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In today’s rapidly evolving digital environment, the effective management and accessibility of data present significant challenges for organizations. For teams working globally on collaborative projects, having a shared file storage system that supports various protocols, offers robust data management capabilities, and ensures data integrity is essential. When deploying infrastructure repeatedly or across different environments, ensuring consistency is crucial to minimize configuration errors.
Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP serves as an ideal fully managed solution for multi-protocol access, allowing businesses to concentrate on their core functions rather than the complexities of infrastructure management. Utilizing Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) tools is a reliable approach to deploying infrastructure consistently and error-free. This blog focuses on deploying FSx for ONTAP using AWS CloudFormation.
AWS CloudFormation allows for the rapid and consistent provisioning of related AWS and third-party resources while managing them throughout their lifecycle by treating infrastructure as code. The code included in this blog can be integrated into an existing template to create, update, and delete an entire stack as a cohesive unit. With Drift Detection, users can monitor changes to resources outside of CloudFormation, ensuring that they maintain an accurate view of their infrastructure.
Understanding Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) Tools
IaC refers to the management and provisioning of data centers through machine-readable definition files rather than relying on physical hardware configurations or interactive tools. This approach enables organizations to keep their infrastructure’s configuration or state in a known manner.
For scenarios where all resources are being deployed within AWS, AWS CloudFormation is recommended. If your needs extend to orchestrating multi-cloud environments or if you prefer HashiCorp Terraform for other reasons, consider checking out the blog on deploying Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP using HashiCorp Terraform. For existing file systems requiring configuration management, Ansible is a suitable option, and you can learn more about it in the guide on managing Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP with Ansible. Should you require greater flexibility for operations not supported by AWS CloudFormation, refer to the blog detailing the deployment of Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP with CloudFormation.
There are numerous tools available in the IaC, configuration management, and automation space. AWS CloudFormation and HashiCorp Terraform are classified as provisioning tools, while Ansible functions as a configuration management tool. The choice of tool depends on the specific challenges you face and your approach to automation. For Day-0 activities like provisioning, AWS CloudFormation or HashiCorp Terraform are advisable. If your operations are entirely within AWS, we suggest using AWS CloudFormation due to its seamless integration with other AWS services. Conversely, if you need to develop and manage hybrid or multi-cloud setups, HashiCorp Terraform is the better choice.
For Day-1 activities, such as configuring storage, Ansible is recommended, as it offers certified modules for managing NetApp. A comprehensive list of those modules can be found in the documentation for FSx for NetApp ONTAP. If Ansible does not provide the flexibility you need, consider using the REST API. In some instances, combining these tools may be necessary. Recommended combinations for managing FSx for ONTAP involve provisioning and configuration management (AWS CloudFormation/Terraform + Ansible) or provisioning and orchestration (AWS CloudFormation/Terraform + REST API). For further insights into these tools, refer to the “Additional reading” section.
Overview of Components
Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP is a fully managed service that offers highly reliable, scalable, high-performing, and feature-rich file storage based on NetApp’s ONTAP file system. FSx for ONTAP provides a cohesive solution for multi-protocol access, allowing organizations to focus on their core business activities instead of managing complex infrastructure. FSx for ONTAP file systems resemble on-premises NetApp clusters. Key components of FSx for ONTAP include:
- File System: The primary Amazon FSx resource, analogous to an on-premises ONTAP cluster.
- Storage Virtual Machine (SVM): An isolated file server with its own administrative credentials and endpoints for managing and accessing data.
- Volumes: Logical containers from which ONTAP serves data to clients and hosts.
AWS CloudFormation, as a native IaC service, allows users to model, provision, and manage AWS and third-party resources using JSON or YAML templates. Its many advantages include being a fully managed AWS service with built-in state management features. Due to its native nature, CloudFormation supports new services more rapidly. It’s user-friendly, supports custom resources, and includes advanced capabilities like drift detection and rollback.
It is essential to note that CloudFormation is exclusive to AWS, limiting provisioning to AWS services only. CloudFormation templates have a size limit of 51 MB or 500 resources per template, which can be addressed using nested stacks.
| Feature | AWS CloudFormation |
|---|---|
| Support | Native managed service |
| Scope | AWS Services* |
| Type of Tool | Orchestration tool |
| State Management | Yes (manages state in stacks) |
| State File Format | JSON or YAML |
| License and Support | Free, covered under AWS support |
| Change Verification | Yes, using Change Sets |
| API Model | Native FSx API |
| Language | Declarative language |
| Infrastructure | Immutable* |
| Rollback | Yes |
| External Wait Conditions | Yes |
Deploying FSx for ONTAP File System Using AWS CloudFormation
With AWS CloudFormation, you can provision and manage AWS and third-party resources by treating infrastructure as code. It provides a streamlined way for developers and organizations to create a collection of related resources, allowing for orderly and predictable provisioning and management. By utilizing a CloudFormation template, you can quickly pre-configure and deploy FSx for ONTAP resources, such as file systems, storage virtual machines, and volumes, in a repeatable manner across multiple regions and accounts. This enables customers to architect their deployments flexibly while retaining control over the provisioning and expansion of the FSx for ONTAP architecture, maintaining the same configurations across diverse environments.
Prerequisites
To get started, you will require an AWS account and the necessary credentials that permit you to create resources. For further reading on severance packages, check out this informative blog. Additionally, for authoritative insights on AI and HI specialty credentials, visit this resource. If you’re interested in learning and development opportunities, this link provides an excellent resource.