The Strategic Evolution of Hybrid Networking Through AWS with LambdaTest

Overview

The blog discusses LambdaTest’s transformative journey in scaling its global network infrastructure. Faced with the challenges of managing multi-region and hybrid networks, LambdaTest strategically evolved its approach by leveraging AWS Transit Gateway and explores how LambdaTest successfully shifted from a mesh topology to a hub-and-spoke model, emphasizing the use of AWS services for enhanced scalability, reduced complexity, and optimized network performance.

Introduction

LambdaTest, a leading omnichannel test orchestration and execution cloud platform, embarked on a transformative journey to scale its global hybrid network using AWS Transit Gateway. Facing challenges in managing multi-region and hybrid networks, LambdaTest sought a long-term solution to support its rapid growth, serving over 2 million developers and 10,000 customers across 130 countries.

LambdaTest

LambdaTest’s commitment to customer satisfaction fuels a culture of continuous innovation within the organization. This innovation-driven mindset prompted an initiative to ensure optimal response times for their global user base, reflecting LambdaTest’s dedication to delivering top-notch testing solutions for developers worldwide.

Global WAN Architecture Challenges:

LambdaTest’s existing network relied on AWS Site-to-Site VPN for interconnecting locations and Amazon Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs) across multiple AWS Regions. However, as their user base and on-premises application side grew, managing the increasing number of VPN connections became challenging. The exhaustion of IPSec VPN limits per Virtual Gateway and operational/performance issues prompted LambdaTest to seek a more scalable and efficient solution.

LambdaTest adopted AWS Transit Gateway to fulfill several crucial goals:

1. Eliminate the need for a mesh topology connecting multiple AWS Regions and on-premises locations.
2. Leverage the AWS global network for reliable and optimized network performance consistently.
3. Accelerate the onboarding process for new customers.
4. Establish scalable and dependable network connectivity spanning across various AWS Regions.
5. Minimize the number of Site-to-Site VPNs between AWS and appliances within LambdaTest locations to optimize costs effectively.

The Role of AWS Transit Gateway

LambdaTest turned to AWS Transit Gateway to address the complexities associated with multi-region connectivity. AWS Transit Gateway is a virtual cloud-scale router connecting multiple VPCs and on-premises networks. This solution offered several key benefits:

• Hub and Spoke Topology: LambdaTest transitioned from a mesh topology to a hub-and-spoke architecture using AWS Transit Gateway, simplifying connectivity and reducing operational challenges.
• Global Network Optimization: LambdaTest achieved consistent and optimized network performance by leveraging the AWS Global Network backbone, enhancing the end-user experience.
• Cost Optimization: By consolidating connectivity through Transit Gateway, LambdaTest reduced the number of Site-to-Site VPNs, optimizing costs associated with VPN configurations and operational overhead.

Shifting gears from a complex mesh structure to a streamlined hub-and-spoke model with AWS Transit Gateway, LambdaTest caters to its diverse global clientele through strategically positioned co-location facilities. These facilities house servers and an advanced control plane on AWS delineated into:

• Core Regions: AWS Regions serve as hubs, equipped with a comprehensive suite of services and strategically positioned closest to on-premises locations.
• Supporting Regions: AWS Regions are hosting specific microservices strategically chosen to balance workloads in the central core regions without direct connections to on-premises locations.
• Proxy Regions: Serving as immediate touchpoints for end customers within LambdaTest’s cloud on AWS, these regions utilize the efficiency of the AWS Global Network to channel customer requests to Core/Supporting Regions, ensuring prompt responses.

In LambdaTest’s intricate network, the core application demands seamless connectivity across all AWS Regions, spanning both Core and Supporting Regions and vital links to on-premises locations. The initial approach involved leveraging VPC Peering for multi-region connectivity, coupled with establishing connectivity to on-premises locations using IPsec Site-to-Site VPNs initiated from each VPC, facilitated through a Virtual Private Gateway.

LambdaTest has significantly streamlined and accelerated the onboarding process for new AWS Regions and on-premises co-locations through their innovative network architecture. Expanding their workloads into additional AWS Regions, LambdaTest leverages Transit Gateway inter-region peering to extend connectivity between Core and Supporting Regions swiftly. This approach eliminates the need to create new IPsec Site-to-Site VPNs with each Supporting Region expansion.

Adopting Transit Gateway peering connections enables LambdaTest to establish inter-region connectivity in minutes, enhancing agility. This process is efficiently automated using Terraform scripts, contributing to a more responsive and scalable infrastructure.

LambdaTest has simplified the connectivity extension from Co-location/Data Centers to AWS using Transit Gateway in the context of new co-locations. As illustrated in the figure, this architecture showcases the expansion of Core Regions, Supporting Regions, and co-locations.

LambdaTest’s approach to expanding connectivity to new on-premises locations is equally streamlined. The extension of Core Region connectivity to a new on-premises location is facilitated through IPSec Site-to-Site VPNs, maintaining a cost-effective strategy. Connectivity to Supporting Regions utilizes the same VPN connection, eliminating the need for additional VPN configurations. This optimized approach reduces the number of VPNs and minimizes the overall solution cost, demonstrating LambdaTest’s commitment to efficiency and resource optimization.

Network Transformation in Action

LambdaTest’s network transformation involved the following key steps:

• Migration from Mesh Topology: The shift from VPNs terminating at individual Virtual Gateway (VGW) in each AWS Region to a centralized Transit Gateway architecture simplified network management.
• Inter-Region Transit Gateway Peering: LambdaTest implemented inter-Region Transit Gateway peering for seamless connectivity between Core, Supporting, and Proxy Regions, ensuring high availability.
• AWS Global Network Backbone: Leveraging the AWS Global Network, LambdaTest routed traffic over the high-speed and low-latency backbone, enhancing application performance.
• Automated Onboarding: Using Terraform scripts, LambdaTest achieved faster onboarding of new AWS Regions and on-premises co-locations, enhancing agility and reducing configuration complexities.

Benefits and Future Scalability

LambdaTest’s adoption of AWS Transit Gateway resulted in significant benefits, including simplified network management, improved performance, and cost optimization. The streamlined approach to onboarding new regions and on-premises locations enhances LambdaTest’s agility and scalability for future growth.

Conclusion

LambdaTest’s network transformation journey showcases the power of AWS Transit Gateway in addressing the evolving needs of a rapidly growing global platform. By leveraging the AWS Global Network backbone and adopting a hub-and-spoke topology, LambdaTest has positioned itself for continued success in providing secure, scalable, and high-performance test orchestration for developers worldwide.

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