Hey everyone! I'm on the hunt for recommendations for scalable CI/CD platforms that can operate in an offline environment. Right now, we have several VMs running GitLab runners, but managing security and consistent configuration is becoming a challenge since some users log in for other tasks.
Most of our VMs need to be Windows-based since that's our target setup, and while our smaller jobs are primarily in Python, the larger projects involve Java and C++. The Java stuff is straightforward, but the other languages complicate things a bit. We're working with about 40 developers and 60 who mostly code in Python.
We're looking for a solution that we can purchase to run on an air-gapped network that includes features like load balancing and rebasing, with minimal manual maintenance required. I considered setting it up ourselves with Kubernetes, but time constraints have made us lean towards buying something. A colleague mentioned a VMware Tanzu demo that seemed promising, but I'd prefer genuine user experiences over sales pitches.
We have a budget of around £200k for both compute and management. I can't make purchase decisions directly, so please keep that in mind. Any suggestions you might have would be greatly appreciated! I can provide more details if needed.
4 Answers
If you're looking for a strong offline CI/CD solution, I'd recommend exploring Concourse. It's entirely free and supports workers running on Linux, MacOS, and Windows. The setup is straightforward, and everything runs in containers. Plus, it’s super extensible thanks to its easy-to-use API.
Check out Coolify! It might fit your needs for an offline setup. Here’s a link: [coolify.io](https://coolify.io/)
Just a heads up about VMware Tanzu: I strongly recommend steering clear of offerings from Broadcom. I've heard from many customers who have regretted getting locked into those products due to ridiculous renewal fees. Also, if you're already using GitLab, consider making your VMs ephemeral with a Fleeting controller.
You might want to stick with GitLab for your CI/CD needs. It can be super effective if implemented correctly, especially since you already have runners set up. Just make sure your infrastructure is optimized for it!
Could you clarify what you mean by 'correct implementation'? We’ve got Docker containers for Unix jobs and a few VMs for the Windows tasks.
Thanks for the suggestion! I’ll definitely check it out.