FOUR BECOME ONE: CONSOLIDATED WEB PORTAL LANDSCAPE FOR PRIMEO ENERGIE
Within the scope of an ambitious three-step project, the Primeo Energie, a Swiss energy supplier with its head office in Münchenstein, wanted to merge its different existing portals into one portal.
We were allowed to accompany the project, inter alia, in requirement engineering, conception, implementation, technological lead and in the final stage also as Scrum Master.
THE CHALLENGES
In 2017, the Primeo Engergie launched its first web portal. Further portal functions for B2C, B2B, delegates as well as pensioners followed and were continuously extended. The existing web portals were then to be merged to one portal.
The critical issue was that there were dual functions which served different requirements in the portals. The log-in data was distributed on three different key stores and, in addition, utilized a different password encryption clashing with the target system’s encryption.
A step-by-step approach was desirable in which existing components were kept in use while also driving forward new and further developments on the new technology. In this context, it was necessary to constantly provide the customer with the familiar high-quality functions and to establish the renewal “live” in the background.
OUR APPROACH
In the first of three project steps we established a central identity provider for single-sign-on solutions (one login for all web portals). Prior to that, the distributed login data and their clearing possibilities were analyzed. Existing password hashes including their matching encryption algorithms were transferred to the user store of the identity provider (Red Hat SSO). When changing the password, the hashtag algorithm adapts to the new (preferred) encryption, without customers even noticing. Secondly, the different web portals were joined together. Therefore, a backward-compatible hybrid mode was created which was able to serve the old and the new technology in the same web portal. Established components in Angular JS could still be utilized while new components were developed in the current Angular version at the same time.
Step three involved the development of a SCS architecture (self-contained systems) in collaboration with further project participants. The goal was to operate independent components which are able to be deployed self-sufficiently, tested and scaled. The publishing process was technically modernized by establishing a CI/CD pipeline (continuous integration, continuous delivery).
ABOUT PRIMEO ENERGIE
“smart. inspiring. future-oriented.” Primeo Energie makes homes smarter, mobility more sustainable, and motivates people to use energy efficiently. The company develops energy solutions for private and business customers, energy utilities, cities, and municipalities. 650 employees reliably supply energy to over 170,000 customers in Switzerland and France. Business areas are energy, grid, heat, and renewable energies. Primeo Energie is active along the entire value chain, from production and trading to distribution and sales. By imparting knowledge to children and young people, Primeo Energie is helping to ensure that future generations also live responsibly. Founded in 1897 as the EBM cooperative, Primeo Energie is headquartered in Münchenstein (Switzerland) and has offices in Paris, Strasbourg, and Saint-Louis in France.
www.primeo-energie.ch
www.primeo-energie.fr
THE RESULT
Our customer’s boldness to initiate such a huge pioneer project was honored: the necessary passion and attention to detail lead to three successful go-lives - each of them definitely comparable to an open-heart surgery.
The new web portal significantly increased the usability. The scope of information and functions was expanded, and thus, was able to successfully lay the basis for higher login frequencies. Concurrently, the internal development processes were optimized.
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