Boosting Lineas' real-time transport data with a secure cloud solution

Lineas, a rail freight operator in the logistics sector, needed a secure and scalable cloud solution to manage real-time transport data across multiple European countries. ACA Group implemented a cloud-native architecture using AWS, Kubernetes, and infrastructure as code (IaC) to automate deployment and operations. This solution ensures high availability, strengthens security with VPN and firewall configurations, and enables efficient resource management and flexible scaling of logistics systems.

Challenge

Lineas required a cloud solution that could securely handle real-time data processing 24/7, while providing secure communication with an external data center. The system needed to be flexible, manageable, and cost-effective, without putting security at risk.

Solution

We implemented a cloud infrastructure using AWS and Kubernetes, creating three separate Kubernetes clusters within different AWS accounts. This setup provided secure and flexible user management and resource control. We also adopted Infrastructure-as-Code to automate environments, guaranteeing consistency and efficiency in deploying changes.

Result

The solution delivered high availability, improved security, and streamlined management for Lineas. With secure VPN connections and firewalls in place, we made sure that data remained protected without sacrificing performance. The system’s scalability and ease of management met Lineas’ needs for a secure and adaptable cloud solution.

Our collaboration with Lineas was already ongoing. A project team of ACA Group developed a new application for Lineas that brings together real-time data about transports, such as delays and current position. Lineas can then use this information for train schedules and capacity bookings.

Our cloud team was given another assignment: The application had to be available 24/7 and process significant amounts of data. In addition, the application had to be able to communicate with a data center that we don’t manage ourselves. Ensuring this communication was routed through a secure VPN connection was essential, but it needed to be managed efficiently without sacrificing ease of use or security.

To meet Lineas' needs, we implemented a cloud solution using AWS and Kubernetes, setting up 3 distinct Kubernetes clusters within separate AWS accounts. This setup allowed us to:

Keep user and rights management independent across different accounts, simplifying access control.
Provide flexibility for Lineas to view and manage costs by account, with the ability to add or remove accounts as needed.
Maintain a secure environment while ensuring scalability and manageability.

Additionally, we adopted an Infrastructure-as-Code approach, enabling us to automate the setup of the three environments and ensure consistency. This also made it easier to test and deploy changes, providing greater control and efficiency.

The result was a robust, flexible, and secure cloud infrastructure for Lineas. The solution provided high availability, 24/7 operations, and easy management of resources. Thanks to the use of secure VPN connections, firewalls, and network policies, security was maintained at a high level without compromising performance or speed. The collaboration with Lineas and third-party network managers ensured that all components were set up correctly and efficiently, allowing for a smooth and secure data flow. The Infrastructure-as-Code approach made the system highly adaptable to changes, while ensuring consistency and rapid deployment of new environments.

Let's collaborate

Want to optimize your IT infrastructure without compromising on security?

Let's discuss how we can optimize your infrastructure.

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Let's collaborate

Want to optimize your IT infrastructure without compromising on security?

Let's discuss how we can optimize your infrastructure.

Get in touch

Let's collaborate

Want to optimize your IT infrastructure without compromising on security?

Let's discuss how we can optimize your infrastructure.

Get in touch

Let's collaborate

Want to optimize your IT infrastructure without compromising on security?

Let's discuss how we can optimize your infrastructure.

Get in touch

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