Implementation of an E-Commerce System on AWS in an automated way using Terraform and Ansible

In another project based on a real-world scenario, I worked as Cloud Engineer using DevOps, where I created and implemented an e-Commerce MVP (Minimum Viable Product) on AWS in less than 2 hours and in an automated way using Terraform and Ansible (Infrastructure as Code — IaC).

I provisioned the infrastructure in an automated way using Terraform and Ansible to automate the configuration management process, software installation and package management of the EC2 instance. I also used Magento, PHP, MySQL, and Redis to complete this project.

In this project, I used several software and technologies previously discussed in earlier posts, such as Terraform and Ansible, along with some new components like PHP, MySQL, and Redis.

Terraform is a highly regarded Infrastructure as Code (IAC) tool that focuses on provisioning and managing cloud resources and infrastructure. It allows users to define the desired state of their infrastructure using declarative configuration files. Terraform’s strength lies in its ability to create, modify, and destroy infrastructure resources across various cloud providers in a consistent and reproducible manner. This ensures that the environment is always aligned with the desired configuration.

Ansible, on the other hand, excels at automating configuration management, application deployment, and task orchestration. Using Ansible’s playbooks, which are written in YAML, you can describe how a system should be configured, the software to be installed, and the tasks to be executed. Ansible’s agentless architecture leverages SSH for communication with remote servers, simplifying the setup and maintenance of managed systems.

The combined utilization of Terraform and Ansible presents a powerful approach to orchestrating and automating system deployment and management. These two technologies, each with its distinct strengths, complement each other seamlessly to enhance the efficiency, reliability, and scalability of the deployment process.

I believe that you, the reader of this post, are likely familiar with these last mentioned items, but in case you aren’t, here’s a brief description:

• Magento — a powerful and widely used open-source e-commerce platform that empowers businesses to create and manage online stores with a wide range of features and customization options. Known for its flexibility and scalability, Magento offers a rich set of tools for creating personalized shopping experiences, managing product catalogs, handling orders, and optimizing online sales. Its modular architecture allows businesses to tailor their e-commerce solution to their unique needs, making it a popular choice for both small businesses and enterprise-level organizations.
• PHP — versatile and widely adopted scripting language designed for web development. It is especially suited for creating dynamic and interactive web applications. PHP is embedded within HTML code and executed on the server-side, allowing developers to build web pages that can interact with databases, handle forms, and perform various tasks. With a vast community of developers and a wide range of frameworks available, PHP is a foundation for countless websites, applications, and web services.
• MySQL — MySQL is an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) known for its speed, reliability, and scalability. It is used to store, manage, and retrieve data efficiently in a structured format. MySQL is commonly used in web applications to handle tasks such as storing user data, managing content, and powering dynamic web pages. It supports various programming languages and is a popular choice for both small-scale applications and large-scale enterprise systems.
• Redis — Redis, short for Remote Dictionary Server, is an in-memory data structure store. It is designed for high-speed data storage and retrieval, making it an ideal solution for caching, real-time analytics, and other scenarios where fast access to data is crucial. Redis supports a variety of data types, including strings, hashes, lists, and sets, and provides advanced features such as pub/sub messaging and geospatial indexing. Its performance and versatility have led to its adoption in a wide range of applications, including web applications, IoT devices, and real-time data streaming platforms.

Terraform and Ansible

The advantages of utilizing Terraform and Ansible in tandem are noteworthy. The separation of concerns between infrastructure provisioning (Terraform) and configuration management (Ansible) allows for modular and reusable code. This approach promotes consistency, reduces the risk of configuration drift, and simplifies troubleshooting. Additionally, the combination of these tools offers enhanced scalability, as you can easily replicate environments by reusing Terraform templates and Ansible playbooks.

In conclusion, the collaborative utilization of Terraform and Ansible brings a powerful synergy to system deployment. By leveraging Terraform’s infrastructure provisioning capabilities alongside Ansible’s configuration automation, organizations can streamline and accelerate their deployment processes while maintaining a high degree of control, consistency, and scalability.