Replicate filtered Amazon ECR container images across accounts or Regions

The Replicate Amazon ECR images across accounts or Regions template shows you an obvious process to mirror filtered Amazon ECR container images between accounts or regions. 

What that means in simple language is: 

• You push your container images to a master Amazon ECR registry (your source). 

• Each time a new image is pushed, an event is generated. 

• Rather than duplicating all images, you can configure rules that filter images based on tags. For example, only duplicate images that are marked as prod or release. 

• An AWS CodeBuild type of service then processes the filtered images and automatically duplicates them to other accounts or regions. 

• Account permissions are managed through cross‑account roles, so duplication takes place securely. 

• The images ultimately end up in the destination ECR registries, ready for your teams to leverage. 

This is done automatically, meaning once you've configured it, you don't have to continue doing manual labor. 
 

What makes this template a game changer ? 

Teams typically spend time duplicating pictures, checking versions, and correcting errors without a plan like this. Oftentimes a developer will neglect to update an image in another area, and your staging environment is now using an outdated version. 

This template is a game changer because: 

• It eliminates manual processes. 

• It makes sure only the photos you are interested in are copied, due to filtering. 

• It automatically keeps all your environments in sync. 

• It shows precisely how to do it securely and effectively. 

Overall, you save time, minimize mistakes, and maintain your container image process tidy and organized. 
 

Who can use this template, and when? 

This template is beneficial to most individuals who interact with containers in AWS: 

• Cloud architects plan the system as a whole and need to ensure images are present wherever they are required. 

• DevOps engineers who manage automation and deployment pipelines. 

• Operations teams that ensure production environments are standardized and up to date. 

The ideal time to apply it is when: 

• You have a multi‑region configuration and require the same images across different AWS regions for performance or compliance reasons. 

• You have multiple accounts (e.g., different accounts for dev, test, and prod) and you need the same image in all of them. 

• You want to create an automated process that saves time and prevents human errors. 
   

What are the main components of the template? 

These are the main components that you will notice in this workflow: 

• Source Amazon ECR registry - This is where your container images are pushed. It is your central image repository. 
   

• Event triggers - Whenever an image is pushed, an event is triggered. This event initiates the replication process. 
   

• Filtering logic - All images do not have to be replicated. You can have rules to replicate only images with specific tags such as stable, release, or v1.0. 
   

• AWS CodeBuild - This service takes filtered images and replicates them. It creates the image if necessary and pushes it into the destination registry. 
   

• Cross‑account roles - If you are cross‑replicating accounts, you require a secure method of granting permission. Cross‑account roles facilitate secure permissions.
   

• Destination ECR registries - These are the destinations where the replicated images will be stored. They can be in other regions or accounts. 
   

How to begin using Cloudairy ?

Here is how you can begin step by step: 

• Prepare your source registry : Ensure your primary ECR registry is set, and your team is pushing images with explicit tags. 
   

• Plan your tag filters : Choose which images you really want to copy. For instance, merely images tagged as prod or release. 
   

• Set up event triggers : Establish the triggers that identify if a new image is pushed, so replication begins automatically. 
   

• Using CodeBuild for replication : Establish a CodeBuild project that is aware of how to take those images and replicate them to your destination. 
   

• Establish cross-account permissions : In the case of replicating across accounts, establish IAM roles to provide secure access. 
   

• Reference your destination registries : Lastly, create your target ECR registries in the accounts or regions where you would like to send the images. 

After this is configured, you can push an image to your source registry and be sure that the appropriate images will show up in the appropriate accounts or regions without doing anything on your part. 
 

Summary 

Manually replicating container images is time-consuming, repetitive, and risky. With this template, you have a well-defined plan for Amazon ECR cross-region replication and cross-account container image replication. It shows how to leverage ECR replication filters to dictate what gets replicated, how to automate the process with events, and how AWS CodeBuild and cross-account roles collaborate to perform the replication securely. 
 

By doing it this way, you can create a workflow that maintains your container images in sync across environments. Less errors, quicker deployments, and more time to concentrate on what matters most.