Description

The Department of Digital, Data, and Technology (DDT) of Cathay Financial Holdings was responsible for all internal information technology infrastructure development and maintenance. As a member of the Cloud Technology Division at DDT, we received a requirement for cloud transformation of the Health Center.

The Health Center is one of the few departments within the group that has not yet migrated its databases and systems to the cloud. In order to meet the growing demands for usage and storage and to align with the group's digital transformation policies, the Health Center aimed to achieve the goal of complete cloud migration for the department by the end of 2022.

Objective / Success Metrics

As a Cloud Technology Intern, my focal point was conducting a thorough analysis aiding the Health Center in determining their optimal cloud migration approach. My role encompassed comparing different Application Programming Interface (API) gateways required for the migration project through research and performance testing.

Approach

1. Exploration of API Gateways:

   First, I conducted a detailed study on the functionality and architecture of API gateways within cloud infrastructure. This comprehension of their role and functional integrity was foundational to subsequent steps.

2. Testing and Comparison:

   With foundational knowledge in place, I conducted practical performance testing on 3 prominent API gateways, including Kong Gateway and Apache APISIX, utilizing Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). The testing involved installation, utilization, and performance assessment. This process provided insights into usability, real-world applicability, and overall gateway performance.

Results

I synthesized findings from preliminary research and performance testing on 3 prominent API gateways to create a comprehensive analysis report. This report evaluates the API gateways based on 10 criteria.

This analysis armed the Health Center with a structured evaluation to select the most suitable API gateway for their cloud migration. Subsequently, I presented this informed analysis to facilitate their decision-making process.