First introduced in 2002 to provide tools and services to developers to help them incorporate infrastructure specifications.  Read ahead to learn more about what it means to automate AWS, some best practices to automate AWS infrastructure in production, and how Structura fits all this.‍

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What Does It Mean to Automate AWS?

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Automating AWS refers to deploying Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) tasks to produce detailed sets of independent cloud functions that can help create content. AWS automation tools decrease the time you spend navigating hardware and redirecting to virtual workstations run on Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), which facilitates multiple individuals’ collaboration.

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Best Practices to Automate AWS Infrastructure in Production

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The decision to automate AWS operations is a smart one. However, to get the most out of your AWS automation tools, it is essential to keep the following eight best practices in mind.

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1. Check out existing AWS CloudFormation templates

The solution that are you are hoping to create may have already been designed and deployed. To help you save time and effort, it would be worthwhile to check out existing AWS CloudFormation templates to see if your entire solution or parts of it have already been deployed.

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2. Use multiple small templates:  

Instead of using a single template to automate a complex deployment, you might want to consider using multiple smaller templates. Using one large template would make it difficult to troubleshoot. However, utilizing various templates for each component would allow you to troubleshoot quickly and reuse the templates in other web applications.

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3. Use existing submodules

A data repository is a centralized location where data is stored and maintained. Submodules allow data to be stored in one storage as a subdirectory to another one. Submodules have two functions: they save time during development and reduce the need for unnecessary resources.

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4. Innovate with an integrated development environment with linting

Complex automated AWS deployments create simple last-minute mistakes for developers. These problems can create unnecessary delays and can be troublesome errors. Using IDEs or an integrated development environment with third-party linting tools installed limits formatting mistakes and ensures flawless coding.

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5. Defining paths as parameters

Hardcoding the path to external assets would hinder you from making future changes; making changes would cause the deployment to fail. So, instead of hard coding the course, you can define it as a parameter and set the URL as default.

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6. Using identical names for standard parameters

Keeping the same names for similar parameters across different AWS CloudFormation templates makes it easier to troubleshoot. It also iterates as outputs from one template and is passed to other templates as parameter values.

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7. Use TaskCat to automate AWS testing

Your completed AWS CloudFormation templates require testing, which takes time and effort. Using TaskCat to test your templates lets you focus on other tasks while waiting for the deployment to complete.

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8. Test and upgrade your templates

You can reuse your AWS CloudFormation templates for months or even years, and thus must be maintained. In addition, the templates should be tested periodically and upgraded with new service functionalities as required.

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IaC with Structura: The Best Way to Get It Done

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Structura.io uses a GUI interfaced infrastructure as a code (IaC) platform. This framework provides a unique means of design and removes the room for costly errors and unnecessary delays.

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Structura.io is also an excellent resource to use for IaC within a team. It allows for state management or the synchronization of the state of an application throughout all components of the application. That helps in configuring network settings and managing software updates during their lifecycles, creating efficient automated AWS operations.

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The source control service offered by Structura.io allows data to be transferred anonymously since the data is encrypted, facilitating collaboration. In addition, the pull request feature enables users to comment, review, and merge multiple coding infrastructures from one branch to another.

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Furthermore, Structura.io incorporates DevSecOps – a combination of practices, cultural philosophies, and assets that integrate software development, security, and operations. These conjoined practices enable companies to increase their output and increase the rate of output.

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Hence, Structura provides an inclusive platform, offering compatibility with AWS automation tools.

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Conclusion

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Infrastructure as Code (IaC) technology leads the way into the future of Information Technology and is increasingly being adopted by companies across the globe. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the top automation tool and can be of great utility in production automation if certain best practices are followed.

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Using Structura together with AWS drastically reduces project delays and limits personal errors. In addition, it identifies required resources, presenting a valuable alternative to unautomated infrastructure.