Automation of the infrastructure implementation process for the needs of online stores based on the Shopware platform carried out on behalf of Crehler Ltd.

CREHLER Ltd is a company specializing in individual implementations of e-commerce solutions built based on the Shopware platform. The company designs online stores tailored to the client's business model. It also deals with integration with ERP, CRM, PIM, marketplaces, online payments, and courier companies. Crehler Ltd. Implements integration with other e-commerce systems. It also creates plugins that extend the functionality of the online store. It is also the first certified Shopware Enterprise Partner in Poland.

Beginning of cooperation

Due to the very dynamic growth of the number of online stores implemented on the Shopware platform, the Customer turned to us with the need to create a fast, automated process of implementing new environments for the needs of the websites he manages. After determining the most critical assumptions, we have prepared an appropriate methodology that automates implementations according to a specific key.

Description of activities

All infrastructures created for the Customer are located in the OVHcloud environment. To automate the infrastructure deployment process, we have configured Ansible – open source software used to automate the implementation, configuration, and management of infrastructure. Each time, we set with the Customer the parameters of virtual machines necessary to support a given online store for each new infrastructure. Thanks to this one-time action, which we preceded with an appropriate description of the process, we managed to minimize the time of subsequent implementations on the Shopware platform and thus reduce the costs of configuring the following infrastructures.

The ansible code repository is located in a specific GitLab branch, and the familiar environment usually consists of two servers – app and DB. Thanks to this, after determining the needs of the implemented infrastructure, using a 6-step procedure, we can start the environment following the established parameters in a short time.

To maintain security, we have also configured vRack in the OVHcloud environment – a private, scalable network between servers. For faster loading of content and protection against possible external threats, we offered the Customer to use of the CDN service, CloudFlare, which is responsible for faster delivery of static content to end-users.

Summary

For Crehler, we have configured the Ansible tool to automate the process of implementing other infrastructures for online stores based on the Shopware platform. Thanks to this, we could simplify and speed up the process as much as possible while optimizing the costs associated with subsequent implementations.