Modernizing DevOps Infrastructure for a Global Data Solutions Leader

Overview

A global leader in high-performance data storage and big data processing partnered with Rysun to modernize its DevOps infrastructure. With expansive lab environments distributed across multiple global sites, the client needed to overcome the limitations of legacy provisioning and configuration management tools to create a more scalable, agile, and future-ready DevOps ecosystem.

Rysun designed and executed a phased modernization strategy, transitioning the client’s infrastructure from legacy tools like Cobbler and Chef to MaaS and Ansible. This transformation has laid the foundation for faster provisioning, reduced operational complexity, and seamless integration with modern CI/CD pipelines; empowering the client’s DevOps teams to innovate at scale.

Industry​

Industry​

Data Storage & Big Data Solutions

Solution

Solution

Modernized infrastructure with MaaS and Ansible for automated provisioning, streamlined workflows, and scalable DevOps operations.

Location

Challenge

Legacy provisioning tools limited scalability, increased manual work, and hindered CI/CD integration.

The Challenge

The client’s DevOps infrastructure had reached a scalability ceiling. Their existing ecosystem, built on older provisioning (Cobbler) and configuration management (Chef) tools could no longer support the speed, flexibility, or automation required for modern lab environments.

  • Legacy Tool Limitations: Outdated systems led to operational bottlenecks and reduced agility.
  • Limited Scalability: Traditional tools were unable to efficiently handle distributed environments.
  • High Manual Intervention: Provisioning required frequent human input, leading to inconsistency and errors.
  • Integration Barriers: Existing systems lacked compatibility with newer hardware and CI/CD workflows.
  • Operational Inefficiency: Managing growth became increasingly complex, slowing innovation and raising costs.

As their global footprint expanded, these challenges directly impacted efficiency, scalability, and the pace of innovation.

Rysun’s Solution

Rysun proposed a comprehensive infrastructure modernization roadmap to replace outdated provisioning and configuration systems with MaaS (Metal as a Service) and Ansible.

The migration plan focused on:

  • Automating OS provisioning for both bare-metal and virtual environments
  • Simplifying and standardizing DevOps workflows across multiple global sites
  • Integrating seamlessly with modern CI/CD pipelines
  • Building a scalable, resilient, and future-ready infrastructure

This modernization initiative was structured to minimize disruption while ensuring measurable operational improvements at each stage.

The Benefits

  • Accelerated Provisioning:
    MaaS reduced environment setup time to minutes, speeding up build and test cycles.
  • Automation at Scale:
    End-to-end automation minimized manual input and improved consistency across sites.
  • Streamlined Configuration Management:
    Ansible playbooks standardized deployments and simplified maintenance.
  • Enhanced Security:
    SSH-only connectivity reduced attack surfaces and simplified compliance.
  • Future-Ready Foundation:
    Unified APIs and flexible design enable smooth integration with evolving DevOps pipelines.

MaaS & Ansible: Operational Impact

MaaS Infrastructure Platform
  • Rapid Provisioning: 8–15 minutes to fully configured environments, accelerating build/test cycles
  • Automated Workflow: 1–2 API calls replace multiple manual steps, reducing intervention by 50-75%
  • Fast Hardware Onboarding: 3–5 minutes to discover and integrate new nodes
  • Low Maintenance: 3–5 hours monthly overhead, freeing DevOps for core development
  • High Scalability: 150 nodes per admin enables small teams to manage large infrastructures
  • Unified API: Single REST endpoint simplifies Jenkins and Ansible integration
Ansible Configuration Management
  • No Agent Required: SSH-only operation eliminates client software maintenance across thousands of nodes
  • Easy Adoption: YAML playbooks lower learning curve and accelerate team productivity
  • Compact Code: 30-50% smaller infrastructure codebases improve maintainability
  • Fast Execution: Up to 2x faster task completion accelerates CI/CD pipelines
  • Simple Dependencies: Local handling reduces troubleshooting complexity
  • Secure by Design: SSH-only connectivity reduces attack surface