Deploy Edge Applications to Multiple Sites Using Marketplace Catalog Sync
You can use the Synchronization feature in the Marketplace Catalog to deploy a common list of edge device applications to multiple sites.
This feature allows you to:
- Centralize the deployment and availability of applications to all Litmus Edge (LE) instances, even if they are in air-gapped networks.
- Create and distribute a new containerized application to multiple sites in a simple and scalable way.
- Update a containerized application and send those updates securely to multiple sites.
Notes: The Synchronization feature is part of the Marketplace Catalog inside the Litmus Edge Manager. It is available in Litmus Edge Manger 2.11.0 and later.
Overview
At a centralized location, the admin user who is responsible for distributing applications can create a primary catalog. Then, an end-user at an individual site can create a secondary catalog to synchronize with the primary catalog. An authorization process is used to establish a secure relationship between the two catalogs.
The end-user can sync the secondary catalog with the primary to receive new or updated applications. After the synchronization process is complete, the secondary catalog will have identical applications and registries as the primary catalog. This feature ensures that all sites have access to the same applications that can be deployed to edge devices. As a result, local IT teams will experience fewer maintenance and troubleshooting issues, reducing overhead costs.
User Scenario: Syncing Application Updates to Global Manufacturing Sites
A global manufacturing company has recently released Version 2 of its Analytics application. The application is part of the Company's suite of tools offered through the primary Marketplace Catalog and is critical for its customers' day-to-day operations. The company must ensure that all its clients worldwide, operating in different site locations, receive this update in a timely and secure manner.
Primary Site - Headquarters (Canada)
- The Company's IT administrator logs into the Litmus Edge Manager (LEM) with the Primary marketplace catalog at their headquarters located in Canada.
- They upload the new version of the application into the Primary Catalog.
- The administrator notifies all secondary catalog admins of available updates via email.
Secondary Site - Customer Location (Japan)
- The local IT staff at the Japan site receive a notification that a new application version is ready for synchronization.
- The local IT staff logs into their local LEM with the Secondary marketplace catalog.
- They manually initiate a sync with the primary catalog to pull the new application version.
- The new version is then deployed across all local edge devices within the site.
Outcome
All LE devices at the Japan site are successfully updated to Version 2 of the Minio application, with minimal disruption to the site's operations.
The Cascade Catalog Sync feature ensures that the updated application in the primary catalog is available to all global sites, maintaining consistency and efficiency across the company's vast operations.
Before You Begin
- Ensure you have two working instances of LEM to set up a Primary (Canada) and Secondary (Japan) site.
If you are ready for the user scenario, proceed with the first article listed below.
This process includes the following steps: