Deploy IronSecureDoc to AWS with C# Container Instance
Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS) is a highly scalable, fast, container management service that makes it easy to run, stop, and manage your containers. You can host your containers on a serverless infrastructure that is managed by Amazon ECS by launching your services or tasks on AWS Fargate. For more information on Fargate, see AWS Fargate for Amazon ECS.
Step 1: Sign in to AWS account
Sign in to the AWS portal.
If you do not have an AWS account, then register for a new AWS account.
Step 2: Create a virtual private cloud
You can use Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (Amazon VPC) to launch AWS resources into a virtual network that you've defined. We strongly suggest that you launch your container instances in a VPC.
If you have a default VPC, you can skip this section and move to the next task, Create a security group. To determine whether you have a default VPC, see Supported Platforms in the Amazon EC2 Console in the Amazon EC2 User Guide. Otherwise, you can create a nondefault VPC in your account using the steps below.
For information about how to create a VPC, see Create a VPC only in the Amazon VPC User Guide, and use the following table to determine what options to select.
| Option | Value |
|---|---|
| Resources to create | VPC only |
| Name | Optionally provide a name for your VPC |
| IPv4 CIDR block | IPv4 CIDR manual input The CIDR block size must have a size between /16 and /28 |
| IPv6 CIDR block | No IPv6 CIDR block |
| Tenancy | Default |
For more information about Amazon VPC, see What is Amazon VPC? in the Amazon VPC User Guide.
Step 3: Create a security group
Security groups act as a firewall for associated container instances, controlling both inbound and outbound traffic at the container instance level. You can add rules to a security group that enable you to connect to your container instance from your IP address using SSH. You can also add rules that allow inbound and outbound HTTP and HTTPS access from anywhere. Add any rules to open ports that are required by your tasks. Container instances require external network access to communicate with the Amazon ECS service endpoint.
For information about how to create a security group, see Create a security group in the Amazon EC2 User Guide and use the following table to determine what options to select.
| Option | Value |
|---|---|
| Region | The same Region in which you created your key pair |
| Name | A name that is easy for you to remember, such as ecs-instances-default-cluster |
| VPC | The default VPC (marked with "(default)" Note If your account supports Amazon EC2 Classic, select the VPC that you created in the previous task |
Step 4: Create a ECS Cluster
On the AWS portal homepage, search "ECS" in the search box and select "Elastic Container Service". Or open the console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/ecs/v2.
Select "Create cluster".
Enter the "Cluster name". Select only "AWS Fargate (serverless)" in Infrastructure section.
Leave the other values as their defaults, then select Create.
Step 5: Create a Task Definition
After the cluster is created, select Task Definitions.
Select "Create new task definition", then select "Create new task definition".
On the Task definition configuration section, enter the value for Task definition family.
On the Infrastructure requirements section, enter the following values for Launch type, CPU, Memory, Task role, and Task execution role.
- Launch type: Only
AWS Fargate - CPU:
1 vCPU - Memory:
2 GB - Task role:
ecsTaskExecutionRole - Task execution role:
ecsTaskExecutionRole
On the Container - 1 section, enter the following values for Name, Image URI, Container port, Port name, and Environment variables.
- Name:
mycontainer - Image URI: Use
ironsoftwareofficial/ironsecuredocfor the latest or specify by tagironsoftwareofficial/ironsecuredoc:2024.7.1 - Container port:
8080 - Port name:
8080 - Add Environment variables:
ENVIRONMENT:ProductionHTTP_PORTS:8080IronSecureDoc_LicenseKey:YOUR-LICENSE-KEY
For IronSecureDoc_LicenseKey, it is not recommended to add directly into Environment variables for security. It is recommended to retrieve the environment file from an encrypted Amazon S3 bucket, see Pass sensitive data to an Amazon ECS container.
Leave the other values as their defaults, then select Create.
Step 6: Create a Service
Go back to the Clusters page > Select your cluster (IronSecureDoc).
Select the "Service" tab > then select "Create".
In the Environment section, enter the following values for Compute options and Launch type.
- Compute options: Select
Launch type - Launch type: Select
FARGATE
In the Deployment configuration section, enter the following values for Application type, Family, Revision, Service name, and Desired tasks.
- Application type: Select
Service - Task definition:
- Family: Select the created task definition
ironsecuredoc - Revision: Select task definition revision
1 (LATEST)
- Family: Select the created task definition
- Service name:
myservice - Desired tasks:
1
Please note that for networking you may need to create a VPC and a Security group if they do not exist.
Leave the other values as their defaults, then select Create.
When the deployment starts, a notification appears that indicates the deployment is in progress. Another notification is displayed when the service has been deployed.
View your service > then open the task.
In Task Configuration, you can use the Public IP to run a curl command to check if the API is working correctly, which should return pong.
curl http://18.118.166.206:8080/v1/document-services/ping
Congratulations! By configuring just a few settings, you've deployed a publicly accessible application in Amazon Elastic Container Service.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of using IronSecureDoc with AWS?
IronSecureDoc is used with AWS to enhance document security by leveraging AWS's infrastructure to manage, deploy, and scale document-related applications securely.
How does IronSecureDoc integrate with Amazon ECS?
IronSecureDoc integrates with Amazon ECS by utilizing container instances and AWS Fargate, a serverless compute engine, to manage application deployment and scaling without managing servers.
Why do I need a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) for deploying IronSecureDoc to AWS?
A Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) is needed for deploying IronSecureDoc to AWS to securely host applications in an isolated network environment, ensuring control over network configurations and access permissions.
What role does a security group play in deploying IronSecureDoc on AWS?
A security group acts as a virtual firewall for IronSecureDoc deployments on AWS, controlling inbound and outbound traffic to container instances to ensure secure communication.
What are the key components of a task definition when deploying IronSecureDoc on ECS?
Key components of a task definition include launch type, CPU and memory allocation, task role, task execution role, and container settings such as name, image URI, and environment variables.
Why is it recommended to use an encrypted Amazon S3 bucket for storing IronSecureDoc's license key?
It is recommended to use an encrypted Amazon S3 bucket for storing IronSecureDoc's license key to ensure that sensitive data remains secure and is not exposed in plain text.
What is the advantage of using AWS Fargate to deploy IronSecureDoc?
AWS Fargate allows you to deploy IronSecureDoc without managing servers, providing a simplified, serverless infrastructure that manages compute resources, making scaling and cost management more efficient.
How do you verify if the IronSecureDoc service is running correctly on AWS?
To verify if the IronSecureDoc service is running correctly on AWS, use the public IP to execute a 'curl' command, which should return a 'pong' response indicating proper function.
What steps are necessary to deploy a publicly accessible IronSecureDoc application using Amazon ECS?
Deploying a publicly accessible IronSecureDoc application using Amazon ECS involves creating a VPC and security group, configuring a cluster and task definition, setting up a service, and ensuring proper networking configurations.
Curtis Chau holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science (Carleton University) and specializes in front-end development with expertise in Node.js, TypeScript, JavaScript, and React. Passionate about crafting intuitive and aesthetically pleasing user interfaces, Curtis enjoys working with modern frameworks and creating well-structured, visually appealing manuals.
