Kasparovchess Embraces a Multi-Account AWS Environment for a Pioneering Chess Platform
Introduction
From its inception, Kasparovchess, the innovative online chess and educational chess platform founded by the legendary grandmaster Gary Kasparov, opted for a cutting-edge, multi-account AWS environment.
This strategic decision was aimed at optimizing DevOps support for their development teams and enhancing the platform's technological framework. The project was financed by Vivendi and built by OSM, while Unscheduled Pods provided the AWS consultancy services integral to this project — AWS EKS (Kubernetes), AWS RDS, AWS ElastiCache (Redis), AWS S3, and AWS CloudFront.
Core Technology: Building a Robust Infrastructure
It began by us analyzing and designing the entire cloud infrastructure solution.
We opted for an AWS multi-account environment because it allows for better resource management, enhanced security, and improved operational efficiency. AWS Organizations facilitates managing multiple accounts, providing a structure that enables scaling with control. The benefits of an AWS multi-account environment include centralized billing, streamlined operations, and the ability to isolate resources for security and compliance purposes.
The key services Unscheduled Pods used in the architecture and deployment in order to configure and optimize the operations of this project included:
- AWS EKS (Kubernetes): Central to their technological arsenal, AWS EKS has enabled Kasparovchess to manage Kubernetes applications efficiently, ensuring scalability and robustness. In the Kubernetes cluster, we used ingress-nginx for managing external access to the services, Helm for packaging and deployment of applications, and Prometheus and Grafana stack for monitoring the performance and status of the cluster and its applications.
- AWS RDS & ElastiCache (Redis): These services work in tandem to bolster the platform’s database capabilities and caching efficiency, respectively, ensuring faster and more reliable data processing.
- AWS S3 & CloudFront: Integrating AWS S3 for secure file storage and AWS CloudFront for enhanced CDN performance has significantly improved the platform's data handling and content delivery processes.
DevOps Integration: Streamlining Development
A pivotal element in the technological strategy we constructed for Kasparovchess is the comprehensive DevOps support system characterized by:
- Efficient CI/CD Pipelines: Utilizing Gitlab and Gitlab CI for creating continuous integration and deployment pipelines has optimized the development workflow.
- We used CI/CD pipeline for frontend (deployed in AWS S3 and CloudFront), backend (AWS EKS / Kubernetes,) and mobile platforms. Enhanced Team Collaboration: By streamlining the build process, the platform has fostered a collaborative environment for its development teams, leading to more efficient and innovative outcomes.
Security: A Top Priority
In the online gaming arena, security is a key concern. We addressed this by implementing rigorous security protocols to safeguard the platform against cyber threats and ensure data integrity, providing a secure online experience for users.
Raising the Online Chess Game to the Cloud
Kasparovchess’ early adoption of a sophisticated AWS environment has been a game-changer. This strategic decision has streamlined its operations and fortified its commitment to providing a secure, reliable, and advanced chess-playing and learning experience.
