Application Hub Deployment Guide⚓︎

Important Note: While deployment will succeed, full operation is not available in this EOEPCA+ release due to the inability to configure OIDC settings in EOEPCA+’s current version. This guide will be updated once OIDC settings are available.

The Application Hub provides a suite of web-based tools, including JupyterLab for interactive analysis, Code Server for application development, and the capability to add user-defined interactive dashboards. It empowers users to manage and deliver work environments and tools for a wide range of tasks, such as developing, hosting, executing, and performing exploratory analysis of Earth Observation (EO) applications, all within a unified Cloud infrastructure.

Introduction⚓︎

The Application Hub serves diverse users with different needs and workflows. It provides a collaborative environment for developing, deploying, and running EO applications, fostering innovation and efficiency in the EO community.

Architecture Overview⚓︎

The Application Hub is architected to support various functionalities:

Interactive Analysis: Provides JupyterLab environments for data scientists and researchers to perform exploratory data analysis.
Application Development: Offers Code Server environments for developers to write, test, and debug code in languages like Python, R, or Java, with access to EO-specific libraries like SNAP and GDAL.
Custom Dashboards: Allows users to create and deploy interactive dashboards tailored to specific analytical needs.
Unified Infrastructure: Manages all tools and environments within a single Cloud infrastructure, ensuring consistency and scalability.

Key Features⚓︎

Management: Aggregates and retrieves EO metadata across multiple sources.
Standards Compliance: Integrates with existing systems using OGC CSW and STAC standards.
Discoverability: Facilitates data discovery with OpenSearch and API Records support.
Scalability: Built on PyCSW, allowing for flexible and scalable deployments.

User Scenarios⚓︎

The Application Hub accommodates various user roles and scenarios:

Development Scenario⚓︎

Stakeholders: Service Providers and Developers

Developers access the Application Hub to utilise a software development environment in a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model. They can create EO applications using programming languages like Python, R, or Java and leverage libraries such as SNAP and GDAL for processing and analysis. The platform supports:

Application Packaging: Bundle EO applications with necessary configurations and dependencies.
Version Control: Integrate with tools like Git for source code management.
Continuous Integration: Use CI/CD pipelines for automated testing and deployment.
Collaboration: Share code and resources within teams.

Execution Scenario⚓︎

Stakeholders: End-users (Scientists, Researchers, EO Community Members)

End-users can execute operational applications made available on the platform. They benefit from:

Data Access: Utilise the platform’s data holdings and data catalog to find compatible datasets.
Parameter Specification: Input parameters required for application execution.
Monitoring: Receive real-time updates on processing status, resource consumption estimates, and expected completion times.
Resource Management: The platform handles resource allocation and scalability for application execution.

Exploratory Analysis⚓︎

Stakeholders: End-users and Developers

Users engage with the Application Hub’s SaaS products designed for in-depth interaction, analysis, and execution of EO applications:

Interactive Graphical Applications (IGAs): Containerised applications for geospatial data exploration.
Web Apps and Notebooks: Specialised tools for data analysis and visualisation.
Customisable Dashboards: Tailored interfaces to meet specific analytical needs.
In-Environment Execution: Ability to execute new analyses or applications within the same environment.

Prerequisites⚓︎

Component	Requirement	Documentation Link
Kubernetes	Cluster (tested on v1.28)	Installation Guide
Helm	Version 3.5 or newer	Installation Guide
kubectl	Configured for cluster access	Installation Guide
Ingress	Properly installed	Installation Guide
TLS Certificates	Managed via `cert-manager` or manually	TLS Certificate Management Guide
OIDC	OIDC	TODO

Clone the Deployment Guide Repository:

git clone -b 2.0-beta https://github.com/EOEPCA/deployment-guide
cd deployment-guide/scripts/app-hub

Validate your environment:

Run the validation script to ensure all prerequisites are met:

bash check-prerequisites.sh

Deployment⚓︎

Run the Setup Script:

bash configure-app-hub.sh

Key Configuration Parameters:

INGRESS_HOST: Base domain for ingress hosts.
Example: example.com
CLUSTER_ISSUER (if using cert-manager): Name of the ClusterIssuer.
Example: letsencrypt-prod
STORAGE_CLASS: Storage class for persistent volumes.
Example: default
APPHUB_CLIENT_SECRET: Client secret for OAuth2

Important Notes:

If you choose not to use cert-manager, you will need to create the TLS secrets manually before deploying.
The required TLS secret names are:
- app-hub-tls
For instructions on creating TLS secrets manually, please refer to the Manual TLS Certificate Management section in the TLS Certificate Management Guide.

Deploy the Application Hub Using Helm

Run the Helm install command using the generated values file:

helm install application-hub application-hub \
--version 2.0.59 \
--values generated-values.yaml \
--repo https://eoepca.github.io/helm-charts \
--namespace application-hub \
--create-namespace

Validation⚓︎

Automated Validation:

bash validation.sh

Manual Validation:

Check Kubernetes Resources:

kubectl get all -l release=application-hub --all-namespaces

Access Dashboard:

https://app-hub.<your-domain>

Operation⚓︎

Configuring Groups and Users⚓︎

Access the Application Hub:
- Navigate to its URL.
- Log in with administrative credentials.
Manage Groups and Users:
- Go to the Admin menu.
- Add groups (e.g., group-1, group-2, group-3).
- Add users (eric, bob) to these groups as needed.

For detailed instructions, refer to the Groups and Users Management Guide.

Configuring Application Profiles⚓︎

Application profiles define how users interact with tools and applications, determining resource limits and available environments.

Defining Profiles⚓︎

Define profiles in the config.yml under the Application Hub’s Helm chart configurations:

profiles:
  - id: profile_1
    groups:
      - group-A
      - group-B
    definition:
      display_name: Profile 1
      slug: profile_1_slug
      default: False
      kubespawner_override:
        cpu_limit: 4
        mem_limit: 8G
        image: eoepca/iat-jupyterlab:main

Using Profiles⚓︎

Profiles link to specific user groups, controlling access and resource usage based on roles.

Advanced Configuration⚓︎

You can define environment variables, volumes, and Kubernetes RBAC settings to fine-tune the Application Hub’s operation and security.

For a comprehensive guide, visit the Application-Hub Context Configuration.

Uninstallation⚓︎

To uninstall the Application Hub and clean up associated resources:

helm uninstall application-hub

Feedback⚓︎

If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for improvement, please open an issue on the EOEPCA+Deployment Guide GitHub Repository.