Tailored tools and interfaces for SysAdmins

Powering up Foreman with DevOps automation, security and external integrations.

Client

Undisclosed

Industry

FMCG

Services

Foreman development

Timeline

2018 - ongoing

About this project

An open source tool for sysadmins, tailored to their exact project needs, Foreman can make operations work faster, easier and much more pleasant. Thanks to custom plugins, integrations and a new API, it scales with the client’s business.

Delivered solution

We developed a set of plugins that allow the client’s team to adjust Foreman to their needs and to the needs of their customers’ infrastructures. The sysadmins can accomplish simple tasks quickly through automation and to focus on real challenges.

Goals and results

New GraphQL API for Foreman

We created an interface for building hosts (virtual machines) to automate elements of host creation, allowing sysadmins to quickly build multiple hosts with a standard configuration.

A script rendering engine based on templates

We rewrote the existing tool, making the code cleaner and easier to maintain. This step was also necessary for integration with Vault.

Integration of multiple external tools

The goal was to integrate Foreman with the client’s existing toolset. Integrations included Vault (used for storing confidential data), and an infrastructure monitoring tool.

4.9

Overall Clutch Schedule rating

4.9

Overall Clutch Schedule rating

4.9

Overall Clutch Schedule rating

Technologies

Custom UI and toolset based on powerful open source solutions

A reliable stack for flexible development of sysadmin tools and extension of Foreman capabilities.

Foreman
Ruby
Rails
React
PostgreSQL
GraphQL

Results

An interface for building hosts quickly

Foreman can be used directly to create hosts, but the form is complex. The new interface offers a minimalist version of it, speeding up creation of hosts with a standard configuration.

A GraphQL API as a core element

Our solution is now a basic Foreman functionality - it has been added to the main code repository. It’s a new generation API. GraphQL supports complex requests with a number of conditions, generating one response.

New Foreman plugins

Vault offers improved security of using confidential data in templates, while a monitoring tool collects data from various sources into one place. Foreman can be added to most monitoring systems without a hassle.