Tutorial / Cram Notes
Amazon ECS is a fully-managed container orchestration service that facilitates the deployment, management, and scaling of containerized applications. ECS supports Docker containers and allows you to run applications on a managed cluster of EC2 instances. ECS eliminates the need to install, operate, and scale your own cluster management infrastructure.
For instance, to deploy a task definition with ECS, you might use the following AWS CLI command:
aws ecs run-task –cluster YOUR-CLUSTER-NAME –task-definition YOUR-TASK-DEFINITION
Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (Amazon EKS)
For those who are looking for Kubernetes-based orchestration, Amazon EKS is the service of choice. EKS manages the Kubernetes control plane for you, handling tasks like upgrades and patching. EKS is certified Kubernetes conformant, so existing applications running on Kubernetes can be migrated to EKS with no code changes.
A simple kubectl command to deploy a Kubernetes application on EKS would look like this:
kubectl apply -f your-application.yaml
AWS Fargate
AWS Fargate is a compute engine for both Amazon ECS and EKS that allows you to run containers without managing servers or clusters. With Fargate, you simply package your application as containers, specify the CPU and memory requirements, define networking and IAM policies, and launch the application.
You would specify the launch type as FARGATE when running a task or service in ECS like so:
aws ecs run-task –cluster YOUR-CLUSTER-NAME –task-definition YOUR-TASK-DEFINITION –launch-type FARGATE
Amazon Elastic Container Registry (Amazon ECR)
ECR is a fully-managed Docker container registry that makes it easy for developers to store, manage, and deploy Docker container images. ECR is integrated with ECS and EKS, simplifying your development to production workflow. ECR eliminates the need to operate your own container repositories or worry about scaling the underlying infrastructure.
Registering an image in ECR can be performed through the AWS CLI:
$(aws ecr get-login –no-include-email –region YOUR-AWS-REGION)
docker build -t your-image .
docker tag your-image:latest YOUR-ECR-REPOSITORY-URI/your-image:latest
docker push YOUR-ECR-REPOSITORY-URI/your-image:latest
Comparison
Here’s a high-level comparison of AWS container services:
| Feature | Amazon ECS | Amazon EKS | AWS Fargate | Amazon ECR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orchestration | Custom (AWS) | Kubernetes | ECS/EKS | N/A |
| Compatibility | Docker | Kubernetes | Docker, Kubernetes | Docker |
| Management | AWS Managed | AWS Managed (control plane) | AWS Managed | AWS Managed |
| Scaling | Auto Scaling | Auto Scaling | On-demand, pay as you go | N/A |
| Server/Cluster Management | Managed/Unmanaged | Managed (control plane) | No server management | N/A |
| Registry | N/A | N/A | N/A | Managed Docker registry |
Considerations for the Exam
As a candidate preparing for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional exam, it is important to understand the following:
- When to use ECS vs. EKS: ECS is a good fit for teams already accustomed to AWS and who prefer simplicity and tight integration with other AWS services. On the other hand, EKS might be the go-to choice when using Kubernetes is a requirement, for example in hybrid or multi-cloud setups, or when Kubernetes native features are a must.
- How AWS Fargate can reduce the overhead of cluster management and the situations in which it is best to use Fargate versus when you might want to manage EC2 instances within your cluster for finer control.
- The security mechanisms and the ease of integration provided by ECR, including how to use IAM policies and roles to manage access to images, and the encryption options available for storing images.
- The pricing model of each service, as cost-efficiency is often an important aspect of solution architecture on AWS.
As you prepare for your exam, consider exploring each service through the AWS Management Console, AWS CLI, and by deploying example applications. By gaining hands-on experience and understanding the nuances of each service, you’ll be able to make informed decisions and recommendations that align with the AWS best practices for architecture design.
Practice Test with Explanation
True or False: Amazon ECS can only be used with EC2 launch type and not with Fargate.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: B
Explanation: Amazon ECS can be used with both the EC2 launch type and the Fargate launch type. With Fargate, you don’t need to manage the underlying EC2 instances.
Which AWS service is a fully managed container orchestration service?
- (A) AWS Lambda
- (B) Amazon ECS
- (C) Amazon EC2
- (D) AWS Fargate
Answer: B
Explanation: Amazon ECS is a fully managed container orchestration service that helps you easily run, stop, and manage containers on a cluster.
True or False: Amazon ECR can be used to store images not only for Amazon ECS and EKS but also for any Docker-based environment.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: A
Explanation: Amazon ECR is a Docker container registry service that allows you to store, manage, and deploy Docker container images and is not limited to ECS or EKS environments.
Which service is best suited for running Kubernetes on AWS without needing to maintain the Kubernetes control plane?
- (A) Amazon ECS
- (B) Amazon EKS
- (C) AWS Fargate
- (D) AWS CodeDeploy
Answer: B
Explanation: Amazon EKS is a managed service that makes it easy to run Kubernetes on AWS without needing to set up or maintain the Kubernetes control plane.
True or False: AWS Fargate is a compute engine for Amazon EKS that allows you to run containers without having to manage servers or clusters.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: A
Explanation: AWS Fargate is a serverless compute engine for containers that works with both Amazon ECS and EKS, allowing you to run containers without managing servers or clusters.
Which AWS service provides a registry to store, manage, and deploy container images?
- (A) AWS CodeCommit
- (B) Amazon ECR
- (C) Amazon ECS
- (D) AWS CodePipeline
Answer: B
Explanation: Amazon ECR provides a secure, scalable, and reliable registry to store, manage, and deploy Docker and Open Container Initiative (OCI) images.
True or False: AWS Fargate supports only Amazon ECS workloads and not Amazon EKS.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: B
Explanation: AWS Fargate supports both Amazon ECS and Amazon EKS workloads, allowing you to run containers without managing the underlying infrastructure for both orchestrators.
What is the main advantage of Amazon EKS over self-managed Kubernetes on EC2?
- (A) Lower costs
- (B) Full control over the Kubernetes version
- (C) Automated Kubernetes version upgrades and patching
- (D) Ability to use EC2 instance types
Answer: C
Explanation: Amazon EKS automates Kubernetes version upgrades and patching, which is a significant advantage over self-managed Kubernetes, where you would have to handle these operations yourself.
True or False: When using Amazon ECS with EC2 launch type, you are responsible for patching and scaling the EC2 instances.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: A
Explanation: With Amazon ECS using the EC2 launch type, you are responsible for managing the underlying EC2 instances, including patching and scaling them accordingly.
What does Amazon ECS Task Definition include?
- (A) VPC configurations
- (B) IAM roles
- (C) Container definitions
- (D) Security Group rules
Answer: C
Explanation: An Amazon ECS Task Definition is a text file in JSON format that describes one or more containers that form an application. It includes container definitions and can also reference IAM roles and other AWS resources but doesn’t directly specify VPC or Security Group configurations.
True or False: Amazon EKS can only schedule containers on AWS Fargate.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: B
Explanation: Amazon EKS can schedule containers on both AWS Fargate and on EC2 instances, offering flexibility in how you run your containerized applications.
Which of the following statements is true regarding AWS Fargate?
- (A) It allows you to run containers by specifying the CPU and memory at the task level.
- (B) It requires manual management of the underlying EC2 instances.
- (C) It does not integrate with other AWS services.
- (D) It only supports Windows containers.
Answer: A
Explanation: AWS Fargate allows you to run containers by specifying the CPU and memory at the task level without having to manage the EC2 instances. It integrates with other AWS services and supports both Linux and Windows containers.
Interview Questions
What is AWS Fargate, and how does it differ from using Amazon EC2 instances to run containers?
AWS Fargate is a serverless compute engine for containers that works with both Amazon ECS and Amazon EKS. It allows users to run containers without managing servers or clusters. Unlike EC2 instances where you need to manage the underlying infrastructure, Fargate abstracts the infrastructure layer, automatically managing the provisioning and scaling of compute resources for your containers.
Can you explain the integration between Amazon ECS and AWS Fargate? How do you choose which launch type to use for your containerized applications?
Amazon ECS supports two launch types: Fargate and EC With Fargate, AWS manages the underlying infrastructure, and you pay per vCPU and memory that your containerized application uses. With EC2, you manage the underlying cluster of EC2 instances. The choice depends on your preference for control over infrastructure (EC2) or a hands-off approach (Fargate) and whether the workload has specific requirements that don’t fit the Fargate model.
How does Amazon EKS simplify the process of running Kubernetes on AWS?
Amazon EKS manages the Kubernetes control plane for you, which involves tasks like managing the API server and etcd database. This reduces the complexity of setting up a Kubernetes cluster from scratch and provides high availability and scalability for Kubernetes workloads.
What are some common use cases for Amazon Elastic Container Registry (Amazon ECR)?
Amazon ECR is a fully-managed Docker container registry that makes it easy for developers to store, manage, and deploy Docker container images. Common use cases include simplifying the development to production workflow, integrating with continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, and providing a secure location to store and manage images.
Explain how Amazon ECS and Amazon EKS provide high availability for containerized applications.
Amazon ECS allows you to run tasks across multiple Availability Zones, providing high availability. ECS services can also be configured to use Application Load Balancers, which span multiple Availability Zones. For Amazon EKS, the Kubernetes control plane is spread across multiple Availability Zones, and it can schedule pods in a highly available manner across nodes in different zones.
When would you use AWS Fargate over Amazon EC2, and why?
You would use AWS Fargate when you want to focus purely on your application without worrying about managing the underlying infrastructure. Fargate is ideal for applications that have unpredictable workloads or for those that need to be scaled quickly without managing the scaling of the infrastructure.
How does Amazon ECR work with AWS security features like IAM and KMS?
Amazon ECR integrates with AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) to provide resource-based permissions and supports AWS Key Management Service (KMS) for encryption of images. You can create and manage IAM policies to control access to your ECR repositories, and you can use KMS to encrypt images at rest.
Can you describe the process of updating a containerized application on Amazon ECS?
To update an application on Amazon ECS, you generally create a new revision of an ECS task definition with the updated container image. Then, you update the service to use the new task definition. ECS can then handle the deployment according to the specified deployment configuration (rolling update, blue/green deployment, etc.).
In AWS EKS, how are worker nodes managed, and what are some of the options for scaling these nodes?
In Amazon EKS, worker nodes are managed as EC2 instances that join the EKS cluster. You can manually scale EC2 instances, use EC2 Auto Scaling groups, or leverage the Cluster Autoscaler for Kubernetes to scale nodes based on workload demand.
What are the differences between Amazon ECS task definitions and Kubernetes pod definitions?
Amazon ECS task definitions specify how containers should be run within ECS, including container definitions, volume definitions, and networking details. Kubernetes pod definitions, on the other hand, are specified via pod manifests in YAML or JSON, which define the pods’ containers, volumes, and other configurations. ECS task definitions are specific to the ECS service, while Kubernetes pod definitions are part of standard Kubernetes and are portable across any Kubernetes environment.
How do you ensure the security of container images stored in Amazon ECR?
You ensure security by using IAM policies to control access, enabling image scanning to detect vulnerabilities, encrypting images with KMS, and following best practices for tagging and image immutability.
Describe a scenario where you would use a combination of AWS Fargate and Amazon EC2 instances together within the same Amazon ECS cluster.
A scenario could involve a mix of long-running, stable workloads and short-term, variable tasks. You might run the long-running services on EC2 instances for cost optimization and control, while Fargate is used for short-term tasks that need to start quickly and scale without manual intervention. This allows for a balance between control and convenience.
Great blog post on AWS container services! Helped me understand Amazon EKS better.
Can anyone explain the main differences between ECS and EKS?
How does AWS Fargate compare with managing EC2 instances for container deployments?
Thumbs up for a great explanation of Amazon ECR! Managed to set up my private repo smoothly.
How secure are containers in EKS compared to ECS?
This tutorial is a lifesaver, especially the section on Fargate!
Does using Fargate mean I don’t have to worry about scaling?
I think the blog could have discussed more on cost considerations between ECS and EKS.