Terraform AWS ARC ECS Module Usage Guide¶

Introduction¶

Purpose of the Document¶

This document provides guidelines and instructions for users looking to implement the Terraform AWS ARC ECS module for setting up and running a production ready ECS cluster.

Module Overview¶

The Terraform AWS ARC ECS module provides a secure and modular foundation for deploying ECS clusters on AWS.

Prerequisites¶

Before using this module, ensure you have the following:

AWS credentials configured.
Terraform installed.
A working knowledge of AWS VPC, ECS and Terraform concepts.

Getting Started¶

Module Source¶

To use the module in your Terraform configuration, include the following source block:

module "arc-ecs" {
  source  = "sourcefuse/arc-ecs/aws"
  version = "1.5.0"
  # insert the 6 required variables here
}

Refer to the Terraform Registry for the latest version.

Integration with Existing Terraform Configurations¶

Integrate the module with your existing Terraform mono repo configuration, follow the steps below:

Create a new folder in terraform/ named ecs.
Create the required files, see the examples to base off of.
Configure with your backend
- Create the environment backend configuration file: config.<environment>.hcl
  - region: Where the backend resides
  - key: <working_directory>/terraform.tfstate
  - bucket: Bucket name where the terraform state will reside
  - dynamodb_table: Lock table so there are not duplicate tfplans in the mix
  - encrypt: Encrypt all traffic to and from the backend

Required AWS Permissions¶

Ensure that the AWS credentials used to execute Terraform have the necessary permissions to create, list and modify:

ECS cluster
Application load balancer
ACM
SSM Parameters
Cloudwatch Log groups
IAM roles and policies

Module Configuration¶

Input Variables¶

For a list of input variables, see the README Inputs section.

Output Values¶

For a list of outputs, see the README Outputs section.

Module Usage¶

Basic Usage¶

For basic usage, see the example folder.

This example will create:

An ECS Cluster with Fargate launch type.
Application Load Balancer with default port 80 to 443 redirect.
Health Check Service: A vanilla HTTP echo service serving as the default target group for the load balancer to ensure core infrastructure, networking, security groups, etc. are configured correctly.
Task Execution IAM Role: Used by downstream services for task execution.
ACM Certificate: Generates a certificate specific to the ALB.
Tags/SSM Params: The module tags resources and outputs SSM params for ECS services to reference when deploying into the cluster

Tips and Recommendations¶

The module focuses on provisioning an ECS Cluster using Fargate launch type, an ALB with a default port redirect, a health check service, a task execution IAM role, and an ACM certificate for secure communication. The convention-based approach enables downstream services to easily attach to the ECS Fargate cluster. Adjust the configuration parameters as needed for your specific use case.

Troubleshooting¶

Reporting Issues¶

If you encounter a bug or issue, please report it on the GitHub repository.

Security Considerations¶

AWS VPC¶

Understand the security considerations related to ECS clusters on AWS when using this module.

Best Practices for AWS ECS¶

Follow best practices to ensure secure ECS configurations:

ECS security on AWS

Contributing and Community Support¶

Contributing Guidelines¶

Contribute to the module by following the guidelines outlined in the CONTRIBUTING.md file.

Reporting Bugs and Issues¶

If you find a bug or issue, report it on the GitHub repository.

License¶

License Information¶

This module is licensed under the Apache 2.0 license. Refer to the LICENSE file for more details.

Open Source Contribution¶

Contribute to open source by using and enhancing this module. Your contributions are welcome!