To standardize operational processes and minimize overhead, the internationally active RAPA Group migrated its central IT and database services to the Nutanix Cloud Platform.
As a global engineering and technology provider, RAPA depends on a reliable and uniformly organized IT infrastructure for everything from CAD design to the analysis of production-related data. The company chose the Nutanix Cloud Platform to quickly connect new plants, efficiently operate databases, and provision high-performance virtual desktops. In collaboration with IT partner Bechtle, the company implemented a solution that supports lean IT processes and accelerates the rollout of innovative services for development and production.
Key Benefits
Worldwide availability of virtual CAD workstations
RAPA provisions high-performance CAD workstations via a GPU-accelerated virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) cluster, even for development teams in China. This is all done without sensitive data ever leaving the data center.
Self-service for production-related databases
Using the Nutanix Database Service solution, specialist departments can quickly and efficiently roll out MySQL databases, test scenarios, and archive measurement data without any IT detours.
A standardized IT platform with low operating costs
RAPA can efficiently manage its global IT with a small team. The Nutanix infrastructure enables automated processes and high availability across all locations.
Our production runs around the clock at our sites in Germany, the United States, and China. Every minute of downtime would directly cost us money. With Nutanix, we can ensure that our systems are always available, and we reliably can guarantee 24/7 operation.
RAPA is an internationally active technology company and development partner specializing in customized valve systems. The group is divided into three divisions: Automotive, Healthcare, and Industry. It has locations in Germany, the United States, and China. RAPA employs around 1,000 people and offers solutions for hydraulic and pneumatic applications from product concepts to mass production. Customers worldwide appreciate their combination of engineering expertise, vertical integration, and top-tier delivery capabilities.
As the group has grown in recent years, so have the demands on its IT infrastructure. New locations must be connected quickly; critical systems, such as ERP, CAD, and production-related applications, must be accessible without interruption. At the same time, departments now expect digital projects to be completed more quickly, and they also expect ongoing operations to be more automated. The existing IT environment was increasingly reaching its limits.
Technologically, RAPA originally relied on a classic three-tier architecture with separate servers, storage, and networks, as well as a virtualization solution from VMware. This environment was difficult to manage, and planned changes were delayed by lengthy approval processes and vendor-specific dependencies. "If we wanted to update our environment, for example, we had to address each system individually and check for updates manually," recalls André Kießling. "This tied up a lot of our small IT team's resources."
Therefore, RAPA decided to fundamentally rearchitect its IT infrastructure. The goal was to introduce an integrated platform that would support global growth, accelerate digital innovation, and ensure stable operating processes. The IT team wanted to break down silos, create consistent standards throughout the company, and run global IT operations with minimal effort.
Following a thorough evaluation process, RAPA chose the Nutanix Cloud Platform to serve as the foundation for its global IT infrastructure. The hyperconverged system architecture, extensive automation options, and included Nutanix AHV hypervisor were the decisive factors in the decision. "For us, it was important to overcome the complexity and high costs of the previous virtualization environment, as well as our dependence on a multitude of different components," says André Kießling. "Thanks to Nutanix, we have been able to significantly simplify operations, scaling, and maintenance of our IT."
First, RAPA's IT team implemented a four-node cluster in the new data center at headquarters in Selb, as well as an identical cluster in the second local data center. Fiber optics connected both environments to replicate central data between the locations. In the event of a failure at the primary location, the most critical systems can be quickly restarted in the second data center. A third, physically separate, backup data center completes the architecture and provides extra protection in case of failure.
As resource requirements increased, RAPA gradually expanded the clusters by integrating additional nodes into the environment. Currently, approximately 400 virtual machines are running on nine nodes in the primary data center—including the ProAlpha ERP system, Microsoft SQL Server, Exchange, Active Directory, collaboration tools, maintenance software, and central management services. After the VMware licenses expired, the IT team used the Nutanix Move migration tool to migrate all workloads to the integrated AHV hypervisor—without any downtime or disruption to production.
Based on this model, local Nutanix clusters were then implemented at sites in the US and China. RAPA's IT follows a clear standardization strategy: the structure, operation, and management of clusters are standardized worldwide, which greatly simplifies configuration, replication, and support. This also allows new plants to be connected much more quickly.
The introduction of a dedicated VDI cluster with GPU support was especially important for international collaboration. On this cluster RAPA operates high-performance virtual CAD workstations for its design teams at the Chinese plant. The combination of central data access, high graphics performance, and secure provision via Citrix enables seamless collaboration across national borders.
Additionally, RAPA now uses Nutanix Database Service to automatically provision production-ready MySQL databases. Departments can use templates to deploy, test, archive, or clone databases, eliminating the need for manual IT intervention. "Our developers and smart factory colleagues use Nutanix Database Service quite a bit," says Kießling. "This system clearly lightens our daily workload and brings innovative data models and analysis tools into production faster."
Significantly reduced operating costs with high availability
Despite the high demand for continuous 24/7 production, the Nutanix platform allows RAPA to manage ongoing IT operations with a very small staff. Routine tasks, such as updates, patches, and cluster extensions, can now be implemented largely automatically. System updates are performed without any manual intervention while the system is up and running. This ensures reliable planning, reduces the likelihood of errors, and significantly cuts down on the IT team's workload.
"I can start an update on the weekend, head home for the evening, and rest assured that everything will be up and running on Monday morning," says André Kießling. "Especially when you're managing a global infrastructure with a small team, this reliability is invaluable." According to Kießling, even migrations—such as the recent hardware replacement carried out in collaboration with Bechtle—went “completely smoothly and without any disruption for employees.”
Rapid scaling and easier global collaboration
Thanks to Nutanix, RAPA can quickly integrate new plants into the IT environment according to defined standards, and this includes connecting them to central ERP, email, and infrastructure services. The clusters in the U.S. and China were up and running in no time, and can be efficiently managed via Nutanix's centralized management console. Thanks to this standardization, IT is no longer an obstacle to international expansion.
The development teams at RAPA especially are reaping the benefits of the dedicated VDI cluster with GPU support. This means that virtual CAD workstations are available worldwide, offering central data storage in Germany and high-performance graphics on premises. "In the past, using CAD remotely was unthinkable. Today, our teams in China can collaborate directly with their colleagues in Germany without any waiting time or compromise on quality," says André Kießling.
Automated database operations for modern manufacturing processes
RAPA relies on MySQL databases, which are automatically provisioned and managed via the Nutanix Database Service, for analyzing and tracking production-related data. This solution allows for the systematic versioning, regular archiving, and restoration of databases on demand, including scheduled replication between different locations. For example, this makes it possible to store production measurements in an audit-proof manner for years and to retrieve them for complaints or series analyses.
The platform also reduces the IT team's daily development and analysis workload. Specialist departments, particularly the smart factory and development teams, can independently use templates, set up new instances, and clone sandbox environments. "Our colleagues no longer need to open tickets to implement a database or create a snapshot," explains André Kießling. "Now that this is standardized and reliable via self-service, we have valuable time for strategic tasks."
Consistently separating productive and archived data not only ensures clear structures but also a stable performance during ongoing operations. Resource-intensive queries and complex evaluations are running on separate instances, so they do not place any strain on the productive system. This allows RAPA to establish the basis for data-driven production processes with high transparency and minimal management effort.
Looking to the future
RAPA's IT department constantly faces new challenges due to innovative digital applications in development and production, growing amounts of data, and cross-location processes. Currently, it is particularly important to address how production data, such as serial numbers and measurement reports, can be reliably recorded, replicated, and evaluated across national borders. If, for example, components manufactured in Germany are further processed in China or the United States, all relevant quality data must be available also there at all times.
"We are developing new database concepts that exactly support these kinds of processes," says André Kießling. "With the support of Nutanix and our partner Bechtle, we can consistently map digital processes worldwide without media discontinuity or the need to constantly build new IT structures. For us, the Nutanix platform is the foundation that will enable us to work together even more efficiently in the future."
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