AWS OpsWorks : Learn Everything you Need to Know about the Best Configuration Management Service


Amazon Web Services OpsWorks is an application management service which aids users in setting up and managing cloud-based services.

For distributed apps, it streamlines the configuration, operation, and deployment processes. It aids cloud administrators and developers in configuring infrastructure and resources.

Users can select the operating system (OS) and instance type on which user wants to deploy the application.

Benefits of Using AWS OpsWorks

  • AWS OpsWorks model and support any application. Layer modeling seems to be a possibility. These layers will aid in defining the configuration of a group of resources.

  • Additionally, we are permitted to specify how the software should be configured for each layer, including the installation and initialization procedures.

  • Furthermore, with AWS OpsWorks we can automate every management task with AWS OpsWorks.

  • We can manage who has access to our applications with OpsWorks. Which AWS IAM user has access to the resources can be selected. This assists in preventing any modification to the production resources.

How to Get Started With AWS OpsWorks

These are the three steps needed to get AWS OPSWorks up and running.

  1. 1

    Learn how to set up your account and environment using best practices first. This step includes creating and securing AWS accounts. Setting up AWS CLI and AWS Cloud 9 linked environments is the crucial next step.

  2. 2

    Become familiar with the AWS Management Console. The Console Home page is what you see when you first log in. The home page gives a single location to get the data you need to complete your AWS-related tasks as well as access to each service panel.

    By including, deleting, and rearranging widgets like recently visited, AWS Health, Trusted Advisor, and others, you may further personalize the Console Home page.

    The individual service consoles, however, provide a variety of cloud computing technologies in addition to details on your account and billing.

  3. 3

    Learn how to manage your AWS costs. With the help of the open source AWS CDK framework, you may specify the resources for your cloud applications using well-known programming languages like JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Java, and C#.

    Your written code is translated into CloudFormation (CFN) templates, which AWS CloudFormation uses to build the infrastructure. It can be categorized in these three steps:

    1. Set up and customize the AWS CDK CLI.

    2. Make your initial CDK project.

    3. Install your initial infrastructure

How to Set Up Your AWS OpsWorks Infrastructure

AWS OpsWorks Has Three Products Available:

1. Enterprise AWS OpsWorks for Puppet

We don't have to worry about running the configuration management system or about managing its infrastructure thanks to OpsWorks. With the Puppet console or code, we have seamless access to all of the Puppet Enterprise's features.

Its collection of automation tools from Puppet is called Puppet Enterprise. They support the management of infrastructure and applications.

Puppet Enterprise is managed and hosted with the aid of AWS OpsWorks. By automatically patching, upgrading, and backing up the server, OpsWorks also maintains the Puppet master server. 

2. AWS Opsworks for Automating Chef

The configuration tasks are kept in one place and made available to all of the system's nodes.

Cookbooks and tools created by the Chef community are completely compatible with OpsWorks for Chef Automate. All new nodes are automatically registered with Chef Server by OpsWorks.

We receive a fully managed Chef Automate server and a set of automation tools from AWS OpsWorks for Chef Automate. These technologies assist us in automating the workflow so that we can perform automated testing, continuous deployment, and provide a user interface to view the nodes.

Full stack automation is already provided by the Chef Automate platform; this is accomplished by managing operational chores like managing operating system and software configurations, etc.

Users can have support from Chef Community and Managed by hybrid environment. 

3. Stacks for AWS OpsWorks

Lifecycle hooks are used by AWS OpsWorks to manage scaling-related changes. Chef Solo allows us to execute Chef Dishes. We will be able to automate operations like installing programming languages and packages thanks to this.

Applications on AWS and locally are managed with the aid of AWS OpsWorks. Making an application look like a stack with several layers is helpful.

It enables us to launch and configure Amazon EC2 instances at every layer. We can grow the servers automatically in accordance with predetermined timetables.

It configures code, organizes all resources and supports any kind of application. It does not require Chef servers but can perform so many of its jobs.

Working With AWS OpsWorks Tools

Chef and Puppet instances are controlled via the configuration management service AWS OpsWorks. You can use code to automate the configurations of your servers using automation platforms like Chef and Puppet.

Using OpsWorks, you can automate the configuration, deployment, and management of servers across your Amazon EC2 instances and on-premises computing infrastructures.

Automating Your Infrastructure With AWS OpsWorks

With the help of OpsWorks, you can reliably and automatically perform administration tasks. Automatic failover, package administration, EBS volume RAID configuration, and rule-based or time-based auto-scaling are all advantages.

Frequently performed actions are automatically handled for you, and you can extend and modify that automation. Through lifecycle events, such as auto-scaling events, OpsWorks offers continuous configuration by automatically updating the configuration of your instances to accommodate environmental changes.

OpsWorks eliminates the need to manually log into several machines and update your setup. OpsWorks modifies your configuration whenever your environment does.

Securing Your AWS OpsWorks Infrastructure

AWS places the highest attention on cloud security. As an AWS customer, you gain access to a network and data center architecture designed to satisfy the needs of the most security-conscious businesses.

AWS and you both have a role to play in maintaining security. This is known as security of the cloud and security in the cloud, according to the shared responsibility model:

  1. 1

    Securing the cloud Outerly

    The architecture that powers AWS services in the AWS Cloud must be kept secure. You can use the security services that AWS offers you. As part of the AWS compliance initiatives, third-party auditors regularly evaluate and confirm the efficiency of our security.

  2. 2

    Securing cloud internally 

    The AWS service you choose to employ will affect your obligations. The sensitivity of your data, the needs of your business, and any applicable rules and regulations are among the additional aspects for which you are accountable. 

Managing Your AWS OpsWorks Infrastructure

Infrastructure management and security require careful handling. The following recommendations for best practices are only broad recommendations and not an entire security program.

Treat these best practices as helpful ideas rather than directives because they might not be suitable or sufficient for your context.

The following best practices are broad recommendations, not an all-inclusive security solution. Consider these best practices as helpful ideas rather than recommendations because they might not be suitable or sufficient for your context.

  • Keep your Starter Kit and downloaded login information secure.

  • Set up automated backups and system upkeep updates.

  • Avoid disclosing your Chef or Puppet administration console login information.

  • Make your configuration code secure

Best Practices for Using AWS OpsWorks

You can use the tips, tricks, and strategies in this section to make the most of AWS OpsWorks Stacks and achieve the best results.


1.Root Device Storage for Instances

The following root-device storage choices are available for Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) Linux instances supported by an instance store - The root device is transitory.

The root device's data disappears and cannot be restored if the instance is stopped. See Amazon EC2 Instance Store for further detailed instances with Amazon EBS backing a  volume on Amazon EBS serving as the root device.

The Amazon EBS volume remains even if the instance is stopped. Instance state and any stored data are restored at instance restart when the volume is automatically remounted. The volume can be mounted on a different instance as well. See Amazon Elastic Block Store for further information (Amazon EBS).

2.Optimizing the Number of Application Servers

A production stack frequently consists of several application servers dispersed across various Availability Zones. However, depending on the time of day or day of the week, there may be a significant difference in the volume of incoming requests.

You could just run as many servers as necessary to accommodate the highest possible traffic, but in most cases, doing so will result in you paying for more server capacity than you actually require. It is advised to match the number of servers to the current volume of requests in order to run your site efficiently.

Conclusion

Technology firms should adopt DevOps principles and practices in order to make the transition to the cloud simple, quick, and successful.

The AWS platform was built with these values in mind. In fact, they serve as the foundation for many AWS services, particularly those in the deployment and monitoring options.

Use the AWS Cloud Formation or AWS Cloud Development Kit services to start by specifying your infrastructure as code (AWS CDK).

Next, specify how your apps will leverage continuous deployment with the aid of AWS Code Build, AWS Code Deploy, AWS CodePipeline, and AWS CodeCommit services.

Utilize containers such as AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS), or Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (Amazon EKS), as well as AWS OpsWorks to streamline the configuration. 

About the author

Youssef

Youssef is a Senior Cloud Consultant & Founder of ITCertificate.org

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