Setting up an eCommerce site with Magento for high availability is essential for making the most of this platform; leader in the development of high-traffic eCommerce sites. A suitable IT infrastructure, a specialized development team, a good system administration team and 24/7 monitoring are some of the keys to success. In this article we will focus on some basic aspects to achieve high availability in a Magento deployment. In addition to some optimization tips.
Planning and infrastructure of a Magento eCommerce
Magento is a very advanced platform, with a great potential for businesses that aim to create a powerful eCommerce platform. That is why the creation of an online store with Magento demands planning, expertise and a proper pre-production environment where working on improvements. So, a good definition of the project’s needs and goals is essential.
Regarding the IT infrastructure, at Stackscale we know that choosing a custom-made solution is key for having an eCommerce that can scale and grow without limits. That is why we recommend using a highly available Private Cloud infrastructure; which offers a high level of customization. As well as the configuration of redundant services such as HAProxy load balancers with SSL (HTTPS) support, Varnish cache servers, Nginx servers, MySQL cluster, etc. In addition, system monitoring should also be included by default in any eCommerce development.
System administration and team
Relying on the right team of professionals is essential for developing modules, improving SEO, solving problems, etc. So it should always be a priority. Depending on the project’s needs, the best option might be to build a team internally or to work with an specialized partner or a Magento developer. Moreover, opting for a DevOps model — instead of traditional software development and sysadmin processes — can also accelerate the development.
We know how important it is for many companies to rely on experts. That is why at Stackscale we work with specialized partners, certified by Magento, and together with our systems team, we help our customers to make the most of the platform with solutions tailored to their needs. Thanks to our network of Magento partners and developers, our customers can rely on experts both for optimizing and developing complete online stores.
Choosing the right team for a development with Magento
Magento is an advanced platform that enables the creation of eCommerce sites able to handle millions of visits. Due to its complexity, a Magento developer needs about one or two years to know the platform deeply. Therefore, it is important to consider certain aspects when starting an eCommerce development. For instance: the size of the project, the expertise of the developer or company specialized in Magento or the budget.
On the one hand, for small projects, a freelance Magento programmer can be a great choice, since he will not be entirely dedicated to the project. In such cases, opting for a web development company can also be a solution, although they do not usually have developers with experience in Magento within their team.
On the other hand, for bigger projects, it is advisable to rely on a specialist internally or on a company specialized in the development of Magento sites. In order to choose the most suitable professional, it is important to review both their years of experience and portfolio. In case you choose to outsource to an external team, we recommend to opt for companies recognized as “Magento Partner”. Since it will guarantee that their team includes certified Magento developers, whose experience is verified.
Nevertheless, as in any other project, the right team or professional will also depend significantly on the budget and goals.
Magento optimization
From the optimization of the IT infrastructure to the improvement of the development and SEO, our cloud experts and partners specialized in Magento work closely to meet the individual needs of every business. In many occasions, when an eCommerce site is slow or suffers frequent downtimes, the solution is usually easier than it seems when relying on a system administration team specialized in Magento.
SEO and organic visibility
SEO is a fundamental aspect in any web development project. So, when building an eCommerce website with Magento it is important to know which extensions and good practices can help you to boost organic visibility on SERPs.
TPV and payment methods
Offering diverse payment methods is important to improve conversion rates. Developing and installing a TPV extension for Magento can be done in a few hours. Therefore, when some of the payment methods or TPV available are not useful, it is also advisable to replace them by other alternative methods.
Logistics and user experience
Logistics is an essential aspect for every eCommerce. Therefore, an optimized connection with transport platforms to offer better tracking to customers can also make a difference. A good user experience, inspiring trust and professionalism, can also help increase customer loyalty.
Importing the catalog from an ERP to Magento
Among many other possibilities, Magento allows to automate the process of importing the catalog of products from diverse stock management softwares or ERP (for example: ODOO, OpenERP or Nexus ERP). This is essential for optimizing the update of pricing, availability, discounts, etc.
To sum up, having a custom-made, solid IT environment is as important as the product itself in any eCommerce project. Since virtual queues and downtimes entail losing sales and potential customers. So, attaching the technical infrastructure and system administration the importance it deserves is vital to the success of any high-traffic online store.
At Stackscale we are experts in the deployment of Private Cloud and infrastructure services for Magento. Both our team and our partners have a wide experience in the development of solutions for businesses of all sizes. The highly-available environments deployed for our customers are able to handle millions of visits and large spikes in website orders during strategic campaigns such as Christmas or the Black Friday.
