Background: A prominent bank in Switzerland required a CI/CD environment to be created from scratch on VMware within an extremely tight timeframe due to their obligations. The deadline was just three months, with no prior work completed. Concurrently, the bank was introducing new methodologies such as Agile and “you built it, you run it,” which needed our support.
Project Objectives:
- Create a CI/CD environment from scratch on VMware within three months.
- Support the introduction of Agile methodologies and the “you built it, you run it” approach.
- Onboard several internal IT groups to the new way of working.
Tools and Technologies Used:
- CI/CD Setup: GitLab, JFrog Artifactory, Sonatype Nexus
- Virtualization: VMware
- Container Platform: OpenShift Container Platform (OCP)
- Operating System: Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), RHEL UBI (Universal Base Image)
- Methodologies: Agile, “you built it, you run it”
Project Execution: The project involved one highly skilled hands-on architect responsible for system design in both high-level (HLD) and low-level (LLD) designs, as well as implementing the solution in a remarkably short time. He was supported by an enterprise architect and a security compliance expert, both external to the company.
Despite the tight timeline, the architect efficiently designed and implemented the CI/CD environment, ensuring it met the client’s requirements. The system design included both HLD and LLD, providing a comprehensive blueprint for the solution.
Given the similarity to a previous project, our team leveraged past experience to efficiently handle the timeframe, bringing significant benefit to the client. The successful implementation included setting up VMware for virtualization, RHEL and RHEL UBI as the operating system, and the OpenShift Container Platform (OCP) for container orchestration. The CI/CD setup utilized tools like GitLab, JFrog Artifactory, and Sonatype Nexus to streamline the development process.
Once the CI/CD setup was completed, several internal IT groups needed to be onboarded to the new way of working. The team facilitated this onboarding process, ensuring a smooth transition to the Agile and “you built it, you run it” methodologies.
Challenges:
- Meeting the tight deadline of three months with no prior work done.
- Supporting the introduction of new methodologies (Agile and “you built it, you run it”).
- Onboarding multiple internal IT groups to the new CI/CD environment and methodologies.
Solutions and Innovations:
- Efficient system design and implementation by a highly skilled hands-on architect.
- Comprehensive HLD and LLD to guide the implementation process.
- Leveraging past project experience to handle the tight timeframe.
- Close collaboration with the enterprise architect and security compliance expert.
- Effective onboarding of internal IT groups to the new CI/CD environment and methodologies.
Outcomes and Benefits:
- Successful creation of a CI/CD environment on VMware within the three-month deadline.
- Smooth introduction and support of Agile and “you built it, you run it” methodologies.
- Seamless onboarding of internal IT groups to the new way of working.
- Preservation of the client’s timeline, allowing them to operate without delays.
- Enhanced operational efficiency and streamlined development processes.
Lessons Learned:
- The importance of having a highly skilled and efficient team to meet tight deadlines.
- The need for comprehensive system design (HLD and LLD) to guide implementation.
- The value of leveraging past project experience to benefit new clients.
- The necessity of effective onboarding processes to ensure smooth transitions to new methodologies.
Conclusion: The project to create a CI/CD environment from scratch on VMware for a leading Swiss bank was a remarkable success. Through efficient planning, skilled implementation, and seamless collaboration, the team met the tight three-month deadline while supporting the introduction of Agile and “you built it, you run it” methodologies. The smooth onboarding of internal IT groups ensured the client could operate without delays, setting a benchmark for rapid CI/CD environment deployment.