- Date: August 17, 2023
- Categories: AWSDevelopment
Overview
Municipal services have long been hampered by outdated systems, particularly in the realm of utility management—be it electricity, gas, or water. Our client, a coalition of local municipal services, recognized the need for a more efficient, centralized, and digital-first approach.
The Challenge
The critical challenge was to create a unified platform that could seamlessly manage electricity, gas, and water contracts, along with the ability to cross-sell other municipal services. The solution needed to be scalable, robust, and offer a user-friendly experience to multiple stakeholders, including service providers, consumers, and administrative staff.
The Solution
Tailored Microservices Architecture
As Cloud Solutions Engineer we conceptualized and deployed a multi-tenant SaaS platform tailored for municipal services on AWS.
Modular Backend Services
A Node.js backend was developed, designed as containerizable microservices with GraphQL APIs and a PostgreSQL database, capable of managing diverse utility contracts.
Dynamic Frontend
A sleek Angular.js frontend application was deployed, allowing end-users to manage their utilities effortlessly, hosted on AWS S3 and delivered via CloudFront for superior performance.
Intelligent Caching and Data Handling
AWS ElastiCache (Redis) was employed to optimize the performance of database queries, particularly important given the complex nature of utility contracts.
Communication Services
AWS Lambda functions were used for email and PDF services, facilitating robust event-based communication channels and document generation.
Automation and Scalability
Infrastructure was managed through Infrastructure as Code using Terraform, and CI/CD pipelines were set up using AWS CodePipeline, CodeBuild, and CodeDeploy, ensuring seamless deployments.
Comprehensive Monitoring
AWS CloudWatch was implemented for end-to-end monitoring, ensuring system health and performance metrics were always available.
Technologies Used
AWS Fargate, AWS Cognito, AWS API Gateway, AWS Lambda, AWS SQS, AWS SNS, AWS CloudFront, AWS CloudWatch, AWS ElastiCache, Terraform, Docker.
The Outcome
The result was transformative. The municipalities now have a cloud platform that not only manages complex utility contracts efficiently but also opens up opportunities for cross-selling other municipal services. This all-in-one platform has dramatically streamlined operations, improved customer service, and enhanced decision-making.
The success of this project signifies the unmatched capabilities of cloud technology in redefining public service management. If you’re facing similar challenges, let’s talk!