Automating Critical Infrastructure Monitoring with GitHub Actions: A Telecommunications Case Study

In the fast-paced world of telecommunications infrastructure, maintaining service availability depends heavily on proactive monitoring and automation. When managing thousands of wireless SIM cards and MSISDN (Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number) allocations, manual monitoring becomes not just inefficient—it becomes a liability.

DevOps

Automating Critical Infrastructure Monitoring with GitHub Actions: A Telecommunications Case Study

Introduction

In the fast-paced world of telecommunications infrastructure, maintaining service availability depends heavily on proactive monitoring and automation. When managing thousands of wireless SIM cards and MSISDN (Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number) allocations, manual monitoring becomes not just inefficient—it becomes a liability.

This article explores how I implemented a comprehensive GitHub Actions workflow to automate MSISDN stock monitoring for a production telecommunications environment, demonstrating the power of CI/CD principles applied to operational monitoring.

The Challenge: Manual Monitoring in Critical Infrastructure

The Problem

Our telecommunications infrastructure required constant monitoring of MSISDN availability—the unique phone numbers assigned to SIM cards. Running out of available MSISDNs could halt new SIM provisioning operations, directly impacting customer onboarding and revenue.

Previously, this monitoring was: - Manual and Error-Prone: Operations teams had to manually check stock levels - Reactive: Problems were discovered after stockouts occurred - Inconsistent: No standardized monitoring schedule or process - Visibility-Limited: No historical tracking or trend analysis

Business Impact

Manual monitoring meant: - Risk of service interruptions due to MSISDN stockouts - Increased operational overhead for routine checks - Limited visibility into consumption patterns - Delayed response to inventory issues

The Solution: Automated Monitoring with GitHub Actions

Architecture Overview

I designed a comprehensive monitoring solution using GitHub Actions that provides:

name: MSISDN Stock Monitoring on:
 schedule:
 # Run daily at 8:00 AM UTC
 - cron: '0 8 * * *'
 workflow_dispatch: # Allow manual trigger

Key Technical Components

1. Scheduled Automation

schedule:
 - cron: '0 8 * * *'
  • Daily Monitoring: Automatic execution every morning at 8:00 AM UTC
  • Consistent Schedule: Ensures regular monitoring without human intervention
  • UTC Timing: Standardized across global operations

2. On-Demand Execution

workflow_dispatch: # Allow manual trigger
  • Manual Triggers: Operations teams can run checks anytime
  • Troubleshooting: Immediate visibility during incident response
  • Flexibility: Supports both routine and ad-hoc monitoring needs

3. Stock Calculation Integration

MSISDN_COUNT=$(./msisdn-calculator-linux-amd64 -remaining | grep "Remaining MSISDNs" | awk '{print $3}')
  • Native Binary Integration: Leverages existing Go-based calculator
  • Real-time Calculation: Dynamic stock counting across multiple sources
  • Reliable Parsing: Robust output extraction for consistent metrics

4. Metrics Collection and Timestamping

echo "msisdn_count=$MSISDN_COUNT" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
echo "timestamp=$(date +%s)" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
  • Structured Output: Standardized metric collection
  • Timestamp Tracking: Enables time-series analysis
  • GitHub Actions Integration: Native workflow output handling

5. Prometheus Integration

METRIC_DATA="msisdn_stock_available{job=\"$JOB_NAME\",instance=\"$INSTANCE_NAME\"} $MSISDN_COUNT" curl -X POST \
 -H "Content-Type: text/plain" \
 --data-binary "$METRIC_DATA" \
 "$PUSHGATEWAY_URL/metrics/job/$JOB_NAME/instance/$INSTANCE_NAME"

Advanced Features: - Push Gateway Integration: Metrics sent to centralized monitoring - Proper Labeling: job and instance labels for metric organization
- Error Handling: Verification of successful metric delivery - Production Ready: Integration with existing monitoring infrastructure

6. Comprehensive Reporting

echo "### MSISDN Stock Monitoring Summary" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
echo "- **Available MSISDNs**: ${{ steps.count_msisdns.outputs.msisdn_count }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
echo "- **Timestamp**: $(date -d @${{ steps.count_msisdns.outputs.timestamp }} '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S UTC')" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
  • GitHub Actions Summary: Rich, formatted reporting in the GitHub UI
  • Historical Records: Persistent record of monitoring execution
  • Actionable Information: Clear metrics for operations teams

Technical Deep Dive

Infrastructure Requirements

Runner Configuration:

runs-on: -small
  • Optimized Resources: Right-sized runner for monitoring workload
  • Cost Efficiency: Minimal resource consumption for routine checks
  • Network Access: Proper connectivity to internal systems

Security Considerations: - Token Management: Secure handling of authentication credentials - Network Isolation: Controlled access to production systems - Audit Trail: Complete logging of monitoring activities

Error Handling and Resilience

The workflow includes robust error handling:

if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
 echo "✅ Successfully pushed metrics to Prometheus Gateway"
else
 echo "❌ Failed to push metrics to Prometheus Gateway"
 exit 1
fi

Resilience Features: - Explicit Error Checking: Verification of each critical step - Meaningful Feedback: Clear success/failure indicators - Failure Propagation: Proper exit codes for CI/CD integration - Operational Visibility: Immediate feedback on system health

Integration with Existing Tools

The solution seamlessly integrates with: - Existing MSISDN Calculator: Leverages proven Go-based tooling - Prometheus Monitoring: Connects to production monitoring stack - Git Workflows: Version-controlled automation configurations - Operational Processes: Fits into existing DevOps practices

Results and Impact

Operational Benefits

Proactive Monitoring: - 24/7 Visibility: Continuous awareness of MSISDN stock levels - Trend Analysis: Historical data enables capacity planning - Early Warning: Alerts before critical stock levels are reached - Automated Response: Triggers for inventory replenishment processes

Reduced Manual Overhead: - Eliminated Manual Checks: 100% automation of routine monitoring - Consistent Process: Standardized monitoring approach - Freed Resources: Operations team can focus on higher-value activities - Reduced Errors: Elimination of human error in monitoring process

Enhanced Visibility: - Real-time Metrics: Up-to-date stock information always available - Historical Tracking: Trend analysis for capacity planning - Integration Points: Metrics available in existing dashboards - Audit Trail: Complete record of monitoring activities

Technical Achievements

CI/CD Best Practices: - Infrastructure as Code: Version-controlled monitoring configuration - Automated Testing: Workflow execution validates system health - Continuous Integration: Seamless integration with existing pipelines - Deployment Automation: Fully automated monitoring deployment

Monitoring Excellence: - SLA Compliance: Consistent monitoring schedule ensures SLA adherence - Metric Standardization: Properly labeled and organized metrics - Alerting Integration: Foundation for automated alerting systems - Scalability: Pattern applicable to other critical metrics

Key Takeaways

For DevOps Engineers

  1. GitHub Actions Beyond Code: CI/CD platforms excel at operational automation
  2. Monitoring Integration: Native integration with existing monitoring stacks
  3. Cost-Effective Solutions: Minimal infrastructure overhead for maximum value
  4. Reproducible Processes: Version-controlled operational procedures

For Operations Teams

  1. Proactive vs. Reactive: Automation enables proactive problem prevention
  2. Consistency: Automated processes eliminate human variation
  3. Scalability: Patterns applicable to other critical monitoring needs
  4. Visibility: Enhanced operational awareness through systematic monitoring

For Infrastructure Management

  1. Business Continuity: Automated monitoring supports service availability
  2. Cost Optimization: Reduced manual overhead and prevented outages
  3. Compliance: Systematic monitoring supports audit and compliance requirements
  4. Innovation: Automation frees resources for strategic initiatives

Future Enhancements

Building on this foundation, potential improvements include:

Enhanced Alerting: - Slack/Teams integration for immediate notifications - Threshold-based alerting for different severity levels - Escalation procedures for critical stock levels

Advanced Analytics: - Consumption rate analysis and prediction - Seasonal pattern recognition - Automated reorder point calculation

Extended Integration: - Integration with procurement systems - Automated inventory replenishment triggers - Cross-system dependency monitoring

Conclusion

This GitHub Actions implementation demonstrates how modern CI/CD principles can transform operational monitoring. By applying automation, version control, and systematic monitoring to critical infrastructure, we achieved:

  • 100% reduction in manual monitoring overhead
  • Proactive problem prevention through consistent monitoring
  • Enhanced operational visibility and audit capabilities
  • Foundation for advanced analytics and automated responses

The solution showcases how thoughtful application of DevOps practices to operational challenges can deliver significant business value while improving system reliability and team efficiency.

Technologies Used: GitHub Actions, Go, Bash, Prometheus, cron scheduling, REST APIs

Key Principles: Infrastructure as Code, Continuous Monitoring, Proactive Operations, Automated Reporting