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Spot the Difference: Keeping Your SimCorp Dimension Systems in Sync

  • Writer: Jing Xiang Chua
    Jing Xiang Chua
  • Apr 20
  • 3 min read


SimCorp Dimension
SimCorp Dimension

What is SimCorp Dimension?


SimCorp Dimension is a comprehensive, integrated investment management platform used by financial institutions worldwide. Think of it as a central software system that helps companies manage all aspects of their investment activities, from trading and portfolio management to accounting, risk analysis, and reporting.





Background of deployment issue.

Imagine you have a few different versions of the same software, like SimCorp Dimension, running in different "rooms." One room might be for testing new things, another for getting ready to go live, and the last one is the live system everyone uses.


A common headache is when the settings and setups in these different rooms get out of sync. It's like one room has a chair that's missing in another, or the color of the walls is different.


Why Does This Matter? Big Problems from Small Differences

If these "rooms" aren't set up the same way, it can cause real issues:

  • Things Work Differently: What you test and approve might not be what ends up running live. This can lead to surprises and things not working as expected.

  • Unexpected Errors: Small differences in setup can cause bigger problems and errors in the live system, which can be costly and frustrating.

  • Wasted Time Fixing Things: When something goes wrong, the first question is often, "Are all the setups the same?" This means people spend a lot of time checking and comparing instead of fixing the real problem.

  • Slower Updates: If people aren't sure if the setups are the same, they might be hesitant to make changes and updates, slowing everything down.


Our Solution: A Smart Way to Compare

To tackle this, we've built a clever tool that acts like a detective for your SimCorp setups. Think of it this way:

First, we use a standard tool (BeyondCompare) to get a list of all the "things" (objects) inside a software update package.

Then, I created a special script that goes a step further. It can:

  • List the "things" after an update: Instead of just looking at the package, it can see exactly what "things" are present in a specific "room" after an update has been applied. It takes a snapshot of the current setup.

  • Compare setups between different updates or "rooms": You can tell it to compare the list of "things" from one update to another, or even compare the setups between different "rooms" (like the test room and the live room).


Finding the Missing Pieces (and Extra Ones!)

This comparison helps us quickly see:

  • Missing "Things": If something is in one "room" but not another, we know something went wrong during an update or was missed.

  • Different Setups: Even if the "thing" is there, its settings might be different. Right now, our tool focuses on just seeing if the "thing" is there or not, but we can make it even smarter in the future to compare the actual settings.

  • Extra "Things": Sometimes, there might be "things" in a "room" that weren't supposed to be there, maybe from a previous update or a manual change.

Because we can easily see these differences, our tech team can quickly figure out what's causing problems and fix them faster. It's like having a cheat sheet that shows you exactly what's different!


The Goal: Smooth and Reliable Systems

This tool helps us make sure that all our SimCorp "rooms" are set up the same way. This means fewer errors, smoother updates, and more reliable systems for everyone. We're always working on making things even better so our SimCorp environment runs like a well-oiled machine!



 
 
 

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