How to deploy a CI/CD server: GitLab Runner and Jenkins

To deploy a CI/CD server, be it GitLab Runner or Jenkins, you need to choose suitable infrastructure (VPS or dedicated server), install and configure the relevant software, and plan resources, taking into account intensive loads during builds.

What is a CI/CD server and why is it needed?

CI/CD (Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery or Deployment) is a set of practices aimed at automating the stages of software development, testing, and deployment. A CI/CD server is the central component of this system, which coordinates and executes automated tasks such as code compilation, test execution, quality analysis, artifact creation, and deployment. It is critically important for modern development teams as it significantly accelerates release cycles, reduces errors, and ensures product stability. Without effective automation on your own CI/CD server, development processes become slow and prone to human errors.

When is your own CI/CD server required?

While many cloud platforms offer built-in CI/CD solutions, there are scenarios where deploying your own CI/CD server setup becomes not just desirable, but necessary:

• Sensitive data and security: For projects with confidential data or strict security requirements, your own server provides full control over the infrastructure and prevents leaks to third-party services.
• Specific environment requirements: If your builds require unique software, specific library versions, proprietary compilers, or specialized hardware (e.g., GPUs for machine learning), your own server provides the necessary flexibility.
• High loads and cost: With a large number of builds, code volume, or frequent runs, the cost of cloud CI/CD solutions can quickly escalate. Your own CI/CD hosting on a VPS or dedicated server often proves more cost-effective in the long run.
• Performance: Cloud services may have resource limitations or be subject to "noisy neighbors." On your own server, you get predictable and high performance.
• Integration with internal infrastructure: If you already have an internal network, databases, or other services requiring direct access, your own CI/CD server simplifies integration.

In such cases, the choice between a powerful VPS or a Jenkins dedicated server becomes a key decision.

GitLab Runner Server: Deployment and Features

GitLab Runner is a lightweight and powerful application that runs CI/CD jobs as part of a GitLab pipeline. It is tightly integrated with GitLab CE/EE and is the preferred choice for teams using GitLab as their primary version control and project management system. Deploying a GitLab Runner server allows you to perform builds on your own infrastructure, utilizing its resources.

Installing GitLab Runner on Linux

Installing GitLab Runner is relatively straightforward. Here are the basic steps for Ubuntu/Debian:

# Add the GitLab Runner repository
curl -L "https://packages.gitlab.com/install/releases/gitlab-runner/gitlab-runner/script.deb.sh" | sudo bash

# Install GitLab Runner
sudo apt-get install gitlab-runner

# Register the Runner (you will need your GitLab URL and registration token)
sudo gitlab-runner register

During registration, you will be prompted to enter your GitLab instance URL, a registration token (which can be found in your project or group settings under GitLab CI/CD -> Runners), a description for the Runner, and tags by which it will select jobs. You can also choose an executor, such as docker, shell, or kubernetes. For most scenarios requiring isolation and ease of setup, docker is an excellent choice.

Example .gitlab-ci.yml

After registering the Runner, you can use it in your GitLab projects. Here's an example of a simple .gitlab-ci.yml file:

stages:
  - build
  - test

build_job:
  stage: build
  script:
    - echo "Building project..."
    - apt-get update && apt-get install -y nodejs npm # Example dependency installation
    - npm install
    - npm run build
  tags:
    - my-custom-runner # Runner will use this tag

test_job:
  stage: test
  script:
    - echo "Running tests..."
    - npm test
  tags:
    - my-custom-runner

This example demonstrates a basic pipeline with build and test stages that will run on your registered GitLab Runner server.

Jenkins Dedicated Server: Installation and Advantages

Jenkins is one of the most popular and flexible open-source CI/CD servers. It offers a vast number of plugins (over 1800) that allow integration with virtually any system and tool. Deploying a Jenkins dedicated server provides maximum freedom in configuration and scaling, ideal for complex enterprise environments or projects with unique requirements.

Installing Jenkins on Linux

To install Jenkins on Ubuntu/Debian, execute the following commands:

# Install Java (Jenkins requires Java 11 or 17)
sudo apt update
sudo apt install openjdk-17-jdk -y

# Add the Jenkins repository
curl -fsSL https://pkg.jenkins.io/debian-stable/jenkins.io-2023.key | sudo tee \
  /usr/share/keyrings/jenkins-keyring.asc > /dev/null
echo deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/jenkins-keyring.asc] \
  https://pkg.jenkins.io/debian-stable binary/ | sudo tee \
  /etc/apt/sources.list.d/jenkins.list > /dev/null

# Install Jenkins
sudo apt update
sudo apt install jenkins

# Start the Jenkins service
sudo systemctl start jenkins
sudo systemctl enable jenkins

After installation, Jenkins will be accessible at http://YOUR_IP:8080. You will need to enter the initial administrative password, which can be found in the file /var/lib/jenkins/secrets/initialAdminPassword.

Advantages of Jenkins on a dedicated server

• Full control: A dedicated server gives you complete control over the operating system, hardware, and network configuration, which is critical for security and performance.
• Scalability: You can easily add or modify resources (CPU, RAM, storage) as your needs grow, without being dependent on cloud provider pricing plans.
• Performance: The absence of "noisy neighbors" ensures that all server resources are exclusively available for your CI/CD tasks. This is especially important for resource-intensive builds and tests.
• Customization: The ability to install any software, configure network rules, and integrate with any internal systems.

Resource Requirements for CI/CD Hosting

Effective CI/CD hosting requires proper resource allocation. The primary load on a CI/CD server falls on the CPU during compilation, artifact building, and test execution. Insufficient CPU leads to slow builds, downtime, and reduced team productivity.

CPU: The heart of your CI/CD

Processor power is the most critical resource. Modern processors with high clock speeds and a large number of cores significantly accelerate task execution. For example, compiling large C++ or Java projects requires many cores and high per-core performance.

• Small projects (1-5 developers, simple builds): 2-4 vCPU, 2.5+ GHz.
• Medium projects (5-20 developers, moderate builds): 4-8 vCPU, 3.0+ GHz.
• Large projects/many parallel builds (20+ developers, complex monorepos): 8-16+ vCPU, 3.5+ GHz, possibly a Jenkins dedicated server or a powerful VPS.

RAM and Disk: No less important

• Random Access Memory (RAM): Important for caching, JVM operation (Jenkins), and build processes that can consume significant amounts of memory.
  • Minimum: 4 GB for lightweight Runners or Jenkins.
  • Recommended: 8-16 GB for most scenarios.
  • For large projects: 32+ GB, especially if Docker with many containers or JVM applications are used.
• Disk subsystem: Input/output (I/O) speed affects source code loading, artifact writing, and temporary file operations. NVMe SSDs provide significantly higher performance compared to traditional SSDs or HDDs.
  • Type: Strictly NVMe SSD.
  • Volume: 50-100 GB to start, with expansion capability. For large artifacts or caches, 200+ GB may be required.

Recommendations for choosing a Valebyte server for CI/CD

Valebyte offers a wide range of VPS and dedicated servers, ideally suited for CI/CD server setup. Here are some approximate recommendations:

1. For small teams and startups (VPS):
   • Plan: Valebyte VPS "Start" or "Medium".
   • Characteristics: 4-8 vCPU, 8-16 GB RAM, 100-200 GB NVMe SSD.
   • Approximate cost: From $20-$40/month.
   • Suitable for: GitLab Runner with Docker executor, small Jenkins installations.
2. For medium and growing teams (Powerful VPS or Entry-level Dedicated):
   • Plan: Valebyte VPS "Large" or "Pro", or an entry-level dedicated server.
   • Characteristics: 8-16 vCPU, 16-32 GB RAM, 200-500 GB NVMe SSD.
   • Approximate cost: From $60-$150/month.
   • Suitable for: Active Jenkins dedicated server, multiple GitLab Runners, parallel builds.
3. For large enterprises and high-load systems (Dedicated Server):
   • Plan: Valebyte Dedicated Server, individual configurations.
   • Characteristics: 16-32+ physical cores, 64-128+ GB RAM, 1-2 TB NVMe SSD (RAID).
   • Approximate cost: From $200+/month.
   • Suitable for: Large-scale Jenkins clusters, dozens of parallel GitLab Runners, projects with unique performance requirements.

GitLab Runner vs. Jenkins: Which CI/CD to choose?

The choice between GitLab Runner and Jenkins depends on your current infrastructure, team size, and specific CI/CD requirements. Both solutions are excellent for CI/CD server setup on your own hardware.

How Valebyte helps with CI/CD on a server?

Valebyte.com specializes in providing high-performance VPS and dedicated servers that are ideally suited for deploying your CI/CD on a server. We understand that reliable resources and low latency are critically important for stable and fast CI/CD operation.

• Powerful CPUs: Our servers are equipped with modern Intel Xeon and AMD EPYC processors, providing high clock speeds and a large number of cores, which reduces compilation and test execution times.
• Fast NVMe SSDs: All our plans include NVMe SSDs, guaranteeing lightning-fast read/write speeds. This accelerates source code loading, cache operations, and artifact saving.
• Flexible plans: We offer a wide selection of VPS configurations, from entry-level to powerful, as well as fully customizable dedicated servers. You can easily scale resources as your CI/CD hosting needs grow.
• Reliable infrastructure: Our data centers ensure stable uptime, secure communication channels, and 24/7 technical support to keep your CI/CD pipeline running without interruptions.

Whether you need a powerful GitLab Runner server for thousands of builds or a reliable Jenkins dedicated server for complex enterprise tasks, Valebyte will provide you with the optimal platform.

Conclusion

Deploying your own CI/CD server with GitLab Runner or Jenkins on a VPS or dedicated server is a strategic decision that provides full control, security, and high performance for your development processes. The correct choice and planning of resources are critically important for effective CI/CD server setup.

For a reliable and performant CI/CD server, Valebyte offers a wide selection of VPS and dedicated servers with NVMe disks and powerful CPUs, providing an optimal platform for GitLab Runner and Jenkins.