AWS CloudFormation in Action: Automating EC2 and Tomcat Setup

1. CloudFormation Overview: The Big Picture

CloudFormation is AWS’s Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tool. It allows you to describe your AWS resources in a declarative way using templates. The main advantages include:

• Automation: Resources are provisioned automatically, eliminating manual effort.
• Consistency: Ensures identical configurations across environments (e.g., development, production).
• Reusability: Templates can be reused, saving time and reducing errors.

2. Parameters: Customizing Your Stack

Parameters are like variables in programming, making the template dynamic and reusable.

Key Concepts:

1. Environment-Specific Configuration:

EnvironmentName:
  Description: Select the environment
  Type: String
  Default: dev
  AllowedValues:
    - dev
    - prod
        

• Scenario: You may want fewer resources in dev to save costs and more robust configurations in prod.
• ConstraintDescription: Adds clarity by showing users why only specific values are allowed.

EC2 Instance Types:

InstanceType:
  Description: Select the ec2 instance type
  Type: String
  Default: t2.micro
  AllowedValues:
    - t2.micro
    - t2.small
    - t2.medium        

• Scalability: Start small (t2.micro) for development and scale up (t2.medium) as workloads grow.
• Flexibility: Parameterizing instance types lets users adapt the infrastructure to their needs.

Availability Zone (AZ) Selection:

AvailabilityZone:
  Description: select the availability zone
  Type: String
  Default: us-east-2a
  AllowedValues:
    - us-east-2a
    - us-east-2b
    - us-east-2c
        

High Availability: Distribute resources across AZs to prevent single points of failure

3. Metadata: Enhancing User Experience

Grouping Parameters for Clarity

Metadata:
  AWS::CloudFormation::Interface:
    ParameterGroups:
      - Label:
          default: "EC2 Instance Configuration"
        Parameters:
          - InstanceType
          - KeyName
          - AvailabilityZone
        

• Purpose: Makes the stack creation interface more intuitive for users.
• Example: When creating the stack in the AWS Management Console, users will see a logical grouping of options (e.g., instance type, SSH key).

Adding Descriptive Labels

ParameterLabels:
  KeyName:
    default: "Be aware that once keyname is selected we cannot change it unless instance replaced"
        

• Importance: Provides clear instructions, reducing potential errors (e.g., understanding the immutability of SSH keys).

4. Conditions: Logical Resource Creation

Conditions allow for intelligent provisioning of resources.

Example: Elastic IP for Production Only

Conditions:
  CreateEIPForProd: !Equals [ !Ref EnvironmentName, prod ]        

• Cost Optimization: Elastic IPs incur charges when not in use. Only provisioning them for prod saves money.
• Dynamic Infrastructure: The same template serves both development and production needs.

5. Resources: Core Infrastructure

Security Groups: Defining Network Access

MySecurityGroup:
  Type: AWS::EC2::SecurityGroup
  Properties:
    SecurityGroupIngress:
      - IpProtocol: tcp
        FromPort: '22'
        ToPort: '22'
        CidrIp: 0.0.0.0/0
      - IpProtocol: tcp
        FromPort: '8080'
        ToPort: '8080'
        CidrIp: 0.0.0.0/0
        

• Purpose: Controls which IP addresses and ports can access your instance.
• Example Use Cases:Port 22: Securely SSH into the instance.Port 8080: Access the Tomcat server running the web application.

EC2 Instance: The Workhorse

MyVMInstance:
  Type: AWS::EC2::Instance
  Properties:
    ImageId: ami-063d43db0594b521b
    InstanceType: !Ref InstanceType
    KeyName: !Ref KeyName
    UserData:
      Fn::Base64: |
        #!/bin/bash
        sudo yum update
        sudo yum -y erase java-1.7.0-openjdk.x86_64
        sudo yum -y install java-1.8.0-openjdk.x86_64
        sudo yum -y install tomcat8
        service tomcat8 start
        

• What’s Happening:The specified AMI is used as a base image.Bootstrapping (UserData) installs Java 1.8, removes Java 1.7, and starts Tomcat.A simple web page is created at index.html.

Elastic IP: Static IP for Production

MyProdEIP:
  Type: AWS::EC2::EIP
  Condition: CreateEIPForProd        

• Why It Matters: A static IP ensures your app’s endpoint doesn’t change, critical for production environments.

6. Outputs: Delivering Results

Outputs provide post-deployment information, improving usability.

Example: App URL

Outputs:
  AppURL:
    Description: Tomcat App Access URL
    Value: !Sub 'https://${MyVMInstance.PublicDnsName}:8080/index.html'
        

Use Case: After deployment, users can immediately access the app without searching for the instance’s public DNS name.

Why Is This Template Useful?

1. Flexibility: Parameters allow users to customize deployments for different environments.
2. Cost-Effectiveness: Conditional logic ensures resources like Elastic IPs are created only when necessary.
3. Automation: UserData scripts automate configuration, reducing manual effort.
4. Scalability: This approach can be expanded to include additional instances, load balancers, or other resources.

AWSTemplateFormatVersion: 2010-09-09

Parameters:
  EnvironmentName:
    Description: Select the environment
    Type: String
    Default: dev
    AllowedValues:
    - dev
    - prod
    ConstraintDescription: must be development or production
  InstanceType:
    Description: Select the ec2 instance type
    Type: String
    Default: t2.micro
    AllowedValues:
    - t2.micro
    - t2.small
    - t2.medium
  KeyName:
    Description: Key name to SSH to VM's.
    Type: AWS::EC2::KeyPair::KeyName
  AvailabilityZone:
    Description: select the availability zone
    Type: String
    Default: us-east-2a
    AllowedValues:
    - us-east-2a
    - us-east-2b
    - us-east-2c

Conditions:
  CreateEIPForProd: !Equals [ !Ref EnvironmentName, prod ]

Metadata:
  AWS::CloudFormation::Interface:
    ParameterGroups:
    - Label:
        default: "EC2 Instance Configuration"
      Parameters:
      - InstanceType
      - KeyName
      - AvailabilityZone
    - Label:
        default: "Environment Configuration"
      Parameters:
      - EnvironmentName
    ParameterLabels:
      EnvironmentName:
        default: "Which environment we are planning to create this instance?"
      KeyName:
        default: "Be aware that once keyname is selected we cannot change it unless instance replaced"

Resources:
  MySecurityGroup:
    Type: AWS::EC2::SecurityGroup
    Properties:
      GroupDescription: My SG with port 22, 8080 and 80 inbound
      SecurityGroupIngress:
      - IpProtocol: tcp
        FromPort: '22'
        ToPort: '22'
        CidrIp: 0.0.0.0/0
      - IpProtocol: tcp
        FromPort: '8080'
        ToPort: '8080'
        CidrIp: 0.0.0.0/0

  MyVMInstance:
    Type: AWS::EC2::Instance
    Properties:
      ImageId: ami-063d43db0594b521b
      InstanceType: !Ref InstanceType
      KeyName: !Ref KeyName
      AvailabilityZone: !Ref AvailabilityZone
      SecurityGroups:
      - !Ref MySecurityGroup
      UserData:
        Fn::Base64: |
          #!/bin/bash
          sudo yum update
          sudo yum -y erase java-1.7.0-openjdk.x86_64
          sudo yum -y install java-1.8.0-openjdk.x86_64
          sudo yum -y install java-1.8.0-openjdk-devel
          sudo yum -y install tomcat8
          service tomcat8 start
          mkdir /usr/share/tomcat8/webapps/ROOT
          touch /usr/share/tomcat8/webapps/ROOT/index.html
          echo "Cloud Formation Tomcat8" > /usr/share/tomcat8/webapps/ROOT/index.html

  MyProdEIP:
    Type: AWS::EC2::EIP
    Condition: CreateEIPForProd
    Properties:
      InstanceId: !Ref MyVMInstance

Outputs:
  AppURL:
    Description: Tomcat App Access URL
    Value: !Sub 'https://${MyVMInstance.PublicDnsName}:8080/index.html'