Scalable Cloud Solution for German E-Commerce Project

Learn how IT Svit transformed Zmyle’s infrastructure, resulting in significant cost savings, enhanced efficiency, and improved scalability.

Executive Summary

Company Info: Zmyle provides versatile gift card solutions for individual shops and communities across 17 cities in Germany.

Challenge: Zmyle needed a secure, scalable infrastructure to manage their multi-tenant system and handle high traffic volumes during peak periods like Christmas.

Solution: IT Svit established a Kubernetes cluster on Hetzner cloud, implemented security measures, automated management tasks, and laid the groundwork for continuous integration and delivery, ensuring Zmyle’s infrastructure could support their growing operations efficiently.

Zmyle: What Do They Do?

Zmyle is a dynamic company operating in Germany. It specializes in providing gift cards across 17 cities. Its core offering includes gift cards for both individual shops and entire communities, catering to a diverse range of customers and businesses. Zmyle’s multi-tenant system supports numerous websites, each uniquely tailored with different databases, logos, and host names to effectively serve various local markets and business needs.

Migration Process and Key Steps

The primary goal was to transform the existing infrastructure into a secure, scalable, and robust environment to support their growing operations. The client required consistent performance during high-traffic periods on holidays and effective management of the several websites they owned.

The migration process was critical to ensuring a smooth transition to the new Kubernetes environment. IT Svit’s meticulous planning and execution involved several key steps to minimize disruption in operation.

• Assessment and Planning: A comprehensive analysis of the existing infrastructure was conducted, including Docker images, Rancher 1.6, CouchDB, the API on Scala, and the frontend review on React and NodeJS. This assessment was transformed into a detailed migration plan.
• Setting Up the New Environment: IT Svit configured a secure Kubernetes cluster on the Hetzner cloud, including a private subnet, load balancers, a Pritunl VPN server, and an SSH bastion. Two ingress controllers were deployed for secure access to public and private applications.
• Data and Application Migration: Databases were carefully transferred to a high-availability Couchbase cluster. Applications were containerized and deployed in the new Kubernetes environment with automation scripts for load balancers and certificates.
• Testing and Validation: Extensive tests ensured applications functioned correctly within the new environment. A Prometheus-based monitoring system with Grafana dashboards was used for real-time performance monitoring.
• Optimization and Fine-Tuning: Autoscaling was implemented based on CPU and RAM metrics. An ELK stack provided detailed logging, and CI/CD pipelines were prepared for streamlined deployments.
• Go-Live and Support: The final switchover was implemented smoothly, with continuous support during and after the transition to ensure stability and address any issues.

Achieved Goals and Results

The project delivered transformative results, significantly improving the client’s infrastructure and operational capabilities.

1. Cost Savings: The new infrastructure setup led to a significant reduction in operational costs. By automating the provisioning and updating of load balancers and certificates, Zmyle reduced manual labor and associated costs by 30%.
2. Enhanced Security: The implementation of a Pritunl VPN server and SSH bastion ensured that Kubernetes management and internal tools were accessible only through a secure VPN connection. Two ingress controllers facilitated secure access to both public and private applications.
3. Effective Automation: Scripts were developed for the automatic provisioning and updating of load balancers and certificates using the Cloudflare API, significantly reducing manual tasks and errors.
4. Improved Scalability: Procedures were established for adding and removing Kubernetes and Couchbase nodes dynamically. Autoscaling based on CPU and RAM metrics allowed the system to adjust seamlessly to varying loads.
5. Comprehensive Monitoring and Logging: A Prometheus-based monitoring system with Grafana dashboards and alerts was set up, providing real-time insights and proactive management capabilities. An ELK stack with Logstash pipelines and customized alerts ensured thorough event tracking and analysis.
6. Time Efficiency: The migration to a Kubernetes cluster and the implementation of CI/CD pipelines decreased system management time by 40%.

Final words

By partnering with IT Svit, Zmyle successfully transitioned to a secure, scalable, and automated Kubernetes environment. This setup not only met their current needs but also established the basis for future growth, with the ability to handle peak loads and integrate CI/CD processes seamlessly. The project demonstrated IT Svit’s expertise in cloud infrastructure, Kubernetes, and automation, delivering significant value to the client’s operations.