About the Customer
BKT (Banka Kombetare Tregtare), the largest bank in Albania, is leading the charge in embracing cutting-edge technology with a strategic migration to the AWS Cloud. Renowned for its comprehensive suite of banking solutions, BKT is committed to innovation through pivotal applications like Doraepare—a dynamic platform for listing cars and buildings. This visionary move strengthens the bank’s commitment to pioneering developments in both the finance and real estate sectors.
Customer Challenge
BKT’s goals were centered around establishing a robust web application solution within the AWS Cloud, emphasizing high availability, disaster recovery capabilities, and scalability. A notable complexity arose from Doraepare being developed externally using Gitlab, necessitating seamless integration with AWS components. The challenge extended to establishing a dedicated staging area for pre-production testing, ensuring a seamless transition into the production environment.
Partner Solution
In response to BKT’s unique challenges, “Yönetim.Academy” emerged as the trusted partner, crafting a meticulous and tailored solution. EC2 instances were strategically configured as Gitlab runners, fostering a seamless integration of the build process and facilitating the smooth transfer of code to the Elastic Container Registry (ECR) through EC2 Instance Profiles. Another pivotal EC2 instance was designated as a staging server, providing a controlled environment for comprehensive pre-production testing.
The “why” behind these choices is crucial. The strategic configuration of EC2 instances as Gitlab runners is aimed at optimizing the development workflow, reducing inefficiencies, and speeding up the overall development cycle. By seamlessly integrating the build process with AWS components, this choice ensures a continuous and smooth development pipeline, contributing to enhanced efficiency and reduced time-to-market.
The introduction of a dedicated staging server is not merely about following a best practice but rather about ensuring the reliability and stability of the application. Thorough pre-production testing in a controlled environment minimizes the risk of issues when the application transitions to the live environment. This “why” underscores a commitment to delivering a robust and dependable web application.
To further optimize integration and deployment processes, a sophisticated code pipeline was implemented. This automated pipeline not only tracked changes in the ECR but also seamlessly updated tasks within the Elastic Container Service (ECS). The incorporation of dynamic scaling in ECS, leveraging container average CPU utilization as a metric, allowed for automatic adjustments in capacity based on varying workload demands. On top of that sticky sessions are enabled to keep the application healthy as it does not use utilize external session management.
The code pipeline implementation is rooted in efficiency and agility. By automating the tracking of changes and updates, manual interventions are minimized, and the development process becomes more agile. It ensures that the latest changes are seamlessly integrated and deployed, contributing to a more responsive and dynamic development environment.
Results and Benefits
The collaborative endeavors between BKT and “Yönetim.Academy” yielded substantial and impactful outcomes across various facets of the project:
Efficient Integration with Gitlab
The strategic configuration of EC2 instances as Gitlab runners not only facilitated a smooth integration of the build process with AWS components but also streamlined the overall development workflow. This optimization resulted in increased efficiency and reduced development cycle times.
Enhanced Staging Environment
The introduction of a dedicated staging server proved to be invaluable, ensuring thorough testing of the application before transitioning to the production environment. This meticulous testing enhances the overall reliability and stability of the system, reducing the likelihood of issues in the live environment.
Optimized Resource Allocation
The implementation of dynamic scaling in ECS, leveraging container average CPU utilization as a metric, resulted in improved resource allocation and scalability. This dynamic adaptation to varying workloads not only optimizes performance but also enhances cost efficiency by ensuring resources are utilized effectively.
Streamlined Continuous Integration and Deployment
The implementation of a sophisticated code pipeline automated the process of tracking changes in the ECR and updating ECS tasks. This not only reduces the need for manual interventions but also significantly enhances the efficiency of continuous integration and deployment. The automated pipeline ensures that the latest changes are seamlessly integrated and deployed, fostering a more agile development process.
High Availability and Disaster Recovery
The architecture and design of the AWS Cloud infrastructure prioritize high availability and disaster recovery. This ensures that BKT’s web application solution remains resilient and dependable, meeting the stringent requirements of the banking sector. The robust infrastructure design minimizes downtime, ensuring uninterrupted services even in the face of unforeseen challenges.
Strategic Technological Positioning
Through this collaborative initiative, BKT strategically positions itself at the forefront of technological innovation in the financial industry. The adoption of advanced AWS Cloud solutions not only addresses immediate challenges but also provides a solid foundation for future technological advancements and industry leadership.
In Conclusion
In summary, the symbiotic collaboration between BKT and “Yönetim.Academy” has successfully delivered a meticulously crafted, tailored AWS Cloud solution. This solution adeptly addresses the multifaceted challenges posed by BKT, establishing an advanced, scalable, and reliable web application infrastructure. The bank, in embracing these technological advancements, solidifies its position as a trailblazer in leveraging technology for sustained growth and excellence in the financial landscape. As technology continues to evolve, BKT stands well-equipped to navigate the future with resilience and innovation, reflecting its commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions in the dynamic landscape of banking and finance.