Config and OpsWorks

AWS Config

AWS Config is a service that enables auditing, assessment, and evaluation of AWS resource configurations. It's particularly valuable for organizations implementing ITIL, especially in addressing the configuration management component.

Key Features

1. Configuration Baseline Management

   • Creates baselines of configuration settings and files on systems

   • Tracks variations against these baselines over time

   • Detects and notifies about system changes (e.g., modifications to Linux fstab file)

2. Compliance Monitoring

   • Supports creation of Config rules to check resources for specific conditions

   • Flags non-compliant resources automatically

   • Common rule examples:

     • Verification of RDS backup enablement

     • CloudTrail activation status

     • EBS volume encryption status

AWS OpsWorks

AWS OpsWorks is a managed instance service that provides automated platform management using Chef and Puppet. It offers comprehensive infrastructure management capabilities including upgrades, code deployment, backup configuration, and config file management.

Service Offerings

1. OpsWorks for Chef Automate

   • Fully managed hosted version of Chef

   • Ideal for organizations currently using Chef on-premise

2. OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise

   • Fully managed hosted version of Puppet

   • Seamless transition for existing Puppet Enterprise users

3. OpsWorks Stacks

   • AWS-specific creation compatible with Chef recipes

   • Uses embedded Chef solo client on EC2 instances

   • Supports on-premise servers with agent installation

Stacks and Layers Architecture

1. Stacks

   • Collections of resources supporting services or applications

   • Can be cloned within the same region

   • Region-specific deployment and management

2. Layers

   • Represent components of delivery hierarchy

   • Examples include:

     • Data layer

     • Middleware layer

     • Web layer

   • Can incorporate various AWS services (EC2, RDS, etc.)

Important Limitations

• Stack cloning restricted to same region

• While OpsWorks is a global service, stacks are region-specific

• Cross-region resource management not supported (e.g., US-region stack cannot manage EU-region instances)