How To Implement a Robust AWS DevOps Pipeline?

How To Implement a Robust AWS DevOps Pipeline?

Among the various DevOps activities, implementing CI/CD pipeline has high significance. So, in this post, we will discuss how to implement a robust AWS DevOps pipeline.

Some Interesting Facts: According to Strait Research, the global continuous integration tools market size was valued at USD 970.52 million in 2022. It is projected to reach USD 4,377.77 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 18.22% during the forecast period (2023-2031).

Imagine a world where every code change made by the development team is automatically tested, packaged, and deployed to users of your application. Yes, we’re talking about DevOps and its continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD) processes.

According to Wikipedia, a pipeline (software) consists of a chain of processing elements, such as processes, threads, coroutines functions, etc., arranged so that the output of each element is the input of the next. The concept is about an assembly line, but it is analogous to a physical pipeline; therefore, it’s termed a software pipeline.

So, grab a cup of coffee and let’s begin with the primary knowledge about the DevOps pipeline.

What Is AWS DevOps Pipeline?

AWS DevOps pipeline is a set of practices, tools, and automated processes used by the software development and operation teams to build and deploy code. It is an amalgamation of two phases: Dev or development and Ops or operations.

Dev Phase

The development phase contains:

  • Writing project code
  • Testing
  • Bug fixing
  • Creating new features
  • Conducting regular updates
  • Patching the code

    • Therefore, the development phase has four main steps:

    1. 1. Plan
    2. 2. Code
    3. 3. Build
    4. 4. Test

    In this phase, developers use various tools and cloud services to simplify the intricacies of the development processes. Let’s learn them with some brief details.

    #1 – Plan:

    The planning stage consists of planning of project, technology, structure, environment, and architecture. Planning creates a roadmap to achieve success for your project goals. During the planning, you’ll decide which software, technologies, and tools you will use during the entire DevOps process.

    #2 – Code:

    The code stage begins with writing code effectively to build a testable software product. It consumes plenty of time and effort from programmers. It provides an opportunity to maximize automation tools.

    #3 – Build:

    This stage consumes (takes) code and builds it for testing purposes. Therefore, the code is built in a development environment that supports testing and bug fixing.

    #4 – Test:

    It is automated testing. It ensures that the project is functioning in the expected manner and capable of finding any bug or issue in its behavior. Its duration relies on team workflow, UI/UX, or performance testing.

    Ops Phase

    The operation phase has four main steps:

    #1 – Release:

    In this stage, the ops team ensures that the project is ready for release (publish) and builds (keep prepared for deployment) it into the production environment. However, this stage comes after multiple checks for bugs and vulnerabilities before final deployment.

    #2 – Deploy:

    In this stage, we move the project ahead to the production environment (live servers) with end-user access. In this stage, we deploy approved changes to the end users.

    #3 – Operate:

    The operation team will configure and manage the project in the production environment during this stage. The team will rely heavily on automation tools to help maintain the DevOps project.

    #4 – Monitor:

    The final use of the project begins with this stage. It records results so the team can gain more insights into the software behavior, user responses, and the general success of the project.

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    Components of the DevOps Pipeline

    A typical DevOps pipeline consists of seven components:

    1. 1. Continuous Integration
    2. 2. Continuous Delivery
    3. 3. Continuous Testing
    4. 4. Continuous Deployment
    5. 5. Continuous Monitoring
    6. 6. Continuous Feedback
    7. 7. Continuous Operations

    Let’s get to know them closely.

    #1 – Continuous Integration:

    This means that the system frequently integrates new code changes into the central repository. The process merges different code changes and spots the bug/s.

    #2 – Continuous Delivery:

    This means incremental deliveries of software updates to production. It automates the whole software release operation and increases how frequently DevOps can release new features.

    #3 – Continuous Testing:

    It means automated tests on any code change integration accumulated during the CI phase. It boosts the app quality and evaluates risks associated with release before sending it to delivery.

    #4 – Continuous Deployment:

    It follows continuous delivery. Any updates that successfully make it through the automated testing phase get automatically released and deployed into production. Thus, continuous deployment permits multiple production deployments in a day.

    #5 – Continuous Monitoring:

    It validates the stability in the environment and verifies that the app is doing what it is designed to do. The operation team keeps an eye on the performance through close monitoring of the app.

    #6 – Continuous Feedback:

    The DevOps team needs constant feedback to ensure the app performs the intended functions by developers, stakeholders, and customers. So, continuous feedback keeps everyone on the same page.

    #7 – Continuous Operations:

    It maintains operations round-the-clock and throughout the year with no planned downtime. So end-users will not suffer interruptions due to any hardware or software changes. It prevents costly production losses in the long run.

    How Do You Set Up a CI/CD Pipeline on AWS?

    If you wish to create CI/CD pipeline in AWS platform, you will need AWS pipeline tools. AWS is a rich ecosystem and a plethora of cloud computing services to support your DevOps. AWS experts at iCommuneTech recommend the use of the following AWS DevOps tools and services to implement the AWS DevOps pipeline:

    Tools for CI/CD Implementation in AWS Platform:

    #1 – AWS CodeCommit:

    It’s a fully managed source code repository where you can store all code changes. So, it acts as a starting point in CI/CD implementation. You can easily integrate GitHub with AWS CodeCommit.

    #2 – AWS CodePipeline:

    It’s a prime tool/service for implementing CI/CD. It manages the entire CI/CD pipeline process from beginning to end, including build, test, and deploy stages. It triggers the actions automatically whenever the code change takes place.

    #3 – AWS CodeBuild:

    It creates magic for code compilation and testing; it builds (converts) your code into an executable format. It runs the test automatically. So, it meticulously checks your code before it goes live.

    #4 – AWS CodeDeploy:

    It is responsible for deploying your application for various environments, such as testing, staging, and production. AWS CodeDeploy facilitates you in implementing a flexible deployment strategy like Blue-Green deployment. It ensures smooth UX and minimal downtime.

    Step-by-Step Guideline for Implementing CI/CD Pipeline

    Step #1 – Set Up a Repository Using CodeCommit

    You can use CodeCommit to set up a repository or integrate your GitHub with CodeCommit by following the steps below:

    1. 1. Navigate to Console in CodeCommit.
    2. 2. Click on the ‘Create repository’ button
    3. 3. Enter a name and description.
    4. 4. Clone the repository by following the given instructions there.
    5. 5. Push your code

    Step #2 – Build the Project Using CodeBuild

    CodeBuild is helpful for compiling code and running tests.

    1. 1. Go to Console in AWS CodeBuild.
    2. 2. Click on the ‘create build project’ button there
    3. 3. Enter a name and description
    4. 4. Select your source provider—E.g. CodeCommit and repository
    5. 5. Configure build environment for different metrics, such as OS, runtime, compute resources, etc
    6. 6. Specify the build spec file location
    7. 7. Alternatively, you can use build commands directly.
    8. 8. If needed, configure artifact settings.

    Step #3 – Set Up an Application with Deployment Group Using CodeDeploy

    To ensure that your application is deployed correctly, you’ll need to set up an application and deployment group using CodeDeploy by following these steps:

    1. 1. Navigate to the console in the CodeDeploy interface.
    2. 2. Click on the ‘Create application’ button in the console.
    3. 3. Select your computing platform from the options
    4. 4. Specify a target environment, such as EC2 instances, ECS clusters, etc., to create the deployment group
    5. 5. Configure deployment settings for various parameters, including deployment type, rollback options, etc.

    Step #4 – Create a DevOps Pipeline Using CodePipeline

    Create your DevOps pipeline using CodePipeline, which will automate the entire build, test, and deployment process:

    1. 1. Go to the console in CodePipeline UI.
    2. 2. Click on the ‘create pipeline’ button in the console
    3. 3. Enter the name and description.
    4. 4. Select the source provider and repository.
    5. 5. Add the build stage by selecting the CodeBuild project.
    6. 6. Add the deploy stage by choosing the CodeDeploy application & deployment group.
    7. 7. Review all entered information and click on the ‘create pipeline’ button.

    Implementing Advanced AWS Build Pipeline

    You can implement advanced CI/CD techniques in AWS after creating a primary pipeline. Those techniques include:

    -> The canary deployment will roll out changes gradually to a small subset of users prior to full deployment.

    -> Perform A/B testing using AWS Lambda and API gateway to route traffic between blue-green versions of the app.

    -> Artifact management integrating AWS CodeArtifact. So you can manage and share software packages securely.

    -> Cross-region deployment. Set up multi-region pipelines to enhance disaster recovery and availability across the globe.

    -> Go for containerization by incorporating ECR (Amazon Elastic Container Registry) and ECS (Amazon Elastic Container Service) or EKS (Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service) to allow container-based deployment.

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    Wrapping It Up:

    We have learned how to create a CI/CD pipeline in AWS. We know implementing CI/CD for AWS DevOps pipeline demands various AWS DevOps skills. Therefore, we need a competent team of developers and operation experts for exemplary CI/CD implementations in AWS DevOps.

    In due course, we recommend the AWS DevOps services by the professional team at iCommuneTech for fast and cost-effective CI/CD implementation. Our team has expertise in various AWS services, including AWS CodeCommit, AWS CodeBuild, AWS CodeDeploy, etc. We embrace AWS DevOps principles very well and implements the best DevOps practices on the AWS platform.

    Hope you liked this guide! Make sure to check out our other blogs which might be just what you need. I would like to suggest checking out Version control in DevOps. And, if you’re looking for cutting-edge DevOps technologies and services, pick up your phone and give a call to our team to learn more.