Connected Platform
Project highlights
About the client
About the client
Nextgen Clearing is the market-leading provider of global roaming services that offers innovative data and financial clearing services. Operating across 13 countries, the company serves more than 160 operators worldwide, helping them transform their business processes with advanced tools.
To help global operators streamline their internal processes, Nextgen provides a range of solutions each designed to streamline a specific area of a roaming business, such as billing, data analytics, tariff rating, account management, and so on.
Nextgen internal system, which was based on monolithic architecture, did not have the flexibility to scale existing products and create new ones. So the company decided to break the monolith into microservices and perform cloud migration, to build a platform that would connect multiple Nextgen products. Nextgen addressed this task to Flyaps as we were familiar with telecom specifics. We accepted the challenge and started a collaboration that grew into a long-term partnership with multiple products delivered.
CLIENT REQUEST
Nextgen Clearing reached out to Flyaps to switch from monolith to microservices and build a custom cloud-based platform that would provide access to the whole range of their solutions.
When Nextgen Clearing started to build their own solutions, they used Oracle Application Express (APEX) – a low-code development platform. Allowing to rapidly build web-based applications, the platform greatly facilitated the development process at the beginning. But as the Netxgen internal system started to scale, the framework's limitations posed multiple challenges.
Nextgen couldn't scale the system further because of three major factors:
Struggling with the limitations caused by the monolithic architecture and the costly framework, our client decided to modernize the whole system and move from Oracle. That’s when Flyaps stepped in. Experienced in developing telecom solutions, we knew the industry’s specifics and what our client needed.
problem
We had to solve three major problems
As a close-knit team of experienced devs, Flyaps was the right fit for the project. Having more than ten years of experience in building telecom solutions and modernizing legacy systems, we started working right away to develop a custom tool for Nextgen Clearing.
approach
To modernize the system, we had to move it to the cloud and build a new solution from the ground up. The new system would connect all the products of Nextgen Clearing, serving as a versatile marketplace of telecom tools.
Nextgen Clearing had several monolithic solutions, each responsible for one service. Every solution was built separately, which complicated navigation and affected system scalability. To rebuild the rigid infrastructure, we decided to create a set of microservices that would act as a base, from which Nextgen can develop all their future products and scale the existing ones. That’s how the idea of a Connected Platform emerged.
solution
We started developing a Connected Platform with the goal to unify all the separate systems with a single tool. Serving as a single entry point for both clients and employees, the portal would connect all applications within the Nextgen ecosystem. In the future, the platform could be scaled to become a versatile telecom marketplace, used not only by Nextgen but by third-party companies as well.
To build such a portal, we had to solve several challenges:
Here is how we found the optimal solution.
First, we had to take care of the architecture. The new platform we developed is a set of microservices where every service carries its own function. For example, subscription service controls what apps the client has access to. In the same manner, each microservice is responsible for a certain service, collectively functioning as a flexible gateway within the Nextgen system, catering to a diverse array of products.
Opting for the microservices architecture, we opened the possibility to scale the existing solutions and build future ones in a more flexible way, making it easier to add, remove, or modify services without impacting the entire system. As a result, we built a new scalable platform and made sure it is seamlessly connected with the existing Nextgen applications.
To make the Nextgen system independent from the Oracle framework, we moved the system to the cloud. To do it, we leveraged Rancher, an open-source container management platform that simplifies the deployment, management, and scaling of containerized applications. By providing compatibility with various cloud services, Rancher empowers users to deploy their solutions either on the cloud or on-premises, free from any vendor lock-in.
Through reconfiguration with Rancher, Nextgen can choose any cloud service that suits their needs the most.
To solve the problem of multistep data migration, we used Apache NiFi – an open-source data integration tool that enables designing and managing data flows in real-time. By leveraging Apache NiFi, we ensured the automation of data movement, transformation, and processing across multiple Nextgen systems and platforms.
Connecting all the Nextgen apps in a single system, we had to provide the same look and feel for each application. Nextgen products differed in terms of design, creating difficulties when switching between different tools.
To solve this challenge, we created an ultimate design guide for the Nextgen system by using Storybook, an open-source tool for documenting UI components. Providing a specific set of rules for developers, the design guide includes the component library of all reusable elements used in Nextgen tools. Speeding the frontend development, the design guide enables scalability and makes building new tools much easier.
As the Nextgen Clearing system includes multiple products, we needed to update design elements across several systems at once. To make it possible, we leveraged micro frontends approach, an architectural pattern where an interface is decomposed into multiple smaller and independent units.
For example, the component “header” has to look identical in all Nextgen apps to give users a uniform experience. We achieved this by implementing this reusable element through a single deployment. So if we make changes to one version of the header, it is changed automatically in all the apps. Instead of redesigning every app from scratch, micro frontends approach allowed us to make all the tools match the single Nextgen design without much hassle.
Finally, we had to provide access to all the Nextgen products through one platform. To allow both clients and employees effortlessly access different tools, we opted for using Keycloak – an open-source identity and access management (IAM) solution. Keycloak enables users to authenticate once and gain access to multiple applications without the need to re-enter their credentials.
By implementing a single entry point, we reduced the authentication threshold. Now Nextgen clients can register on the platform and easily access a range of solutions, personal data, and invoices.
With Connected Platform, we created a portal that streamlines all business processes of Nextgen Clearing. Providing seamless access to their existing solutions, it also serves as a base for building future products. With a design guide and modernized architecture, the development process became faster, allowing Nextgen to scale quickly and deliver new solutions while saving time spent on managing clients and overcoming the system’s bottlenecks. Connected Platform became the first product that we built for Nextgen, followed by FC hub, NGA, and IoT portal.
Result
Connected Platform greatly reduced the time spent on client engagement, serving as a versatile platform to manage clients, provide access to Nextgen tools and generate invoices.
The system we built significantly accelerated the development process. We already delivered several products using this platform: FC Hub, NGA, and IoT portal.
Through seamless data flow, single sign-on, and unified design among all Nextgen applications, we simplified switching between systems, creating a more streamlined experience.
Flyaps’ team was not only highly competent but also refreshingly down-to-earth. It’s clear that they have a wealth of experience in their field, with all team members being senior developers boasting 6-8 years of development experience. What set them apart was that their expertise perfectly aligned with our specific development needs. Moreover, their familiarity with the telecommunications sector was invaluable for us.
We can help your business grow with a custom solution designed to solve your existing challenges. Drop us a line about your current issues and we’ll get back to you with ideas on how we can improve it.
Get In Touch
