Presenter (MVP) application running on Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS), custom SharePoint Smart Parts, Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) services, and components built with Microsoft Enterprise Application Blocks, all primarily coded in C# within the Microsoft Visual Studio IDE.
• Execute End-to-End Troubleshooting Across Heterogeneous Systems: Diagnosed and meticulously traced intricate issues across the entire technology landscape, starting from the .NET front-end (incorporating jQuery and Telerik UI components, secured by SiteMinder) through WCF service layers, into backend Java 1.5 services running on WebSphere (utilizing Spring Framework and Hibernate for data access), and finally to the underlying Oracle and SQL Server databases. This required deep multi-technology mastery and debugging skills, leveraging tools like Eclipse alongside Visual Studio.
• Orchestrate Cross-Team Coordination & Backend Optimization: Forged crucial collaboration between the .NET and Java development leads to identify and resolve performance bottlenecks in the backend systems. Successfully drove the strategic removal of the Hibernate Object-Relational Mapper (ORM) in favor of more efficient embedded SQL within Java services and eliminated an unnecessary Java polling service that relied on Tibco messaging, significantly streamlining the backend architecture and reducing overhead.
• Ensure Code Quality & Portal Integrity: Instituted and enforced rigorous code review processes for the complex SharePoint portal components, specifically targeting the validation and stability of the dynamic navigation system driven by Oracle Entitlements Server (OES) to ensure correct user permissions and access control. Addressed caching issues related to NCache implementation.
• Accelerate Development Velocity & Improve Defect Tracking: Championed and successfully implemented the transition from inefficient weekly build cycles to daily builds managed via Team Foundation Server (TFS). This established tighter development milestones, enabled rapid feedback loops, and dramatically improved the efficiency and accuracy of defect tracking and resolution across the project.
• Facilitate Agile Collaboration & Planning: Steered daily scrum meetings, ensuring effective planning, clear prioritization of stabilization tasks, and transparent progress tracking across all involved technical leads, fostering a collaborative and results-oriented environment.

Key Results & Impact

Nimbletec's expert technical leadership delivered substantial, measurable improvements to the stability, performance, and development lifecycle of the critical Client Access System (CAS) Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform:

• Achieved Critical System Stability: Successfully resolved pervasive defects across an extremely heterogeneous technology stack (including .NET/C#, Java/Spring/Hibernate, SharePoint/MOSS, Oracle/SQL Server, Tibco, WCF), delivering a robust and reliable CAS platform essential for CitiGroup's global client operations.
• Optimized Backend Performance & Architecture: Eliminated inefficient Java services (specifically removing Hibernate and a Tibco-based polling service), significantly reducing system overhead, simplifying the backend architecture, and improving overall performance.
• Dramatically Increased Development Velocity: Transformed the build and deployment process from weekly to daily cycles (managed via TFS), compressing development timelines and enabling significantly faster identification and resolution of defects.
• Enhanced Cross-Functional Collaboration & Efficiency: Established effective communication channels and joint problem-solving protocols between previously siloed .NET and Java development teams, leading to more efficient issue resolution.
• Mitigated Operational & Business Risk: Stabilizing the CAS platform significantly reduced operational risks associated with client self-service user and entitlement management, thereby lowering potential financial and legal liabilities for CitiGroup.