Deploying a Node.js Web Application on AWS

Deploying a Node.js Web Application on AWS

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Question

You have a web application that's developed in Node.js.

The code is hosted in the Git repository.

You want to deploy this application to AWS.

Which of the below 2 options can fulfill this requirement?

Answers

Explanations

Click on the arrows to vote for the correct answer

A. B. C. D.

Answer - C and D.

Option A is invalid because there is no "aws git.push" command.

Option B is invalid because there is no AWS::EC2::Container resource type.

Elastic Beanstalk supports the deployment of web applications from Docker containers.

With Docker containers, you can define your own runtime environment.

You can choose your own platform, programming language, and any application dependencies (such as package managers or tools), that aren't supported by other platforms.

Docker containers are self-contained and include all the configuration information and software your web application requires to run.

For more information on Docker and Elastic beanstalk, please refer to the below link:

http://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticbeanstalk/latest/dg/create_deploy_docker.html

When you launch an instance in Amazon EC2, you have the option of passing user data to the instance that can be used to perform common automated configuration tasks and even run scripts after the instance starts.

You can pass two types of user data to Amazon EC2: shell scripts and cloud-init directives.

You can also pass this data into the launch wizard as plain text, as a file (this is useful for launching instances using the command line tools), or as base64-encoded text (for API calls).

For more information on Ec2 User data, please refer to the below link:

http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/user-data.html

Note:

"git aws.push" with EB CLI 2.x - see a forum thread at https://forums.aws.amazon.com/thread.jspa?messageID=583202#jive-message-582979

Basically, this is a predecessor to the newer "eb deploy" command in EB CLI 3+

This question was kept in order to be consistent with the exam.

The correct option to deploy a web application developed in Node.js to AWS is C. Here is a detailed explanation of why C is the right option:

Option A: This option suggests creating an Elastic Beanstalk application and installing Node.js using a Docker file. Then, getting the code from Git and deploying it using the "aws git.push" command. However, this is not the best approach because Elastic Beanstalk has built-in support for Node.js, which means that you don't need to use a Docker file to install Node.js. Also, "aws git.push" is not a valid command. You can use the "eb deploy" command to deploy the code to Elastic Beanstalk.

Option B: This option suggests creating an AWS CloudFormation template that creates an instance with the AWS::EC2::Container resources type. Then, using UserData, install Git to download the Node.js application and set it up. However, this approach has a few drawbacks. First, it requires a lot of manual configuration, which makes it error-prone. Second, it doesn't take advantage of AWS services such as Elastic Beanstalk, which can simplify the deployment process.

Option C: This option suggests creating a Dockerfile to install Node.js and getting the code from Git. Then, creating a Docker image with the Dockerfile and pushing the image to ECR. Finally, performing the deployment on a new AWS Elastic Beanstalk application. This is the best option because it leverages the benefits of Docker, which provides a standardized and portable way of packaging the application. Also, ECR is a secure and scalable Docker container registry provided by AWS. Additionally, Elastic Beanstalk provides an easy way to deploy and manage the application, and it has built-in support for Docker containers.

Option D: This option suggests creating an AWS CloudFormation template that creates an Auto Scaling group. Then, using UserData, getting the Node.js application and starting the application. This approach is not the best because it doesn't take advantage of AWS services such as Elastic Beanstalk, which can simplify the deployment process. Additionally, Auto Scaling groups are typically used for scaling applications based on traffic, which is not relevant for deploying the application initially.

In summary, the best option to deploy a web application developed in Node.js to AWS is C. This approach leverages the benefits of Docker, ECR, and Elastic Beanstalk, which simplify the deployment process and provide a scalable and secure environment for running the application.