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Deploy AWS Fargate on Modular CloudFormation Stacks

Overview#

This page assists with deploying PlaceOS on AWS using CloudFormation templates. From VPC configuration to a functioning application, it's all modular by design.

A CloudFormation template specifies all the components. Each component is designed to deploy as its own CloudFormation stack.

The configurable components and the templates used, in order of recommended steps, are:

  • VPC vpc.yml
  • Security Groups sec_groups.yml
  • Elasticsearch elasticsearch.yml
  • ElastiCache elasticache-redis-cluster.yml
  • Application Load Balancer load-balancer-https.yaml
  • Elastic File System EFS.yml
  • Fargate Cluster ecs-cluster.yml
  • RethinkDB rethinkdb-primary.yml
  • etcd etcd-service.yml
  • dispatch dispatch-service.yml
  • NGINX nginx-service.yml
  • Frontends frontends-service.yml
  • Auth auth-service.yml
  • Core core-service.yml
  • triggers triggers-service.yml
  • Rubber Soul rubber-soul-service.yml
  • REST API rest-api-service.yml
  • init init-service.yml

AWS EnvironmentName parameter and Stack naming#

The EnvironmentName parameter's uses include:

  • Tagging
  • Service discovery
  • Linking outputs of templates with inputs of later templates

For example, the RethinkDB service uses EFS shares for it's /data directory. To pick up the correct EFS share, the templates for EFS and RethinkDB must have the same EnvironmentName.

Use the same EnvironmentName variable throughout the deployment process. PlaceOS is the default but each deployment in the same VPC should configure its own EnvironmentName. The Stack name you choose for each component should be descriptive but has no effect on the function of the deployment.

VPC Architecture: vpc.yml#

The VPC template deploys two private and two public subnets. For each of these, you can configure:

  • CIDR ranges
  • An internet gateway
  • Two NAT gateways
  • Routes and route tables

The application load balancer is the only component that should deploy in public subnets.

These values have presets, but you can specify any EnvironmentName and CIDR ranges you want.

info

The EnvironmentName parameter chosen here should be the same for all other consequent templates.

Security Groups: sec_groups.yml#

Once the VPC is available, use this template to configure all the AWS Security Groups for the remaining stacks. The stacks and services are on a serverless and managed architecture. Use security groups to prevent unnecessary communications between the application components.

Use the same EnvironmentName parameter as the VPC and select the VPC created in the previous step.

Elasticsearch (AWS Managed Service): elasticsearch.yml#

After configuring the security groups, you can begin configuring the components that use them. By default, this template deploys an Elasticsearch cluster version with 2 instances of t2.small.Elasticsearch.

AWS tags which identify the associated components are:

Security Group#

(Elasticsearch | {EnvironmentName} | security group).

Private Subnets#

(Private Subnet 1 | {EnvironmentName})
(Private Subnet 2 | {EnvironmentName})

info

You might see a message relating to an IAM Service Linked Role for Elasticsearch. It prevents this stack from deploying if you haven't already set up AWS Elasticsearch with your account. You can address this by:

1) Un-commenting the section beginning with ESSLRole: in the sec_groups.yml file

2) Redeploy the Security Groups stack using amended sec_groups.yml

3) Redeploy this (Elasticsearch) stack

ElastiCache (AWS Managed Service): elasticache-redis-cluster.yml#

By default, this template deploys an ElastiCache Redis cluster with Multi-AZ support. It comprises of one Node.js Group and two cache.t2.micro replicas as default. The Redis port, snapshot and maintenance window parameters have default values but are configurable.

Here you should use the security group with AWS tags

Security Group:#

(ElastiCache | {EnvironmentName} | security group)

Subnets:#

(Private Subnet 1 | {EnvironmentName})
(Private Subnet 2 | {EnvironmentName})

Application Load Balancer: load-balancer-https.yaml#

This template deploys an external, public facing load balancer. It forwards public traffic to internal services.

The application load balancer is the only component that should deploy in public subnets. It requires you use your own preconfigured certificate from AWS Certificate Manager. It's configured with a certificate Identifier from ACM.

A Secure Listener serves HTTPS traffic. All inbound HTTP traffic redirects to its matching HTTPS.

Subnets:#

(Public Subnet 1 | {EnvironmentName})
(Public Subnet 2 | {EnvironmentName})

VPC:#

({EnvironmentName} | VPC)

Elastic File System: EFS.yml#

As the application deployment consists of ephemeral containers, EFS is the persistent storage layer. RethinkDB, NGINX and Frontends services use the Elastic File System created by this template. EFS is the RethinkDB data directory. NGINX and Frontends us it for file storage of the Backoffice user interface.

Security Groups:#

  • SecurityGroupEFSNginxFrontends:

    (NGINX and Frontends -> EFS | {EnvironmentName} | security group)

  • SecurityGroupEFSRethinkDB:

    (RethinkDB -> EFS | {EnvironmentName} | security group)

Subnets:#

(Private Subnet 1 | {EnvironmentName})
(Private Subnet 2 | {EnvironmentName})

VPC:#

({EnvironmentName} | VPC)

Fargate Cluster: ecs-cluster.yml#

This template deploys the Elastic Container Service (ECS) cluster for all PlaceOS container services. The ECS Cluster configuration requires the same EnvironmentName parameter as prior steps.

Notes on deploying the Fargate services.#

The Fargate components of the deployment still need configuration. They share a lot of common parameters. Each template configures and deploys an ECS Task Definition, Service and Task. You can configure the ECS parameters as required but the default values specified are okay for this example.

The ServiceName parameter configured will result in creation of a Service Discovery record as

{ServiceName}.{EnvironmentName}

For example, rethinkdb-primary.placeos would be the record for the RethinkDB template. All future services that need configuration with the database can use this value as an input parameter.

The security groups to use for each template will appear in the appropriate sections below. Tags for VPC and Private subnets are:

Subnets:#

(Private Subnet 1 | {EnvironmentName})
(Private Subnet 2 | {EnvironmentName})

VPC:#

({EnvironmentName} | VPC)

Configure the EnvironmentName parameter as in all previous steps.

RethinkDB rethinkdb-primary.yml#

RethinkDB serves as the database for PlaceOS. RethinkDB can operate as a cluster but for the purposes of this example you will deploy a single primary member.

The RethinkDB /data directory uses an EFS share as created earlier by the Elastic File System stack. Data stored by the database will persist if the container task gets restarted or destroyed.

Service Discovery created:#

{ServiceName}.{EnvironmentName}

E.g. rethinkdb-primary.placeos

Security Group:#

(RethinkDB | {EnvironmentName} | security group)

etcd: etcd-service.yml#

etcd is the service discovery layer for PlaceOS.

Service Discovery created:#

{ServiceName}.{EnvironmentName}

E.g. etcd.placeos

Security Group:#

(etcd | {EnvironmentName} | security group)

Dispatch: dispatch-service.yml#

Dispatch allows drivers to register new servers to enable devices to connect to PlaceOS.

Service Discovery created::#

{ServiceName}.{EnvironmentName}

E.g. dispatch.placeos

Security Group:#

(Dispatch | {EnvironmentName} | security group)

NGINX: nginx-service.yml#

NGINX is the web server for PlaceOS. See more on our implementation here

Service Discovery created:#

{ServiceName}.{EnvironmentName}

E.g. nginx.placeos

Security Group:#

(NGINX | {EnvironmentName} | security group)

Frontends: frontends-service.yml#

Frontends is a sidecar to the web server. It listens for published frontend repositories and clones them to the NGINX static folder on EFS.

Required Services:#

  • RethinkDB

Service Discovery created:#

{ServiceName}.{EnvironmentName}

E.g. frontends.placeos

Security Group:#

(Frontends | {EnvironmentName} | security group)

caution

This is the first service to reference a preconfigured service parameter. RethinkDBHost references the RethinkDB service and defaults to rethinkdb-primary.placeos. You may need to change this if you have used a different EnvironmentName or ServiceName value. The same logic applies to the RethinkDBPort and RethinkDBDB parameters.

Auth: auth-service.yml#

Auth provides the authentication service and API gatekeeper.

This service references the ElastiCache cluster configured earlier. Configure the Primary Endpoint from Redis here. The RedisURL parameter will have the form redis://{Primary Endpoint}:{port}

Required Services:#

  • Redis
  • RethinkDB

Service Discovery created::#

{ServiceName}.{EnvironmentName}

E.g. auth.placeos

Security Group:#

(Auth | {EnvironmentName} | security group)

Core: core-service.yml#

Core is the coordination service for running drivers on PlaceOS.

Required Services:#

  • Redis
  • RethinkDB
  • etcd

Service Discovery created:#

{ServiceName}.{EnvironmentName}

E.g. core.placeos

Security Group:#

(Core | {EnvironmentName} | security group)

Triggers: triggers-service.yml#

Triggers is the PlaceOS service for handling events and conditional triggers.

Required Services:#

  • Redis
  • RethinkDB
  • etcd

Service Discovery created:#

{ServiceName}.{EnvironmentName}

E.g. triggers.placeos

Security Group:#

(Triggers | {EnvironmentName} | security group)

Rubber Soul: rubber-soul-service.yml#

Rubber Soul is a service that connects to rethinkdb-orm models and generates Elasticsearch indices.

This service references the Elasticsearch cluster configured earlier. Configure the ESURI with the Elasticsearch VPC Endpoint which will have the form https://xxxxxx...es.amazonaws.com.

Required Services:#

  • Elasticsearch
  • RethinkDB

Service Discovery created::#

{ServiceName}.{EnvironmentName}

E.g. rubber-soul.placeos

Security Group:#

(Rubber Soul | {EnvironmentName} | security group)

REST API: rest-api-service.yml {REST-API}#

This template configures and deploys the REST API ECS Task Definition, Service and Task. REST API is an API service for interacting with PlaceOS.

Required Services:#

  • Elasticsearch
  • RethinkDB
  • Redis
  • etcd
  • Frontends
  • Rubber Soul
  • Triggers

Service Discovery created::#

{ServiceName}.{EnvironmentName}

E.g. rest-api.placeos

Security Group:#

(Rest-api | {EnvironmentName} | security group)

init: init-service.yml#

init initializes the PlaceOS instance and is the final step in the deployment. This service requires the DNS Name of the ALB as it's the URL for accessing the application. The email and password configured here will also create a login you can use once you deploy the application.

Required Services:#

  • RethinkDB
  • Auth
  • Application Load Balancer {DNS Name}

Service Discovery created::#

{ServiceName}.{EnvironmentName}

E.g. init.placeos

Security Group:#

(init | {EnvironmentName} | security group)

info

This service will never actually finish as the task will exit after it has run. You can update the ECS Service to have zero Number of tasks once it has been successful.

Accessing the deployed PlaceOS Backoffice application#

Once you have completed the above steps, the Backoffice application will be available at:

`https://[Application_Load_Balancer_DNS_NAME]/login?continue=/backoffice`

The credentials are the email and password set by the init service.

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