Installing and running the backend cluster

Preconditions

Kubernetes Cluster

The Online-Beratung counseling service is deployed via Kubernetes. In order to run it, a Kubernetes cluster has to be provided. A local setup for testing or development purposes can be achieved with minikube or the Docker desktop K8S.

Resource Requirements

In order to run the backend in a stable manner, the cluster must have sufficient resources available. Make sure that at least 10GB RAM and 3GB SWAP and 2 CPUs are provided.

Kubernetes Deployment Template

The complete Kubernetes deployment can be found in the public template repository. Make sure you have checked out the repository or your fork of it.

Installation

Preparation steps required for productive use

These steps are not required for local testing or development setups.

1. A domain name has to be registered and a DNS entry has to be made for it and all required subdomains found in values.yaml
2. Changes in values.yaml
   • Enter your domain name, replacing every occurrence of onlineberatung.localhost
   • Enable TLS
   • Change all Spring profiles to prod
   • Enter credentials for a mail server
3. Changes in values-secrets.yaml
   • Change all default passwords and keys except
     • keycloakserviceAdminPassword
     • keycloakserviceTechnicalPassword
     • rocketTechnicalPassword
     • rocketSystemuserPassword
   • Enter credentials for a mail server

Both values.yaml and values-secrets.yaml must be saved for future changes and deployments. The values.yaml file can be committed and stored in a fork of the repository. However, the values-secrets.yaml must not be committed to any repository and should instead be kept in a secret- or password-manager.

Deploying the template to the cluster

The steps for deploying to the cluster for local and production use can be found in the public template repository

Post-install steps for productive use

1. Access Keycloak via <yourdomain>/auth, login with the credentials admin/admin and change the passwords of the users
   • Keycloak-Admin via <yourdomain>/auth/realms/master/account/
   • admin
   • realmadmin
   • technical
2. Access RocketChat via <yourdomain>:3000, login with the credentials from values-secrets.yaml and change the passwords of the users
   • local-admin
   • rocket-chat-technical-user
   • system1
3. Enter the changed passwords of the following users in values-secrets.yaml
   • realmadmin
   • technical
   • rocket-chat-technical-user
   • system1
4. Deploy the changed values as described in the public template repository via an helm upgrade