AWS Infrastructure Deployment

This repository provides a step-by-step guide to deploying a simple and scalable web application infrastructure on AWS using Terraform. The setup includes essential AWS services, ensuring high availability and automated scaling.

Overview

This project sets up a simple infrastructure on AWS using Terraform. The infrastructure includes a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), subnets, an Internet Gateway, security groups, EC2 instances, an Elastic Load Balancer (ELB), and an Auto Scaling Group (ASG). The goal is to deploy a web application in a secure and scalable manner.

UML Diagram

The following UML diagram illustrates the structure of the AWS infrastructure deployed:

Infrastructure Explanation

The infrastructure setup includes the following components:

• VPC: A Virtual Private Cloud to provide an isolated environment.
• Subnets: Distributed across multiple availability zones for high availability.
• Security Groups: To control inbound and outbound traffic.
• EC2 Instances: Virtual servers to host the web application.
• Elastic Load Balancer: To distribute incoming traffic across multiple EC2 instances.
• Auto Scaling Group: To automatically adjust the number of EC2 instances based on demand.

Setup and Installation

Important

Follow these steps to set up and deploy the infrastructure.

Prerequisites

• AWS Account with the necessary permissions.
• AWS CLI configured with your credentials.
• Terraform installed on your local machine.

Installation Steps

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/Danielkis97/Host-a-simple-webpage-on-AWS.git
   cd Host-a-simple-webpage-on-AWS

2. Set up AWS credentials: Edit the terraform.tfvars file with your specific AWS configurations:

   aws_access_key = "your-access-key"
   aws_secret_key = "your-secret-key"
   region         = "eu-north-1"
   ami            = "ami-079c4d86630be4b6a"
   instance_type  = "t3.micro"
   key_name       = "your-key-name"
   vpc_id         = "your-vpc-id"
   
   

Warning

Do not commit your terraform.tfvars file to version control as it contains sensitive information.

3. Initialize Terraform:

   terraform init

4. Create an execution plan:

   terraform plan

5. Apply the execution plan to deploy the infrastructure:

   terraform apply

6. Destroy the infrastructure (optional):

   terraform destroy

Using the Infrastructure

Once deployed, the infrastructure will include:

• Publicly accessible EC2 instances: Running the web application.
• Load Balancing: Managed by the Elastic Load Balancer to handle incoming traffic.
• Automatic Scaling: Managed by the Auto Scaling Group to handle varying levels of traffic.

Running Tests

To ensure that the infrastructure is functioning correctly, you can manually access the EC2 instances via the Load Balancer's DNS name and verify the web application's availability.

Directory Structure

• autoscaling.tf: Defines the Auto Scaling Group and scaling policies to automatically adjust the number of EC2 instances based on load.
• data.tf: Manages external data sources, such as retrieving information about AWS availability zones.
• ec2.tf: Configures the EC2 instances, including their launch templates and security groups.
• elastic_load_balancer.tf: Configures the Elastic Load Balancer, including its listener, target groups, and health checks.
• launch_template.tf: Defines the launch template for EC2 instances, including AMI, instance type, and user data scripts.
• main.tf: Main configuration file for setting up the AWS infrastructure.
• outputs.tf: Specifies the outputs of the Terraform run, such as the public IP of the EC2 instances and the DNS name of the Load Balancer.
• variables.tf: Defines all the variables used in the project, such as AMI IDs, instance types, and region.
• terraform.tfvars: Contains the actual values for the variables defined in variables.tf, such as AWS credentials and specific resource IDs.

Possible Bugs and Solutions

• Resource Name Conflicts:

  • Scenario: If you try to deploy the infrastructure more than once without cleaning up the previous setup, you might run into issues where resources have the same name.
  • Solution: Add unique identifiers (like random strings or environment-specific names) to your resource names to avoid these conflicts.

• Hitting AWS API Limits:

  • Scenario: If you create or delete a lot of resources quickly, you might hit AWS’s limits on how many requests you can make.
  • Solution: Slow down your Terraform runs or add retry logic to avoid overwhelming the AWS API.

• Invalid AWS Credentials:

  • Scenario: If your AWS credentials are wrong or have expired, Terraform commands won’t work properly.
  • Solution: Double-check that your terraform.tfvars file has the correct credentials or set up your credentials using environment variables to keep them secure.

Examples

Here’s how you might interact with the deployed infrastructure:

• Access the Web Application: After the infrastructure is deployed, navigate to the Load Balancer's DNS name in your web browser to view the web application.

• Scale the Application: Trigger scaling by simulating high CPU usage on the EC2 instances, and observe how the Auto Scaling Group adjusts the number of running instances.

Tip

Keep your Terraform state files secure, especially if you're working in a shared environment.

Development Environment

The Terraform code for this project was developed using PyCharm, ensuring a smooth and efficient coding experience. If you're looking for a powerful IDE to work with Terraform, PyCharm is a great choice.

Happy Terraforming and Testing! 🚀