Modernization of EKS Cluster Solutions Brings Volkswagen Group Increase in Automation

The Volkswagen Group, a global leader in the automotive industry, has successfully implemented a modernized EKS cluster solution, which yielded a significant improvement in efficiency and cost optimization of their IT infrastructure.

Key points:

✓ Transition from manual management to automated processes, reducing the risk of human errors
✓ Optimization of resources and cost reduction in IT operations thanks to the FinOps approach
✓ Acceleration of application deployment through modernized CI/CD pipelines
✓ Strengthening the security and reliability of IT infrastructure through standardization of procedures and automation of configurations
✓ The Aspecta team provided a comprehensive solution for the modernization of the Volkswagen Group's IT infrastructure, enabling focus on strategic initiatives

07. October 2024 ┃ 9 minute reading

Many companies in the automotive sector are facing challenges associated with the transition from traditional monolithic systems to modern, scalable, cloud-based solutions. This transition often involves a complex migration, modernization of existing systems, and implementation of new technologies, such as containerization and orchestration using Kubernetes. The trend in the industry is the adoption of managed services and the automation of processes that enable firms to focus on their core business instead of managing complex IT infrastructures. The Volkswagen Group has decided to face these challenges proactively by modernizing their IT infrastructure, namely its EKS (Elastic Kubernetes Service) cluster solutions.

Client

The Volkswagen Group is one of the world's largest automobile manufacturer, with a portfolio encompassing several prestigious brands. The company is well known for its innovative approach not only in the field of automobile production, but also in the adoption of advanced technologies in the framework of its operation. With a global presence and a comprehensive manufacturing and distribution network, the Volkswagen Group requires robust and flexible IT infrastructure to support their operations.

Problem: The Limitations and Risks of Monolithic Infrastructure

Monolithic infrastructure had significant the limitations in scalability and flexibility, what limited the rapid adaptation to the changing needs of the market. Report a self-managed PURCHIS nodes and images require extensive manual configuration directly in the console, which was time-consuming and prone to human errors. This approach not only increased the risk of outages and security incidents, but also significantly down IT teams routine tasks instead of strategic initiatives.

Inefficient use of resources led to the increased costs for the operation and maintenance. Manual processes and a lack of automation caused delays in the deployment of new applications and updates, which had a negative impact on agility and innovation capability of the company. These problems not only increase the operational costs, but also restricted the ability of the Volkswagen Group to respond quickly to new opportunities and challenges on the market.

The Volkswagen Group has set the following goals for the modernization of its EKS cluster solutions:

To increase the degree of automation in the report and deploy EKS clusters with the aim of minimizing the manual intervention and reduce the risk of human errors.
Optimize resource utilization and reduce the total cost of the operation of the IT infrastructure.
To improve the scalability and the flexibility of the IT environment for faster adaptation to the changing requirements of the business.
Modernize the CI/CD pipeline for a more efficient and faster deployment of applications and updates.
To increase the safety and reliability of the infrastructure of the eliminations of manual configurations and the introduction of standardised procedures.
Allow the IT team to focus on strategic initiatives instead of routine infrastructure management.

Solution: Modernization of EKS cluster infrastructure

The team from Aspecta designed and implemented a comprehensive solution for the modernization of EKS cluster infrastructure of the Volkswagen Group. This approach included several key components:

Complete overhaul of the code: The existing infrastructure was completely remade, with an emphasis on web directory, scalability and easier maintenance. The new code was designed to allow for easy automation and integration with modern DevOps tools.
Simplification of the technology: The team identify and eliminate unnecessary or outdated technology, thereby reducing the complexity of the system. Instead have implemented a modern, cloud-native solutions that better meet the needs of the Volkswagen Group.
Modernization of the CI/CD pipelines: A key aspect of the solution has been the transition from EC2 instances to PURCHIS cluster for CI/CD processes. This change allowed for a significantly higher degree of automation in the whole life cycle of the development and deployment of applications.
Automation configurations: All the configurations that were previously carried out manually in the console, they have been automated using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) approach. This not only eliminated the need for manual intervention, but also to ensure the consistency and repeatability of configurations across different environments.
Implementation of the best practices: The solution included the implementation of best practices for managing PURCHIS clusters, including auto-scaling, efficient resource management, and advanced monitoring and logging solutions.

During the implementation, the team met with several challenges:

Migration of existing workloads: The transition from monolithic infrastructure to a modern, containerized architecture required a cautious approach to the migration of existing applications. The team developed a detailed migration plan, which included a gradual migration, and testing of each of the components, to minimize the risk of downtime.
Integration with existing systems: The new solution had to seamlessly collaborate with a lot of existing systems and processes Volkswagen Group. The team worked closely with various departments to identify and implement the necessary integration points.
Ensure compliance with the safety requirements of: The automotive industry is subject to strict safety standards. The implementation of new solutions require a thorough analysis and implementation of security measures, including encryption, access control and monitoring of security threats.

Results: Increased Automation and Reduced Costs

The implementation of the modernised PURCHIS cluster solutions has brought the Volkswagen Group, significant results:

✓ Increase automation by 50%: Automating most of the processes associated with managing and deploying EKS clusters led to a dramatic reduction in the need for manual intervention. This not only increased efficiency but also significantly reduced the risk of human errors.

✓ Reduce costs by 20%: Optimizing the utilization of resources and the eliminating of inefficient processes have led to significant reduction of costs in the different stages of the process. This involved a lower cost to the infrastructure, as well as savings associated with more efficient utilization of human resources.

✓ Elimination of manual configurations: All configurations are fully automated, which not only increased the consistency and reliability of the system, but also allow the IT team to focus on more strategic tasks.

✓ To speed up the process of deployment: Upgraded to the CI/CD pipeline to enable a faster and more reliable deployment of applications and updates, thus increasing agility across the organization.

✓ Increased scalability and flexibility: The new solution allowed the Volkswagen Group to react more quickly to changing market demands efficiently and effectively scale their IT infrastructure according to the needs.

Conclusion

Modernization of EKS cluster solutions for Volkswagen Group represents a significant milestone in the digital transformation process of the company. The project not only solved the acute problems associated with inefficient and manually managed infrastructure, but he laid the foundations for future innovation and growth.

Implemented solution has brought the Volkswagen Group significant improvement in the field of automation, efficiency and cost optimization. 50% increase in automation and 20% reduction in costs they are clear evidence of the success of the project. These results not only improve operational efficiency but also to strengthen the competitive position of the Volkswagen Group on the global market.

Long-term benefits of this project include increased agility of the IT infrastructure, which allows faster adaptation to new technologies and market opportunities. At the same time, the elimination of manual processes and increased automation allow the IT team of the Volkswagen Group to focus on strategic initiatives and innovation, which is key to maintain a leading position in the rapidly changing automotive industry. This project serves as a example of a successful modernization of the IT infrastructure in a large corporation and demonstrates how strategic investments in cloud technology and automation can deliver significant business benefits.

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