Overview

In this 2 part series blog post, you will go through a guide to understanding the concepts of Containers, AWS container services, Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS), Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS), Docker, How to setup ECS, Building, and Packaging Containerized Applications, AWS IAM, VPC, and Deploying ECS containers. Not to worry, if these terms are new to you — you'll get introduced to them in this article!

The following topics will be covered in this first part of the tutorial

Prerequisites

To follow this tutorial, you should have knowledge in:

Introduction to Containers

A Container is a portable and lightweight computing environment. It houses all the system resources that an application, for example, Microservices needs to run. Some examples of these resources include memory, storage, networking resources, dependencies, binary code, configuration files, and CPU. Containers allow you to package your application together with system resources, providing isolated environments for running your Applications.

Modern software engineering practices encourage containerizing application deployment for consistent delivery and management of applications for users. find below some of the benefits of containerization in application deployment.


Containers help the DevOps process by accelerating deployment, streamlining workflows, and minimizing infrastructure conflicts; it also enables developers to use the available resources better. Modern tools like Kubernetes and the Docker engine has made the process of containerizing application something that developers can leverage to build scalable applications

Introduction to AWS Containers


Considering that Cloud Computing is the productive way of deploying and delivering application services to users, the introduction of the AWS container services is at the forefront of this campaign. It opens the gateway to a world of boundless possibilities. Developers and IT enthusiasts immerse themselves in containerization due to the abovementioned benefits. With its effortless management of containerized applications, Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS) beckons users to a seamless experience, regardless of scale, where intricate complexities fade into the background, allowing creative minds to focus solely on innovation.

Amazon container services enable developers to orchestrate containers with the unparalleled powers of Kubernetes, granting DevOps Engineers the ability to control containerized deployments with finesse and precision. It enables DevOps Engineers to explore the capabilities of the Cloud concept of application development, unleashing container-based architecture's full potential.

Amazon Cloud Services has a diverse and supportive community of contributors and a well-documented resource; this creates a sense of belonging and provides a passionate community about the containerized community. Though the challenges of configuring IAM roles, building container images, and navigating the intricacies of ECS or EKS may present occasional obstacles, As the curtain rises on the Introduction to AWS container services, individuals step into a realm where dreams of scalability, flexibility, and seamless deployments are within reach, evoking a sense of wonder at the infinite possibilities awaiting them in the cloud's embrace.

Understanding Containers on AWS

Introduction to Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS)

Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS) is a fully managed container orchestration service that enables developers to quickly deploy, manage, and scale containerized applications. It also has AWS configuration and operational best practices built in. ECS is integrated with AWS and third-party tools, such as Amazon Elastic Container Registry and Docker. This integration makes it easier for teams to focus on building the applications, not the environment.

There are three layers in Amazon ECS:

The following diagram shows the Amazon ECS layers


Amazon ECS capacity Layer

This is the infrastructure layer where your containers run, and it is made up of the following components.

Amazon ECS controller layer

Amazon ECS provisioning layer

There are multiple options for provisioning Amazon ECS:

key features of Amazon ECS

Differences between Fargate and EC2 launch types

Amazon Fargate and EC2 launch types are two options available within Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS) for running containers. Here are four key differences between them:

When choosing between Amazon Fargate and EC2 launch types, consider factors such as the level of control required, workload characteristics, and cost considerations. Fargate is well-suited for developers who want to abstract away infrastructure management and focus on application development, while the EC2 launch type provides more flexibility and control for users who require custom configurations and fine-tuning of the container environment.

Introduction to Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS)

The Introduction to Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) unveils a realm of boundless possibilities for container orchestration. Amazon EKS is a managed Kubernetes service to run Kubernetes in the AWS cloud and on-premises data centers.

In the cloud, Amazon EKS automatically manages the availability and scalability of the Kubernetes control plane nodes responsible for scheduling containers, managing application availability, storing cluster data, and other key tasks. With Amazon EKS, you can take advantage of all the performance, scale, reliability, and availability of AWS infrastructure and integrations with AWS networking and security services.

As the managed Kubernetes service provided by AWS, EKS empowers developers to effortlessly deploy, manage effortlessly, and scale containerized applications using the powerful Kubernetes platform. With EKS, the complexities of setting up and maintaining a Kubernetes cluster fade into obscurity as AWS shoulders the burden of infrastructure management and ensures high availability and resilience.

The journey into Amazon EKS embarks on a voyage of innovation, collaboration, and enhanced agility, inviting newcomers and seasoned Kubernetes enthusiasts to navigate the waters of container orchestration with confidence and unbridled excitement.

Key features of the Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service

The Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) offers an array of features that spark feelings of excitement and confidence in the hearts of developers and IT teams alike:

Comparison of ECS and EKS for container orchestration

When comparing Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS) and Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) for container orchestration, it elicits a range of emotions that stem from the unique strengths and characteristics of each service:

Let's end the first part of the 2 part series article here and continue in article two. You will learn about the following topics in Article 2.

Feel free to visit the official Amazon Container Documentation Website and explore further resources from Amazon.

Also published here.

Lead image source

Click here to read part 2 of this article.