CloudFormation Samples

This repository contains templates of CloudFormation. These can be used freely, as stand-alone parts or added to a larger cloud project. Or simply used as objects to study and explore. Additions that fit this repository are always welcomed.

Rules of the Repository

Each individual stack must obey these rules:

1. its pathname should make sense, and (preferably) not change through time
2. completes succesfully as a stand-alone component -- i.e. modular without dependencies
3. completes succesfully by using the Deploy a Stack howto
4. when parameters are used, default inputs must be included
5. comply with the repository LICENSE
6. nested stacks are favored -- except for templates in /Account/Init

Contents

This repository contains two classes of stacks;

1. Account Stacks

Acccount Stacks are put in the /Account folder, and are meant to initialize an account with components that are unique within the account, and can or should only be deployed once per account. Examples are stacks that secure the account environment, or build support parts to be used in other stacks.

Stacks which are meant to initialize an account with essential support parts for CloudFormation to use (e.g. an S3 Bucket, an IAM Role) are put in the /Account/Init folder and must consist of a single-template (exception to Repository Rule #7). Init templates are meant for empty accounts.

2. Everything Else

All other stacks, wether it's a product, service or a component are grouped in categories based on functionality. Current examples are Network, Security and ApiGateway. And for items that are to unique there is a Misc category. We expect the path to the root-stack to be /${Category}/${Name}/template.yaml

Deploy a Stack

Method I: AWS CLI

Default

# Package
aws cloudformation package \
    --profile $(AWS_PROFILE) \
    --template-file $(TEMPLATE) \
    --s3-bucket $(S3_BUCKET) \
    --s3-prefix $(S3_PREFIX) \
    --output-template-file ./build/template-generated.yaml

# Deploy
aws cloudformation deploy \
    --profile $(AWS_PROFILE) \
    --template-file ./build/template-generated.yaml \
    --role-arn $(IAM_ROLE) \
    --stack-name $(STACKNAME) \
    --capabilities CAPABILITY_IAM CAPABILITY_NAMED_IAM CAPABILITY_AUTO_EXPAND

Init stacks only

aws cloudformation deploy \
    --profile $(AWS_PROFILE) \
    --template-file $(TEMPLATE) \
    --stack-name $(ACCOUNT_INIT_STACKNAME) \
    --no-fail-on-empty-changeset \
    --capabilities CAPABILITY_IAM

Method II: Makefile

For convenience, this repository includes a Makefile that collects the required input arguments, and executes the AWS cli one-liners as stated.

Makefile Instructions

make help

Usage: make [TARGET] [EXTRA_ARGUMENTS]
Targets:
  stack         Build a CloudFormation stack
  delete        Delete a CloudFormation stack
  status        Get a status on a CloudFormation stack
  account       Create Inital AWS account configuration

Extra arguments:
stackname=${STACKNAME}, allowed-chars=[a-zA-Z0-9-]
template=${FILENAME}, CloudFormation template file, defaults to template.yaml
profile=${AWS_PROFILE}, if unset the default is used

Makefile Examples

Deploy a stack from this repository;

make stack stackname=MyApi template=ApiGateway/PostIt/template.yaml

Delete a stack in your AWS account -- be careful!

make delete stackname=MyApi

Initialize an account with this stack, this will get you an S3 Bucket and IAM Role to use;

make account template=Account/Init/account-basic-serverless.yaml

In any case, a different profile (i.e. not "default") can be passed to the AWS CLI, as long as it is available in your system (~/.aws) configuration;

make account profile=Developer template=Account/Init/account-basic-serverless.yaml

make stack profile=Developer stackname=MyApi template=ApiGateway/PostIt/template.yaml