Spectro Cloud: Smarter Kubernetes, Lower Costs

Background
Behind the cutting-edge solutions of a leading digital printing company lies a complex software ecosystem that powers everything from press controls to color management systems. These applications run on a Kubernetes infrastructure that enables rapid development, testing, and deployment of new printing features. Facing rising costs with its existing Kubernetes system, the company worked with TeraSky to develop a more affordable container management solution while maintaining its position as an industry innovator.

Challenge
As the business grew, the company sought to optimize its IT investments while maintaining its technological edge. While their existing Kubernetes platform provided solid functionality, they identified an opportunity to reduce operational costs through an alternative solution, but they needed to move their entire container ecosystem without disrupting their production workloads. The migration had to maintain compatibility with their existing Cloud Native tools while improving Kubernetes management capabilities. With multiple clusters supporting various printing technology applications, the customer needed a smooth transition from their current solution that would also enhance automation and reduce complexity.

Solution
TeraSky implemented Spectro Cloud Palette, a cloud-based Kubernetes management platform, as the foundation of the new container infrastructure. The solution included:

1. Full migration of all workloads to Spectro Cloud Palette: This involved mapping dependencies, recreating configuration settings, and ensuring all database connections remained intact throughout the transition.
2. Development of an automated, GitOps-ready system for deploying clusters and workloads: TeraSky built a version-controlled infrastructure-as-code system where all Kubernetes configurations are stored in Git repositories. This enables the company to track changes, roll back when needed, and automatically deploy updates across its printing software infrastructure through CI/CD pipelines, eliminating manual configuration work.
3. Connection with existing vSphere infrastructure for consistent operations: The team integrated Spectro Cloud Palette with the VMware vSphere environment, allowing them to maintain their existing hardware investments while gaining improved container management. This hybrid approach provides the flexibility to run different workloads in the most appropriate environment.
4. Updates to the Kubernetes ecosystem with current industry-standard tools: TeraSky implemented modern CNCF-certified tools for monitoring, logging, security, and networking. These upgrades improved visibility into system performance, enhanced security controls, and provided better troubleshooting capabilities for development and operations teams.

“We tackled two key challenges in this project,” explains Lev Andelman, TeraSky’s CTO. “First, we needed to move platforms without disrupting operations – to do so, we created a step-by-step migration plan with extensive automation scripts that prevented any downtime for critical printing systems. Second, we improved their deployment process by creating Terraform automation modules that transform how they work. Now they can deploy entire Kubernetes environments with one click, reducing what once took days to just minutes. Our team’s expertise in both the legacy Kubernetes and Spectro Cloud environments allowed us to bridge the technological gap seamlessly.”

Bottom Line

The new Spectro Cloud Palette system has delivered clear benefits:

• Significantly lower costs compared to the previous system
• Easier cluster management through automated processes
• Better developer experience with modern Kubernetes tools
• Improved ability to scale and support new printing innovations

“TeraSky’s solution has transformed our Kubernetes operations, giving us the cost savings we needed while improving our technical capabilities,” says a representative of the client. “Their careful approach kept our printing technology development running smoothly, and the automated workflows they built have made our teams more productive.”

With TeraSky’s expert guidance and their modernized Kubernetes platform, the company is now better positioned to develop next-generation digital printing technologies while keeping operations efficient and costs under control.