WerStreamt.es (FUNKE Mediengruppe)

WerStreamt.es (FUNKE Mediengruppe)

The new platform from FUNKE Mediengruppe elevates the streaming guide services to new heights

Customer: FUNKE Mediengruppe
Industry: A large publishing house with a recognized brand in Germany.

In October 2022, Strong Ops embarked on a journey to redefine the trajectory of WerStreamt.es, a platform that had been present in the market for several years. The challenge was to breathe new life into this established product, renewing its server infrastructure and functionality to meet the evolving demands of the market.

Strong Ops is known for its strategic and analytical approach, and it began the project with an intensive analytical phase. The team delved into the intricacies of WerStreamt.es and examined the server infrastructure environment.

After months of planning and strategic groundwork, the project reached a significant milestone in October 2023 — the Go Live stage. The redesigned platform WerStreamt.es was launched, ready to make a powerful impact in the marketplace.

This case study will provide a more in-depth understanding of the strategy employed by Strong Ops, highlighting the key tactics and revealing the successful implementation.

Challenges

The objective was to improve the server infrastructure for the platform “WerStreamt.es”. To achieve this, Strong Ops had to improve page load times and establish an infrastructure that seamlessly extracted and gathered data from the VOD platforms.

The challenges focused on the following three areas:

  • Each platform provides data in its own way, which makes it difficult to consolidate the information for the end-user.
  • To fulfill the needs of users, a large amount of data is used to promptly respond to search queries for films and series.
  • The fluctuation in demand for services often translates into distinct patterns of traffic throughout the day. The surge in user activity during certain peak times demands a robust and scalable infrastructure that dynamically adjusts to these fluctuations.
  • A highly manual development process poses challenges to the principles of automation and efficiency.
  • By only using AWS virtual machines, the full range of cloud services and their potential were not fully exploited.

Solution

The solution uses Kubernetes and integrates automatic scaling and resilience measures to optimize performance. It integrates a comprehensive CI/CD system tailored for developers, which enhances the efficiency of the software development lifecycle.

The technologies utilized in the case study include AWS, Relational Databases, NoSQL Databases, automated autoscaling, Argo CD, Helm, Kubernetes, and GitLab Workflows.

Here are the solutions in detail:

Implementation with Kubernetes

This powerful technology enables the smooth deployment and scaling of complex microservices architectures in diverse environments. Kubernetes with multiple clusters enables a unified management approach for distributed and interconnected workloads. This helps with effectively managing numerous computing resources, improving resilience, and optimizing performance across the entire infrastructure.

Resilience autoscaling based on patterns and user behavior.

A Kubernetes cluster orchestrates a collection of nodes on which containerized applications run, enabling a cloud-native architecture. Within this cluster, specific applications are used to deliver web content. Each of these applications follows individual autoscaling rules tailored to its specific needs, rather than relying on generic or one-size-fits-all scaling policies. This customized scaling strategy optimizes resource efficiency by avoiding over- or under-scaling, helping to improve overall system performance.

Implementation of an efficient CI/CD workflow that automates and optimizes the entire software life cycle.

As developers create branches in GitLab, automated procedures generate production snapshots that are then deployed to the development environment. A comprehensive test suite initiates during pull requests, unlocking merges to the main branch.

Code quality is guaranteed by rigorous testing on staging and user acceptance testing (UAT). Finally, a manual deployment pipeline to the production environment is made available, guaranteeing meticulous scrutiny before release. This seamless, automated workflow enhances efficiency and safeguards the software development process.

The Garbage Collector removes unnecessary information and helps save money on storage and infrastructure costs. By effectively handling and disposing of unnecessary information, it contributes to a simplified and economically sound approach.

Outcome

To solve the problem with scalability limitations and the stagnant nature of the existing solution, a strategic decision was undertaken. It was based on comprehensive refactoring and represented a pivotal shift in the platform’s capacity for expansion.

  • The website loads quickly and can retrieve, aggregate, and analyze data from many sources.
  • The optimization of critical performance metrics involves focusing on reducing CPU utilization, reducing latency, and enhancing overall system performance.
  • The increase in advertising revenue is directly related to the marked improvement in user experiences stemming from faster page loading times.
  • An enhancement in the overall security posture of the platform effectively mitigates potential vulnerabilities.
  • A significant increase in operational efficiency creates a solid foundation for further growth.
  • Technical adjustments have also significantly improved the website’s SEO ratings.
  • The refinement of the product development pipeline resulted in a significantly shorter timeframe for introducing new features and updates.
  • A competitive edge thanks to innovative capabilities that are made available to users with greater speed and frequency.

Above all, the platform’s resilience and agility have been significantly strengthened. It now offers a dynamic, responsive, and highly optimized solution for sustainable growth and operational excellence.

WerStreamt.es underwent a transformative overhaul by Strong Ops, resulting in a dynamic platform with improved infrastructure and functionality, launched successfully in October 2023.

Strong Ops' implementation of Kubernetes, resilience autoscaling, and advanced CI/CD streamlined operations, enhancing performance and user experience for WerStreamt.es.

Through strategic refactoring, WerStreamt.es saw significant improvements in scalability, performance, security, and revenue, solidifying its position for growth and competitiveness in the streaming market.