Transitioning from MuleSoft CloudHub 1.0 to CloudHub 2.0 with Confidence

Introduction

In the fast-evolving landscape of integration platforms, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for companies relying on MuleSoft to streamline their operations. MuleSoft’s CloudHub 2.0 offers a host of improvements over its predecessor, CloudHub 1.0, presenting a compelling case for businesses to make the switch.

This blog aims to guide technical readers managing their company’s MuleSoft platform through the technical considerations of this transition while instilling confidence that AVIO Consulting is the partner to guide them on this journey.

CloudHub 2.0 Benefits: A Leap Forward

CloudHub 2.0 introduces significant enhancements that simplify the learning, development, and management of integrations. Among the standout benefits are:

1. Seamless Mule Clustering: Ideal for deployments with multiple replicas, CloudHub 2.0 offers seamless Mule clustering for enhanced performance and scalability.
2. Container-Based Application Deployment: Utilizing container technology ensures regulated resource consumption, improved application availability, and scalability.
3. Shared Spaces: Deploying applications to shared spaces eliminates the need for advanced setup.
4. AWS Service Roles: CloudHub 2.0 introduces AWS service roles for efficient resource access control.
5. Granular vCore Allocation Options: More granular vCore allocation options provide flexibility in resource management.
6. Outbound Firewall Rule Configuration: Enhanced network traffic control with outbound firewall rule configuration.
7. Ingress Self-Service Logs: Simplified self-service access to ingress controller logs for improved monitoring and troubleshooting.

Technical Enhancements: From Fractional vCores to Private Spaces

The technical enhancements from CloudHub 1.0 to 2.0 are designed to streamline processes and provide more options for customization:

1. Fractional vCore Offerings: The addition of fractional vCore offerings in CloudHub 2.0 allows for more precise resource allocation, eliminating the need to bundle multiple listeners in the same application.
2. Private Spaces: Functioning as improved VPCs, private spaces in CloudHub 2.0 enable automatic assignment of a private network for applications within that space.
3. Private Ingress Load Balancer: Configurable private ingress load balancers automatically scale to accommodate varying traffic, ensuring high availability.
4. Public and Private Endpoints: Applications in CloudHub 2.0 have default public and private endpoints, offering flexibility and accessibility.
5. TLS Context and Truststore Updates: In-place edits and updates to the TLS context and truststore of the ingress layer provide greater control.
6. Unique Application Naming in Private Spaces: Application names no longer have to be unique across all of CloudHub.  They now only need to be unique per private space.

 

Infrastructure Considerations: Navigating Changes

As with any major upgrade, understanding the infrastructure changes is crucial for a seamless transition:

1. VPC Peering and Direct Connect Deprecation: CloudHub 2.0 replaces VPC peering and direct connect with transit gateway attachments, preserving connectivity when deleting private spaces.
2. Private Space Association: Private spaces can now be associated with multiple environments, offering flexibility in sharing based on environment types and business groups.
3. Regional Application Movement: Applications can only be moved between regions by redeploying to another shared or private space in a different region.
4. Outbound SMTP Traffic Restriction: CloudHub 2.0 restricts outbound SMTP traffic when exceeding 20 emails in an hour.
5. VPN Compatibility: VPN connections between CloudHub 1.0 VPCs and CloudHub 2.0 private spaces are not supported.
6. Feature Deprecation: Some features from CloudHub 1.0, such as “Get From Sandbox” functionality and Insights, are deprecated in CloudHub 2.0.

Application Considerations: Adapting to Changes

The behavior of applications in CloudHub 2.0 differs from its predecessor, and understanding these changes is crucial for a smooth transition:

1. Mule Version Support: Only Mule 4.3.0 through 4.4.x are supported in CloudHub 2.0.
2. Application Bursting: Bursting depends on the resource usage of other applications within the private space.
3. Secure Property Storage: Secure properties are now stored in encrypted, private vaults, enhancing security.
4. Protocol Support: CloudHub 2.0 supports HTTP, HTTPS, and TCP inbound protocols, while non-TCP or non-HTTP based protocols are not supported.
5. Mutual TLS Capabilities: Private endpoints lack mutual TLS capabilities, unlike internet-facing public endpoints.
6. Alert Configuration: In Anypoint Monitoring, alerts must be set for individual apps as simultaneous configuration for all apps is not supported.
7. Feature Deprecation: CloudHub 2.0 discontinues support for certain features, including Mule versions prior to 4.3.0, custom notifications using the CloudHub Connector, and TLS 1.0.
8. Auto-Scaling: CloudHub 2.0 does not support auto-scaling at this time.

Conclusion: Partnering with Confidence

The journey from CloudHub 1.0 to CloudHub 2.0 is a significant leap, but the benefits and enhancements justify the transition for companies seeking improved efficiency and scalability in their integration processes. 
AVIO Consulting, as a trusted MuleSoft partner, stands ready to guide you through this evolution, ensuring a smooth and confident transition.  Stay tuned for our next blog on this topic, which will dive deeper into how AVIO can help you make the transition from Cloudhub 1.0 to Cloudhub 2.0.  Contact our team today if you are ready to understand what the transition looks like for you and your company.