Supporting JYSK’s digital transformation with 3,400 strong edge deployment

JYSK chose to implement Kubernetes as part of the Unified Commerce initiative across 3,400 edge locations in order to drive uplift across several metrics, including operational efficiency, stability, and customer experiences. Due to the size and scope of the project, the team needed to ensure cost-efficiency and long-term scalability. The team considered its computational resources such as processing power and memory as well as the widespread nature of the deployment, which left nodes vulnerable to local power outages and security breaches, posing a significant hurdle to cluster management.

JYSK’s initial strategy involved using a lightweight Kubernetes distribution (K3s), combined with GitOps practices and the Cilium CNI. While this setup worked during early testing, it quickly exposed critical scalability and operational issues and they faced significant challenges.

The sheer volume of updates and patches required for in-store clusters became unmanageable. Individual updates were not overly complex, but the frequency and scale of patches threatened to overwhelm the infrastructure. Centralized traffic routing introduced performance bottlenecks and pulling container images through a shared cache further complicated the architecture. JYSK was also constrained by the diversity of its store network environments which increased the difficulty of centralized management

The POC was paused before fully reaching Day 2 operations as the infrastructure would cause long-term complexity and operational risk. The team needed a solution that was scalable, secure, and easy to automate while still fitting the realities of edge deployments, such as limited bandwidth, local power outages, and high hardware variability.

JYSK transitioned to Talos Linux, an immutable, lightweight operating system designed specifically for Kubernetes. With Talos, JYSK built a fully automated “NoCloud” setup, provisioning Talos Linux without requiring a full-blown cloud provider or complex network boot setup. HashiCorp’s Packer generates and deploys custom Talos images across stores using preconfigured settings to ensure consistency. Cloud-Inits “NoCloud” is employed for provisioning, allowing for the use of local configuration to bootstrap the system and supporting their large-scale, hands-off deployments.

A centralized API manages essential components like KubeConfig files, certificates, and metadata, while also integrating with OIDC for user authentication. Additionally, registry mirroring configured within Talos ensures that images are seamlessly pulled from a central container registry, streamlining image management across environments.

JYSK can now deploy software at scale across thousands of stores, enabling the use of new applications that enhance customer experience and operational efficiency. Talos’s immutability reduced configuration drift and eliminated the need for constant maintenance. The JYSK team makes hands-free upgrades with a simple reboot, remotely wiping nodes and keeping systems up-to-date with minimal operational effort. The application teams deploy services securely and predictably with fewer disruptions and end users benefit from faster applications
that offer more event-driven and data-driven value.

With Talos Linux, the JYSK team has achieved full control of their edge network while avoiding operational challenges. They can deploy software on a large scale, roll out a small service across a large varying landscape,
and support JYSK’s Unified Commerce initiative goals.