Public sector

HPI School Cloud: High Performance through Auto-Scaling of the Open-Source Services Jitsi and BigBlueButton

Starting point

  • Covid-19 requires the rapid digitalisation of school education
  • Performant video platforms enable online teaching
  • The scalability and reliability of video services are essential
  • The open-source services Jitsi and BigBlueButton (BBB) have proven themselves but are not inherently scalable
  • An open-source solution based on Kubernetes is needed to automate scaling in the Ionos Cloud

Procedure

  • Innovative Approach and Agile Project Management Following Current Methodologies
  • Technologies Used:
    • Jitsi
    • BigBluebutton (bbb)
    • Scalite (Docker)
    • Terraform (IONOS Cloud)
    • Kubernetes
  • Development of the Auto-Scaling Solution Based on System Metrics for Cost Optimisation
  • Implementation of a monitoring stack for system oversight using Prometheus and Grafana.
  • Establishment of a logging stack with an Elasticsearch cluster and Kibana (EFK).
 

Features/Project outcome

  • Native Kubernetes Solution for Jitsi Video Service
  • Stable Auto-Scaling: A robust auto-scaling solution enabling automated platform deployment with Terraform
  • Elimination of Bottlenecks: The architecture ensures smooth operation and future scalability of the service
  • Open-Source Repository: The solution is made publicly available on GitHub to foster collaboration and transparency
  • Endpoint Security: All endpoints are secured using state-of-the-art standards for data protection and communication integrity
  • Efficient Problem Management: Real-time monitoring and a persistent logging stack enable swift identification and resolution of issues

Customer benefits

  • Video Service Hosted in Germany, Future-Proof for Online Teaching Across Multiple Federal States
  • The service is live and performant, deployed in the IONOS Cloud
  • The DevOps team maintains high transparency regarding the current load and system status
  • Further development is seamlessly possible thanks to the open-source solution
  • Data protection compliance and data security are ensured
Erich Holzinger | Senior Manager / Authorised Officer