Paynest is one of WhaTap’s startup customers. It is a fintech company developing a prepaid payment service and financial support service for launch. Paynest can be summarized as an [early-stage startup], [fintech startup], and [one-person infrastructure operator]. As they prepare to launch their service this year, the development and infrastructure operation teams have a significant workload.
To streamline their processes and focus on development and operation, they have chosen WhaTap Monitoring. We interviewed Mr. Park Hwan-cheol, Head of Infrastructure Operations at Paynest, to learn more about their decision to use WhaTap Monitoring and the benefits of the WhaTap Startup Package for early-stage startups.
"As a solo infrastructure operator, particularly in the early stages of a startup, there is a lot to manage and keep track of. While juggling numerous responsibilities, WhaTap provides relief by handling 1-2 tasks for you as an infrastructure operator. With real-time notifications and messages, I can promptly address any issues that arise"
- Hwang Chul Park, Head of Infrastructure Operations at Paynest -
Introduction: Introducing Our Customers and Infrastructure
Please introduce PayNest and your role.
PayNest is a fintech startup currently in the process of developing NESTPAY, a payment gateway service (PG), and a sales settlement system. We are also preparing to launch a prepaid card product. As a member of the infrastructure operation team, I am solely responsible for managing all infrastructure operations at PayNest, without any team members.
Can you tell us about your current infrastructure and team organization?
At PayNest, our team is organized into three main parts: the development team, service operation team, and infrastructure operation team. In terms of infrastructure, we have a total of 25 servers, including 8 web servers, 8 WAS servers, 3 DB servers, and backup servers.
Given the nature of our operations in the financial sector, our infrastructure is structured within an IDC environment. To ensure the optimal performance and reliability of our infrastructure, applications, and databases, we rely on WhaTap for comprehensive monitoring and management.
What made you decide to adopt WhaTap's monitoring solution and how did you find out about it?
As an infrastructure operator, it's crucial to stay informed about various monitoring solutions and select the best fit for your company. When exploring options beyond legacy systems and traditional NMS, I came across WhaTap Monitoring
Its comprehensive features, modern design, and support for diverse servers and languages caught my attention from the early stages of its launch.
Challenge: Experience with WhaTap
What were the challenges you encountered when implementing WhaTap monitoring?
Fortunately, there were no major difficulties during the implementation process. WhaTap provided comprehensive guide documents and helpful YouTube videos, which allowed me to install and start using the monitoring solution seamlessly.The only slight confusion I experienced was during the setup of database monitoring, as the database and DB server were divided due to the nature of the database. However, the live chat consultation service provided by WhaTap promptly resolved my queries, enabling a quick installation process.
What does a typical day look like for you as an infrastructure operator?
A typical day as an infrastructure operator begins with setting up my PC and checking groupware and email for any important updates. Next, I prioritize checking the WhaTap monitoring platform. I start by reviewing the server list to ensure there were no abnormalities during the previous day. If there are any specific servers that require closer attention, I delve into their details. Additionally, I thoroughly examine the application monitoring and database monitoring sections.
On Mondays, I allocate the entire morning to thoroughly analyze the monitoring screens. This is because I need to understand any incidents or events that occurred over the weekend. To streamline routine tasks and save time and effort, I utilize the WhaTap report function to provide executives with detailed information about events that transpired the previous day.
How does WhaTap compare to other monitoring solutions you've used?
WhaTap offers significant advantages compared to other monitoring solutions I have used in the past. One standout feature is the ability to view all my servers in a single, comprehensive dashboard.
Unlike other monitoring solutions, including open-source alternatives, where customization was necessary to access the list of running servers, WhaTap's Server Monitoring allowed me to simply install the agent and instantly view the complete server list.
Another notable advantage is the automatic data collection feature. As an engineer, efficiency is crucial to me, and I appreciate being able to quickly access and analyze data without the need for manual configuration. WhaTap enables real-time monitoring of the desired data as long as I have an internet connection, allowing me to work efficiently and promptly address any issues that arise.
You're currently using WhaTap's server monitoring, application monitoring, and database monitoring. I'm curious to know which monitoring you use the most in PayNest, what metrics you look at, and how it's helped you in practice.
In PayNest, I primarily rely on server monitoring from an infrastructure standpoint. It allows me to assess the resource information of all our servers by referring to the server list. Specifically, our staging WAS server, which hosts numerous projects, often requires my attention. We received low memory notifications for that server, prompting us to increase its memory. With WhaTap's server monitoring, we were able to observe the real-time impact of the memory upgrade.
The development team frequently utilizes application monitoring, focusing on real-time transactions and hitmaps. These charts are highly valued by our CEO as they provide insights into the smooth functioning and performance of our applications. Personally, I find the concurrent users and active transactions features particularly useful, as they enable me to monitor progress in real-time.
Given the stringent regulations in the financial industry, infrastructure or service failures can result in business losses and undermine service reliability. Moreover, financial authorities require detailed explanations regarding the causes of any failures. While our developers may not check WhaTap monitoring daily due to their workload, they rely on WhaTap's application monitoring when addressing service failures during patches or updates. Recently, we quickly identified an OOM (OutOfMemory) issue using WhaTap, allowing us to promptly resolve it.
I also utilize WhaTap's report generation and auto-generation features, which is incredibly helpful. The well-designed templates save us time in creating reports and enable us to promptly communicate vital information to management.
“The WhaTap Startup Package is highly recommended for early stage startups or those about to launch a service.
I was able to use it well enough during the trial period to convince my executives to go ahead with the service.
I was able to convince my executives that we could get WhaTap monitoring at an affordable price.”
Management: Review of WhaTap Support and Startup Package
Why do you recommend monitoring as a solo infrastructure operator?
As a solo infrastructure or computer operator, monitoring is not just a recommendation, but an essential practice. When you're solely responsible for your own operations, there are numerous aspects that require your attention. WhaTap helps alleviate some of that burden by addressing 1-2 out of the 10 areas that demand your focus.
By utilizing WhaTap, I can prioritize service reliability and dedicate more time to critical tasks, reducing the amount of time I spend on the monitoring screen each day. The real-time alarms and notifications provided by WhaTap enable me to promptly respond to issues as they arise. Monitoring is indispensable in ensuring the smooth functioning and stability of your infrastructure, especially when you are operating independently.
How satisfied are you with the customer support channels and processing speed provided by WhaTap Labs?
The response time to support requests is very fast and I am satisfied with the quality of the answers. Especially when I installed WhaTap for the first time, the monitoring installation guide uploaded to WhaTap Labs’ official YouTube channel helped me a lot. Even a junior engineer who has just started working can easily self-install WhaTap, so I recommend it to anyone who is worried about installation. 👍🏻
Currently, Paynest is using the monitoring service through the WhaTap Startup Package promotion. Could you explain in two words why you recommend WhaTap Startup Package to early-stage startups or startups that are preparing their services?
Completely, Reasonable.
I find the startup package price of 100,000 won (less than 100 USD) per month to be extremely affordable. While our management support team uses an ERP program that is billed on a per-user basis, the cost of solutions can often be burdensome for early-stage startups like ours.
Previously, I was aware of the quality of WhaTap's service, but I needed to convince our company executives to adopt it. Thanks to the startup package manager, I was able to use WhaTap internally for an extended period before officially introducing the plan. Even after its introduction, the cost remained comparable to our ERP program, which made me highly satisfied with the value for money.
If you are in the process of developing a service or are an early-stage startup, I strongly recommend considering the WhaTap Startup Package promotion. It not only enhances work efficiency through monitoring but also offers a reasonable rate that aligns well with your budgetary constraints.