Deploy ECS reference Architecture using Terraform
Tags: ecs, aws, containerapps, terraform
Published: 2023-03-26 22:49:15

Hey, my Self Santhosh Nimmala, I am Working with Luxoft as a Principal consultant (leading Cloud and DevOps in TRM space), in coming Articles I will be explaining about ECS application deployment using terraform which we have used in many projects in luxoft , when when i saw the sample repos given by aws was not working properly i have decided to develop a full project in terraform instead of cloudformation  please find the repo like below https://github.com/santhoshnimmala/ecs-refarch-terraform this have complete details about how to deploy the project reference arch look's like this. 

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/eu9qwvnhocdszuahwdq4.png)

.

---
### why i have started this project ?
Migrating infrastructure from one tool to another can be a challenging task, but it can also be a great opportunity to improve the efficiency and reliability of your infrastructure. This is exactly what the ECS RefArch Terraform project on GitHub represents.

The project was born out of a need to migrate a sample project from AWS that was written in CloudFormation to Terraform. According to the project's author, the CloudFormation project was not working properly, so they decided to take matters into their own hands and migrate it to Terraform.

This migration was no small feat. Terraform and CloudFormation are two very different tools, with different syntax, paradigms, and capabilities. Migrating from one to the other requires a deep understanding of both tools, as well as a clear understanding of the infrastructure you're trying to migrate.

The ECS RefArch Terraform project is a testament to the author's hard work and dedication. It provides a complete and functional example of how to deploy an ECS cluster on AWS using Terraform. It includes a set of Terraform modules and templates that define the infrastructure as code, as well as documentation and examples to help you get started.

One of the main advantages of using Terraform over CloudFormation is its modular and declarative nature. Terraform allows you to define your infrastructure using a simple and intuitive language, and to reuse and share modules across different projects and environments. This makes it easier to manage and maintain your infrastructure, and to make changes and updates as needed.

The ECS RefArch Terraform project takes full advantage of this modularity and reusability. It defines a set of modules for different components of the infrastructure, such as the ECS cluster, the security group, the load balancer, and more. This allows you to easily customize and extend the infrastructure to fit your specific needs.

The project also provides a number of features that make it easy to manage and monitor your ECS cluster. For example, it includes automated backups, monitoring, and scaling, as well as a number of security and compliance best practices.

---
why i have chosen terraform to deploy ECS ?

Terraform is a powerful tool for managing infrastructure as code, and the ECS RefArch Terraform project on GitHub is a great example of how it can be used to automate the deployment of an Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS) cluster.

In this blog, we'll take a closer look at the ECS RefArch Terraform project and explore how it can help you streamline the deployment of containerized applications on AWS.

What is ECS?

Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS) is a fully managed container orchestration service that makes it easy to run and scale containerized applications on AWS. With ECS, you can launch and manage Docker containers on a cluster of EC2 instances, and take advantage of AWS services like Elastic Load Balancing, Auto Scaling, and CloudWatch to optimize your application's performance and availability.

What is the ECS RefArch Terraform project?

The ECS RefArch Terraform project is a reference architecture for deploying a highly available ECS cluster on AWS using Terraform. It includes a set of Terraform modules and templates that you can use to define and provision your infrastructure as code.

The project is designed to be modular and customizable, so you can easily adapt it to your specific use case. For example, you can configure the number of EC2 instances in your cluster, the instance type and size, the container image and port, and more.

The project also includes a number of features that make it easy to manage your ECS cluster, such as automated backups, monitoring, and scaling. You can use these features to ensure that your application is always available and performing well, even as your workload and traffic patterns change over time.

How to use the ECS RefArch Terraform project

To use the ECS RefArch Terraform project, you'll need to have some familiarity with Terraform and AWS. You'll also need to have an AWS account and access to the AWS CLI.

Once you have everything set up, you can follow these steps to deploy your ECS cluster:

Clone the ECS RefArch Terraform project from GitHub.

Configure your AWS credentials by creating a new IAM user and assigning it the necessary permissions.

Update the variables.tf file to define the parameters for your ECS cluster, such as the instance type and size, the container image, and the number of EC2 instances.

Run the terraform init command to initialize the Terraform modules.

Run the terraform plan command to review the proposed changes to your infrastructure.

Run the terraform apply command to provision your infrastructure and deploy your ECS cluster.

Verify that your ECS cluster is up and running by accessing the ECS console or running the AWS CLI commands.

---
Conclusion 

In conclusion, the ECS RefArch Terraform project on GitHub represents a successful migration of an AWS sample project from CloudFormation to Terraform. The project provides a complete and functional example of how to deploy an ECS cluster on AWS using Terraform, along with a set of modules and templates that define the infrastructure as code.

The project highlights the advantages of using Terraform over CloudFormation, such as its modularity and declarative nature, which allows for easier management and maintenance of the infrastructure. The project also provides a number of features that make it easy to manage and monitor the ECS cluster, including automated backups, monitoring, scaling, and security and compliance best practices.

Overall, the ECS RefArch Terraform project serves as a valuable resource for anyone looking to deploy containerized applications on AWS using Terraform. It demonstrates the power and flexibility of Terraform, as well as the hard work and dedication required to make a successful migration.