Setting up and managing multiple cloud software environments can be as complex as juggling ingredients for a five-course meal. With scheduled sessions and the need for efficient resource management, it’s crucial to have a streamlined workflow. We’ll look at deploying 30 cloud software environments in a public cloud, resetting resources between sessions, teardown and managing credentials for students with Demostar.
Using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools like Terraform, start by defining the environment configuration. This includes virtual machines, storage, networking, and security settings. Create a configuration file detailing the requirements for each of the 30 environments.
Run the IaC tool to provision cloud resources based on your configuration file. This involves creating virtual machines, deploying necessary software, and setting up networking. Validate each environment with automated health checks to ensure everything is in order.
With configuration management tools like Ansible, deploy the required software applications and dependencies onto each environment. Ensure all applications are properly configured and operational.
Perform end-to-end testing on a few environments to ensure the setup is functional. Fix any issues found during testing to ensure a smooth rollout.
Method 1: Pre-generated Credentials
Generate a set of unique credentials (usernames and passwords) for each student ahead of the session. Distribute them via email or a secure portal. Revoke the credentials after the session ends by disabling user accounts or changing passwords.
Method 2: Dynamic Credentials
Use a dynamic credential generation system to create credentials at the start of each session, provided through a secure method (e.g., temporary access tokens). Automatically revoke credentials at the session's end using scripts or API calls to the cloud provider's identity management system.
Preparation
Ensure all environments are up and running before each session. Distribute credentials and provide necessary instructions to students.
Monitoring
Monitor the environments during sessions to ensure smooth operations and address any issues promptly.
Post-Session
Initiate the reset process immediately after each session. Collect and analyze telemetry data to assess the session’s success and identify areas for improvement.
Once the resources are no longer needed, every VPS, EC2, firewall rule, credential needs to be removed, or charges will accrue.
Two sessions per day, each requiring 30 environments.
Two resets per day (one between sessions, one overnight).
Reset time per environment: ~10 minutes.
Labor Calculation
Initial Setup (30 environments): Preparation and Testing: 2 hours total. Provisioning and Deployment: 3 hours total. Initial Testing: 2 hours total. Total: 7 hours (shared across the team).
Daily Reset Effort (60 resets per day): Time per Reset: 10 minutes x 30 environments = 300 minutes (5 hours) per reset cycle. Daily Reset Cycles: 2 per day. Total: 10 hours per day.
Total Labor for 5 Days: Daily Reset Effort: 10 hours x 5 days = 50 hours. Initial Setup: 7 hours. Total: 57 hours over 5 days.
Distribution Among 4-Person Team: Average per Person: 57 hours / 4 team members = ~14.25 hours per person over 5 days.
This comprehensive calculation shows that the team will spend 57 hours over five days, primarily on resetting environments and initial setup. Each team member, on average, will contribute about 14.25 hours over the same period. By leveraging automation through Demostar, the manual workload can be significantly reduced, enhancing overall efficiency and allowing the team to focus on higher-value tasks.
By integrating Demostar’s automation for deployment and resetting cloud environments, your team can streamline the entire process, from initial setup to credential management. This significantly reduces manual effort and improves operational efficiency, lowering labor costs and ensuring a consistent and reliable experience for users. Focus on enhancing customer engagement and optimizing cloud resource utilization with Demostar at the helm.
