Application modernization and optimization of IT operations with Kubernetes and DevOps processes

Goals

One of the main goals of the project was to modernize the Fitpass application by migrating to a new, containerized environment. Application stability, quick commissioning of new functionalities and consistent user experience in all markets were the priorities of the company, which currently operates in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Turkey and Montenegro.

Results

By implementing a Kubernetes environment and establishing an efficient CI/CD pipeline, Fitpass significantly improved its applications and its IT operations. The applications became more stable and error-resistant, the time required for the deployment of new versions was shortened, and the team got a better insight into the performance and health of the system.

Modernization in focus

Guided by technological trends as well as ambitious development plans that include marketing the application to new markets, the Fitpass company decided to embark on the process of modernizing its IT infrastructure. The complexity of the IT ecosystem: multiple versions of operating systems and different versions of PHP and Node.js on various environments created challenges in updating and improving application performance. This slowed innovation, one of the company’s priorities.

Given that application modernization includes various aspects – from microservices to DevOps, security, containers and containerized environment management technologies such as Kubernetes, Fitpass was looking for a partner that brings these skills together.

Mainstream, whose Managed Hosting services were already used by Fitpass in Serbia, stood out as a reliable partner for migration to a new IT environment and implementation of application modernization technologies.

Strategic application of Kubernetes and CI/CD principles to transform IT operations

At the very beginning, the Mainstream team conducted a thorough analysis of existing Fitpass systems and applications.This step was necessary to define the challenges and needs of the applications, and to plan the migration to a containerized environment.

After analyzing the IT ecosystem, Mainstream experts helped the client implement a wide range of technologies and tools for infrastructure modernization. Below are the key steps of the project:

Implementation of Kubernetes environment

One of the main steps was the design and implementation of a robust Kubernetes cluster for efficient orchestration of containerized applications. Mainstream created two clusters for Fitpass: for the production environment and for staging/testing. Each cluster is configured with three manager nodes to manage the state of the cluster and orchestrate tasks, while the number of worker nodes is adjusted to the needs of the environment.

Containerization and establishment of a CI/CD pipeline

Containerization of PHP and Laravel applications was an important part of the modernization. Mainstream used Docker to create containers, making applications more agile and easier to deploy.Each application was packaged with its own dependencies, eliminating the “runs on my computer” problem.

After containerization, Mainstream experts established an efficient CI/CD pipeline using Jenkins as a key automation tool. Jenkins pipelines are configured to automatically build, test and deploy applications to the appropriate Kubernetes environment, depending on the flow of code changes. This enables faster commissioning of new versions of applications and reduces the possibility of errors.

For Laravel applications, a set of scripts has been developed within the CI/CD pipeline that deals with database migration, which is a frequent need in Laravel projects. Automating this step significantly improved the speed and reliability of the deployment process, allowing the team to focus on developing new functionality instead of routine tasks.

Monitoring 

Mainstream implemented Prometheus for infrastructure and application monitoring, along with Grafana dashboards for real-time performance visualization. This allowed the Fitpass team to quickly identify and respond to potential issues before they were reflected in the end-user experience.

Using the Loki log aggregation system significantly improved log analysis and problem diagnosis. By integrating with the Kubernetes environment, automatic aggregation of logs from all components is enabled, which greatly increased the efficiency of the troubleshooting process.

Implementation of Disaster Recovery environment

Implementing a Disaster Recovery (DR) environment is key to ensuring business continuity and minimizing the risk of data loss in the event of unforeseen incidents. This process involved the establishment of secondary infrastructure at a different, independent location. By using automated data replication tools and adapting the CI/CD process, it is possible to quickly switch business operations to the DR site.

Training and submission of documentation

The final phase of the project included training the Fitpass team to work with new technologies and processes. Mainstream organized a series of workshops and trainings, focusing on Kubernetes cluster management, working with CI/CD tools and best practices for development and deployment of containerized applications. Detailed project documentation was also created, including instructions for the use and maintenance of the system.

Realized advantages

• Laying a solid foundation for application development and scaling
• Modernized architecture for greater scalability
• Greater operational efficiency and standardization of IT operations
• Faster diagnostics and troubleshooting in the operation of the application