AWS, Cloud Computing

4 Mins Read

Deploying a Custom Environment and Application on AWS Elastic Beanstalk

Voiced by Amazon Polly

Overview

AWS Elastic Beanstalk is a fully managed service that enables developers to deploy, manage, and scale applications with minimal configuration. It abstracts the complexity of managing infrastructure, providing a platform that automatically handles the scaling, monitoring, and application updates.

However, while Elastic Beanstalk is typically used to deploy standard environments (such as Node.js, Python, or Ruby applications), there may be times when you need to deploy a custom environment or application. This blog will guide you through deploying a custom environment and application on AWS Elastic Beanstalk.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

  • An AWS account.
  • AWS CLI installed and configured.
  • Code for your application.
  • Basic knowledge of Docker (if deploying a containerized custom environment).

Pioneers in Cloud Consulting & Migration Services

  • Reduced infrastructural costs
  • Accelerated application deployment
Get Started

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Preparing the Application for Deployment

You can deploy applications packaged in various formats, such as ZIP files, WAR files, or Docker containers. The first step is ensuring your application is packaged in a format that Elastic Beanstalk supports.

Using Docker for Custom Environment

If your custom environment isn’t supported natively by AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Docker is a flexible option to package and run the application. Create a Dockerfile in your project root that defines how the environment and application should be set up.

For example, if you want to deploy an application using a custom runtime like OpenJDK, your Dockerfile might look something like this:

This Dockerfile defines a Java 11 environment and tells Docker to copy your application code, build it using Gradle, and then run the application.

Step 2: Configuring AWS Elastic Beanstalk for Custom Environment

Create an Application

  1. Go to the AWS Elastic Beanstalk Console and click “Create Application.”
  2. Give your application a name and choose a platform. If you’re using Docker, select “Docker” from the platform options.
  3. Click “Create,” and Elastic Beanstalk will create the necessary resources, such as an S3 bucket for your application code.

Configure the Environment

Once your application is created, you’ll need to configure the environment for your custom application:

  1. Go to the environment dashboard of your newly created AWS Elastic Beanstalk application.
  2. Click on “Configuration” and configure the necessary resources:
    • Instances: Choose your Amazon EC2 instance type.
    • Load Balancer: If necessary, configure a load balancer.
    • Scaling: Set up auto-scaling policies to handle traffic variations.
    • Database: If your application requires a database, configure an Amazon RDS instance.

Step 3: Deploying the Application

Using ZIP or WAR Files

If you’re deploying a traditional application (e.g., Java, Python), package your application into a ZIP or WAR file.

  1. Select your environment in the AWS Elastic Beanstalk Console and click Upload and Deploy.
  2. Choose your packaged application file (ZIP or WAR).
  3. Click Deploy.

AWS Elastic Beanstalk will upload your file, deploy the application, and manage the environment.

Deploying a Docker Application

For a Docker-based application:

  1. Ensure your Dockerfile is in the root directory of your application.
  2. If your Docker application uses a multi-container environment, create a Dockerrun.aws.json file that defines how your containers are configured.
  3. Use the following command to create a ZIP file containing your Docker configuration and application code:
  1. Go to the AWS Elastic Beanstalk Console and upload the app.zip file via Upload and Deploy.

AWS Elastic Beanstalk will then launch a container using your custom Docker image.

Step 4: Environment Variables and Secrets

If your application requires environment variables (e.g., database credentials, API keys), configure them in the AWS Elastic Beanstalk environment settings:

  1. Go to Configuration > Software.
  2. Under Environment Properties, add key-value pairs for your environment variables.
  3. Click Apply to save the changes.

For sensitive information, using AWS Secrets Manager to store secrets and refer to them within your environment variables is recommended.

Step 5: Monitoring and Scaling

Once your application is deployed, AWS Elastic Beanstalk automatically sets up CloudWatch metrics to monitor your environment. You can view metrics such as CPU utilization, network traffic, and instance health in the AWS Elastic Beanstalk console.

AWS Elastic Beanstalk also provides auto-scaling capabilities, allowing you to scale up or down automatically based on traffic. You can configure auto-scaling by adjusting the Scaling settings under Configuration.

Step 6: Managing Application Updates

Updating your application is straightforward:

  1. Package your updated application (ZIP, WAR, or Docker image).
  2. Go to the Elastic Beanstalk environment dashboard and upload the new version.
  3. Elastic Beanstalk will manage the update process, ensuring minimal downtime during the deployment.

For zero-downtime deployments, consider using Rolling Updates or Blue-Green Deployments. You can configure deployment strategies under Configuration > Rolling updates and deployments.

Best Practices

  • Use AWS Elastic Beanstalk Extensions (.ebextensions): For additional customizations, you can create an .ebextensions directory in your project and include configuration files (YAML or JSON) that define environment settings, packages to install and commands to run.
  • Log Management: Enable enhanced logging and monitoring through Amazon CloudWatch to gain insights into application performance and troubleshoot issues efficiently.
  • Use Elastic Beanstalk CLI: AWS Elastic Beanstalk CLI (EB CLI) simplifies deploying and managing applications. You can use the eb init command to set up your application locally, and eb deploy to deploy new versions.

Conclusion

AWS Elastic Beanstalk provides an easy way to deploy and manage custom environments and applications.

You can deploy custom applications with minimal infrastructure management by leveraging Docker, AWS Elastic Beanstalk’s configuration settings, and monitoring tools. Whether running a containerized app or needing a specific runtime, AWS Elastic Beanstalk makes scaling and managing applications seamless.

Drop a query if you have any questions regarding AWS Elastic Beanstalk and we will get back to you quickly.

Experience Effortless Cloud Migration with Our Expert Solutions

  • Stronger security  
  • Accessible backup      
  • Reduced expenses
Get Started

About CloudThat

CloudThat is a leading provider of Cloud Training and Consulting services with a global presence in India, the USA, Asia, Europe, and Africa. Specializing in AWS, Microsoft Azure, GCP, VMware, Databricks, and more, the company serves mid-market and enterprise clients, offering comprehensive expertise in Cloud Migration, Data Platforms, DevOps, IoT, AI/ML, and more.

CloudThat is the first Indian Company to win the prestigious Microsoft Partner 2024 Award and is recognized as a top-tier partner with AWS and Microsoft, including the prestigious ‘Think Big’ partner award from AWS and the Microsoft Superstars FY 2023 award in Asia & India. Having trained 650k+ professionals in 500+ cloud certifications and completed 300+ consulting projects globally, CloudThat is an official AWS Advanced Consulting Partner, Microsoft Gold Partner, AWS Training PartnerAWS Migration PartnerAWS Data and Analytics PartnerAWS DevOps Competency PartnerAWS GenAI Competency PartnerAmazon QuickSight Service Delivery PartnerAmazon EKS Service Delivery Partner AWS Microsoft Workload PartnersAmazon EC2 Service Delivery PartnerAmazon ECS Service Delivery PartnerAWS Glue Service Delivery PartnerAmazon Redshift Service Delivery PartnerAWS Control Tower Service Delivery PartnerAWS WAF Service Delivery Partner and many more.

To get started, go through our Consultancy page and Managed Services PackageCloudThat’s offerings.

FAQs

1. How do I update my application in AWS Elastic Beanstalk?

ANS: – To update your application, package the updated version (ZIP, WAR, or Docker image) and deploy it using the Upload and Deploy option in the AWS Elastic Beanstalk console.

2. Does AWS Elastic Beanstalk automatically scale my application?

ANS: – Yes, AWS Elastic Beanstalk offers auto-scaling based on defined policies and traffic demands.

WRITTEN BY Aniket Kumar Ambasta

Aniket Kumar Ambasta works as a Research associate- TC - Infra, Security, and Migration at CloudThat. He is AWS Solutions Architect- Associate certified and has completed his Bachelor's in Computer Applications. He has good experience in Cloud technologies. Apart from professional interests, he loves exploring and learning new technologies.

Share

Comments

    Click to Comment

Get The Most Out Of Us

Our support doesn't end here. We have monthly newsletters, study guides, practice questions, and more to assist you in upgrading your cloud career. Subscribe to get them all!