When we first started our partnership, Remchannel faced numerous challenges. Their code base and architectural structure lacked detailed documentation, the implementation of SRE practices was limited, and their testing and release processes were relatively unstructured. Despite these obstacles, we saw an opportunity for growth and innovation. Our first line of action was to dive deep into understanding Remchannel's unique technical environment. We established industry-standard Observability using OSS/CNCF tools tailored to Remchannel's specific needs. We implemented metrics, logs, and traces that provided invaluable insights to develop SLI/SLOs for various services. We automated numerous processes, significantly improving reliability and eliminating toil. Our team also provided on-call support, making great strides in enhancing the mean time to detection and recovery (MTTD/R), thus maximising system uptime.

To fortify Remchannel's operations against potential disasters, we developed a comprehensive Disaster Recovery strategy, incorporating an Infrastructure as Code (IaC) approach. We worked hand-in-hand with their development teams, using our hands-on experience from the production environment to bolster application reliability. When off-the-shelf tools didn't suffice, we developed custom tools like metrics exporters to fit Remchannel's unique needs. We also assisted in developing critical features and improvements, enhancing the overall performance of their system.

Today, Remchannel is on a robust technological footing with a streamlined, reliable, and efficient tech environment. We used Cloud Kubernetes Engine, Cloud Compute Engine, Google BigQuery, Cloud SQL, Cloud Networks, Cloud IAP, Google Firebase, and Google Cloud Functions. 

"Our partnership with Old Mutual was a transformative journey. Despite initial challenges, we delved deep into their technical environment, establishing observability, automating processes, and fortifying their operations. Today, Remchannel stands on a robust technological footing, and our collaboration stands as a testament to our dedication, resilience, and adaptability. We're proud to have played a part in their journey and remain committed to supporting their future success.” - Kojo Asiamah, Technical Lead, CloudSmiths.