Automatically build CI/CD pipelines and Amazon ECS clusters for microservices using AWS CDK

This template is designed to automate the entire process of deploying container-based microservices on Amazon ECS with AWS CDK. It incorporates tools for source control, building, testing, and deploying your code with no manual intervention.

Here's what's inside:

• A CI/CD pipeline created using AWS CodePipeline and AWS CodeBuild, ready to be used.

• Support for deployment in two environments: production and non-production.

• Run your containers with Amazon ECS and AWS Fargate, so you have no servers to manage.

• Built-in features for scaling, load balancing, logging, and security.

The best part? Once you've got it set up, your team can simply write code. The rest, from build to deployment, is taken care of by you.
 

Why this template is a game changer ?

This template is time saving, error-reducing, and makes life simpler for developers and DevOps teams. Here's why:

• All is automated: No need to create resources manually or deploy code anymore. Push your code, and the pipeline does the rest.

• Simple container management: Runs your applications on AWS Fargate, meaning you don't have to scale or manage servers.

• Flexible environments: You have isolated clusters for prod and test, so you can try out changes prior to going live.

• Built with CDK: As it's built with AWS CDK, you can treat everything as code and reuse it with teams and projects.

If your current workflow is slow or tricky to work with, this template provides a neat and easy setup for you to work with.
 

Who should use this template, and when? 

This template is helpful for: 

• Developers who want a fast and automated way to deploy microservices.

• DevOps engineers looking to simplify infrastructure setup and scaling.

• Startups or larger teams who want a consistent way to deploy apps across environments.

• Teams moving toward Infrastructure Code and looking to make their pipeline setup cleaner and more repeatable.

The best time to use this is when you’re: 

• Starting a new microservices project.

• Sick of handling independent tools for deploying, building, and testing.

• Want to shift from manual deployment to automated CI/CD on AWS.
   

What are the main components of the template? 

Here's a list of the components involved in this template:

• AWS CodeCommit: Holds your application code. Serves as your source control system. (You could also substitute it with GitHub if necessary.)

• AWS CodePipeline: Manages the entire CI/CD pipeline, from code updates to container deployment. No more manual build or deployment triggers.

• AWS CodeBuild: Builds and test your microservices prior to deployment. Supports catching issues early on.
   
• Amazon ECS (Production): Runs your live services. This is where your application runs for actual users.
   
• Amazon ECS (Non-Production): Runs testing and staging services. A test environment to safely test changes prior to shifting them to production.

• AWS Fargate: Runs containers without servers. You do not have to manage or update EC2 instances.

• Application Load Balancer: Spreads traffic across your containers. Ensures your app can receive user requests effortlessly.

• VPC (Production & Non-Production): Divides your environment securely. Every environment receives its own network setup.

• Auto Scaling: Scales the number of containers automatically depending on how much traffic your app receives.

• IAM Roles: Manages who or what has permission to access various sections of your infrastructure.

•  CloudWatch Logs: Saves logs from your services and pipeline stages. Assists you in monitoring performance and debugging problems.

•  Amazon S3: Stores build artifacts and other pipeline outputs.

• Security Groups: Manages what type of network access is granted to your services.

• CloudFormation Stack: It's all deployed as a stack, so it's in order and simple to manage or modify using AWS CDK.
   

How to get started with Cloudairy? 

This template can be found on Cloudairy, which you can simply view, edit, and deploy. Here's how you can get started:

• Sign in to your Cloudairy account.

• Go to the Templates Library.

• Search for: "CI/CD Pipelines and ECS Clusters with AWS CDK."

• Click on the template to view more information.

• Select "Open in Cloudairy" to open the template.

• Modify the environment-specific setup (such as cluster names or scaling thresholds).

• Deploy the template to your AWS account and let it do all the work for you.

After deployment, your CI/CD pipeline and ECS clusters will be up and running and ready to be used.
 

Summary 

This template simplifies automating CI/CD pipelines and ECS clusters with AWS CDK. Whether you're new to it or just want to enhance your current process, this setup provides a stable method of managing and deploying microservices based on containers.
All source code for deployment is integrated with AWS services such as CodePipeline, CodeBuild, ECS, and Fargate. It saves you time, avoids repetitive tasks, and has your services deployed fast and securely.

If you are dealing with microservices and wish for a better mechanism to work on CI/CD, this template is a good starting point.