I recently explored the new user experience of launching just one container in the AWS Cloud. It didnβt go particularly smoothly.
Now, I did achieve the goal of running a single container but it took a lot of missteps and lot of confusing steps to get things up and running.
As a result of that effort, a lot of people suggested I try AWS App Runner. The service has a tag line of, βProduction web applications at scale made easy for developers.β
Thatβs definitely intimidating and doesnβt imply βrun just one container.β But if youβve ever explored the service, itβs definitely a good fit for this task.
In this twitter thread (re-posted here), I once again put on my new user hat π§’ and took a look at this AWS service, documenting my experiences as I went.
Have a look π and let me know what you think on Twitter, where Iβm @marknca.
that's 100% fair as it it the service that probably makes the most sense
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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https://markn.ca/2021/how-to-run-just-one-container-with-aws-app-runner-hopefully/
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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now, to put on my new user π§’ and I'm off on my @awscloud App Runner adventure!
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
https://twitter.com/marknca/status/1433473472269750276
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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its description?
"Build and run containerized applications on a fully managed service"
that is what I want to do...assuming I can run just 1 container
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops

@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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"Build and run production web applications at scale" << no mention of "containers" at all π
...but the containers page said this was the way. I solider on...
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops

@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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it serves it's purpose & actually mentions "containers" which is nice
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops

@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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don't like is the extra π΅ as "automatic deployments" and "build" are different vectors that I need to account for that could be pricey & complicated quickly
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops

@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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I just want to launch a container, not create a whole new service...
"service" sounds heavy, which I'm trying to avoid
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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1. Source & deployment 2. Configure service 3. Review & create
...seems straightforward enough
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops

@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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I only want to run a single container, so I stick with the clear "Container registry" option
I pick "Amazon ECR Public" as the provider
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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https://gallery.ecr.aws/aws-containers/hello-app-runner
I copy the URI from the page to paste into the "Container Image URI" field in App Runner
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops

@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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more at https://danielmiessler.com/study/difference-between-uri-url/
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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thankfully a lot of this page is under toggle switches making these options accessible but not "in my face"
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops

@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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throwing caution to the wind, I scroll down and click the orange "Create & deploy" button
is this what I want? maybe...
should I do it?
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops

@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops

@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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I load it up in my browser and...success!
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops

@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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- Activity - Logs - Configuration - Metrics - Custom domains
...looks like there's lot of flexibility here
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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but FUTURE me might use this π
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops

@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops

@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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nice touch
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops

@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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there's a good amount of flexibility but the default path is very smooth & requires minimal effort
biggest challenge: naming (again)
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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"Services" might tie to micro services but it obscures the core msg that App Runner runs Containers (btw, so does the name)
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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but I have to be quiet here...
if you say 3 better names for an AWS service, @QuinnyPig appears behind you in the mirror
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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...oh, maybe @awscloud Simple Container Service?
(damn it, that's 2x)
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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https://aws.amazon.com/apprunner/pricing/
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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the docs are at https://docs.aws.amazon.com/apprunner/latest/dg/service-source-code.html
...it seems like it'll only do python and node.js runtimes which is ok but not amazing
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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https://docs.aws.amazon.com/apprunner/latest/relnotes/release-2021-05-18-apprunner-release.html
bringing on new runtimes probably isn't easy...but the existing docs need to get better asap or no one will use that feature
βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13
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finding this one and linking it to containers was again, harder than it needed to be especially for new users π
/βοΈπ§΅ #cloud #devops
@marknca tweeted at 07-Sep-2021, 13:13