In the realm of distributed systems and federated projects, managing deployments efficiently across multiple environments and projects on kubernetes can be a daunting task. However, with the advent of tools like ArgoCD, this process becomes more streamlined and manageable. In this technical blog post, we'll explore how we leverage ArgoCD to effectively manage multiple federated projects within FEDn Studio. Each project, representing an ArgoCD Custom Resource Definition (CRD) called “application”, will be orchestrated through ArgoCD using a shared helm chart, specifically tailored for federated deployments using FEDn. Furthermore, we'll delve into how FEDn Studio serves not only as a user interface and security for FEDn but also as an interface to ArgoCD, enabling seamless management of project resources within Kubernetes.
Federated projects entail the coordination of multiple projects or deployments across different environments while maintaining consistency and scalability. Users in FEDn Studio create Projects which are then fully isolated, including all the services needed for the federated network. All that is needed from the user is to configure and connect authenticated FEDn clients to server endpoints associated with the project. In the context of FEDn projects, these projects are encapsulated in the backend as CRD deployments managed by ArgoCD and orchestrated through Kubernetes.
ArgoCD emerges as a robust solution for GitOps-based continuous delivery within Kubernetes environments. Its declarative approach to managing applications ensures that the desired state of deployments is always maintained. By adopting ArgoCD, FEDn Studio gains the ability to automate deployment processes, enforce configuration management, and promote collaboration among teams.
The FEDn helm chart serves as the cornerstone for deploying federated projects within FEDn Studio. This chart encapsulates the necessary configurations and dependencies required for deploying applications across multiple environments and projects. By standardizing deployments using the FEDn helm chart, FEDn Studio ensures consistency and reliability across all federated projects. Furthermore, with the help of ArgoCD’s API we can easily sync existing projects (or rollback) to newer versions. This functionality is part of the new “Sync project” feature in FEDn Studio.
FEDn Studio not only acts as a user interface and adds security on top of FEDn but also seamlessly integrates with ArgoCD, serving as an interface for managing project resources within Kubernetes. This integration provides admins of the Enterprise On-premise solution of FEDn studio with a unified platform for orchestrating deployments, monitoring project health, and enforcing deployment policies across multi-tenant projects!
By leveraging ArgoCD and the FEDn helm chart, FEDn Studio simplifies the management of federated projects, enabling efficient deployment across multiple environments. The seamless integration between FEDn Studio and ArgoCD empowers users to orchestrate deployments, enforce configuration management, and ensure consistency within Kubernetes environments. As FEDn Studio continues to evolve, the combination of ArgoCD and FEDn chart remains instrumental in achieving scalability, reliability, and agility in managing federated projects.
With this approach, FEDn Studio can effectively navigate the complexities of federated project management, unlocking new possibilities for innovation and growth in the ever-changing landscape of federated and distributed systems.
