# Cloud ROUTER Architecture · DE-CIX

> Software architect on DE-CIX's Cloud ROUTER: event-driven API layer on Kafka that modernises grown network management without disrupting live operations.

Source: https://jeffrey-boehm.de/en/work/de-cix-cloud-router/. Language: en. Updated: 2024-09-01.

- Role: Software Architect / Consultant
- Year: 2024–2025
- Technologies: Apache Kafka, Event-Driven Architecture, PHP, Scrum

## The challenge

Modernise grown network-management architecture for one of the world's largest internet exchange points, without disrupting live operations.

## My role

Architecture decisions, technical guidelines and reviews across Cloud ROUTER; designed and introduced an event-driven API layer on Apache Kafka including event model, contracts and versioning.

## The outcome

Event-driven integration foundation that decouples new system components from legacy systems while preserving production stability.

### Context

DE-CIX is one of the world's largest internet exchange points. The Cloud ROUTER product enables large carriers and cloud providers to manage their network connections flexibly and programmatically. A fundamental architecture modernisation became necessary after a system migration pushed the existing network management architecture to its limits.

### Challenge

Replacing a grown architecture without disrupting live production operations. No event-driven integration layer existed for the new system components, while requirements for stability, consistency and operational reliability remained high throughout.

### My Role

Software architect and consultant. Responsible for architecture decisions, technical guidelines and reviews across Cloud ROUTER. Designed and introduced an event-driven API layer based on Apache Kafka, including event model, contracts, versioning strategy and consistency rules. Delivered as part of a Scrum team in close coordination with product management and engineering.

**Technologies:** Apache Kafka, Event-Driven Architecture, PHP, Scrum

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Provider: Jeffrey Böhm, Düsseldorf, Germany. Contact: hello@jeffrey-boehm.de. All pages at a glance: https://jeffrey-boehm.de/llms.txt