AWS Bites

Latest Episodes:

84. Are VPCs an anti-pattern? Jun 08, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of AWS Bites, we explore the future of Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs) in the context of the zero-trust security trend.

We'll dive into the pros and cons of using VPCs, including their usefulness when dealing with sensitive data or when you need fine-grained control over your network environment. But let's be real, sometimes VPCs can be a bit of a headache. We'll discuss why you might want to avoid them, including the added complexity they can bring to your network environment.

Fear not, we'll also provide a summary of when to use and when not to use VPCs, as well as alternatives to using VPCs, such as services that don't require them.

So, are ready to talk VPCs!?

💰 SPONSORS 💰

AWS Bites is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourTheorem⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an AWS Consulting Partner offering training, cloud migration, and modern application architecture.

In this episode, we mentioned the following resources:

Our previous episode on Bastion hosts: https://awsbites.com/78-when-do-you-need-a-bastion-host/
AWS announcement for improved Lambda VPC connection (2019): https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/compute/announcing-improved-vpc-networking-for-aws-lambda-functions/

You can listen to AWS Bites wherever you get your podcasts:

88. What is VPC Lattice? Jun 06, 2023

Show notes

VPC Lettuce is a new service form AWS that lets you pay per leaf instead of buying a whole lettuce up front. Pricing starts at $0.50 per gram per second.

83. Bucket List of S3 Best Practices Jun 01, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of the AWS Bites podcast, we explore the best practices for creating and configuring S3 Buckets, Amazon Web Services' popular object storage service. We will learn how to set up buckets correctly from the start, avoiding common pitfalls and ensuring efficient management.

We provide a quick recap of Amazon S3, covering buckets, objects, and various use cases. Discover the importance of globally unique bucket names, versioning, and observability through logging and metrics. We will tell you how to ensure the security of your buckets with encryption options and proper access controls.

Finally, we discuss S3 integrations and additional settings you might consider for your workload.

Don't miss this insightful episode packed with practical tips and expert advice. Tune in now and optimize your S3 Bucket setup for success!

💰 SPONSORS 💰

AWS Bites is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourTheorem⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an AWS Consulting Partner offering training, cloud migration, and modern application architecture.

In this episode, we mentioned the following resources:

Our previous episode on How to deploy static websites on AWS: https://awsbites.com/3-how-do-you-deploy-a-static-website-on-aws/
Our previous episode on How to deploy private static websites on AWS: https://awsbites.com/80-can-you-do-private-static-websites-on-aws/
Official documentation for S3 buckets server logs: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonS3/latest/userguide/ServerLogs.html
AWS S3 Storage Lens: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/s3-storage-lens/
Yan Cui's article on S3 Object encryption: https://theburningmonk.com/2023/01/yes-s3-now-encrypts-objects-by-default-but-your-job-is-not-done-yet/

You can listen to AWS Bites wherever you get your podcasts:

82. Redis on AWS: Is ElastiCache the Right Choice? May 25, 2023

Show notes

Who is the king of all databases when it comes to performance? Yes, Redis! Of course!

In this episode of AWS Bites, we talk about Redis on ElastiCache, one of the most essential instruments in the cloud architect's toolbox.

We explore the joys and woes of Redis on AWS and share some exciting alternatives regarding in-memory databases and caching systems.

We discuss the use cases of Redis, including session storage, web page caching, database cache, cost optimization, queues and pub/sub messaging, and distributed applications state.

We extensively talk about ElastiCache, the managed cache solution on AWS based on either Redis or Memcache, and its features such as replication groups, auto-scaling, and monitoring.

Finally, we discuss potential alternatives, such as DynamoDB (with DAX), Upstash, or Momento, a serverless cache built on Pelikan.

💰 SPONSORS 💰

AWS Bites is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourTheorem⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an AWS Consulting Partner offering training, cloud migration, and modern application architecture.

In this episode, we mentioned the following resources:

Elasticache: https://aws.amazon.com/elasticache/
Upstash: https://upstash.com/
Momento: https://www.gomomento.com/

You can listen to AWS Bites wherever you get your podcasts:

81. Remote VSCode with EC2 and Cloud9 May 18, 2023

Show notes

Are you tired of being stuck in your local development environment? Do you dream of coding from a beach in Sicily? Well, get ready to make those dreams a reality with this episode of AWS Bites!

Today we are here to show you how to use VSCode to develop against a remote Cloud9 instance on AWS.

You'll learn how to edit in VSCode instead of using the Cloud9 editor, so you can take advantage of the power of the cloud and code from anywhere while staying in the comfort of your favourite code editor.

We'll cover two ways to edit in VSCode: with SSM and with VSCode Tunnels. With these setups, you can code from home, a coffee shop, or even a beach in Sicily (if you like granitas and sunshine). Plus, you'll get to use that fancy iPad you spent all that money on (also) for coding!

Get comfortable and let’s learn how to set up our next remote coding environment!

💰 SPONSORS 💰

AWS Bites is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourTheorem⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an AWS Consulting Partner offering training, cloud migration, and modern application architecture.

In this episode, we mentioned the following resources:

Visual Studio Code Server: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/remote/vscode-server
Our previous episode "When do you need a bastion host?": https://awsbites.com/78-when-do-you-need-a-bastion-host/
Instructions to set up your own VS Code integration with Cloud9: https://gist.github.com/lmammino/13f8ae95b222919c51b42153bfc71637
Our live series stream "Coding a serverless file transfer app on AWS": https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAWXFhe0N1vI1_z-06EzJ22pz95_gBrId

You can listen to AWS Bites wherever you get your podcasts:

80. Can you do private static websites on AWS? May 11, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of the AWS Bites podcast, we discuss the challenges of hosting private static websites on AWS. We explore why it's important to host internal corporate applications and line of business applications only for internal consumption, and the requirements for doing so. We also evaluate different options for hosting private static websites, including S3 with CloudFront, containers on ECS/Fargate with ALB, API Gateway, and AppRunner. Finally, we summarize the pros and cons of each option and provide a rating for each. If you're looking to host a private static website on AWS, this episode is a must-listen!

💰 SPONSORS 💰

AWS Bites is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourTheorem⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an AWS Consulting Partner offering training, cloud migration, and modern application architecture.

In this episode, we mentioned the following resources:

Our previous episode "How do you deploy a static website in AWS?": https://awsbites.com/3-how-do-you-deploy-a-static-website-on-aws/
Our previous episode "How do you use Lambda response streaming": https://awsbites.com/77-how-do-you-use-lambda-response-streaming
Our previous episode "How do you do Functionless APIs?": https://awsbites.com/79-how-do-you-do-functionless-apis
Open issue on GitHub for private hosted zones support for App Runner: https://github.com/aws/apprunner-roadmap/issues/183

You can listen to AWS Bites wherever you get your podcasts:

79. How do you do Functionless APIs? May 04, 2023

Show notes

In this exciting episode of the AWS Bites podcast, we're diving into the fascinating world of functionless applications. Yes, you heard it right! We'll be exploring how reducing the number of lambda functions can simplify your applications, resulting in lower latency, no cold starts, and cheaper costs.

But don't worry, we still love lambda! We'll be explaining the pros and cons of this approach, taking you through a step-by-step guide on how to use service proxies and manipulate the input for the target service using VTL.

And that's not all! We also share some helpful resources for those interested in learning more about this approach, including blog posts from some of the brightest minds in the field like Alex DeBrie, Sheen Brisals, and Paul Swail.

So, tune in and learn how to simplify your applications, reduce costs, and take your AWS game to the next level with functionless applications!

💰 SPONSORS 💰

AWS Bites is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourTheorem⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an AWS Consulting Partner offering training, cloud migration, and modern application architecture.

In this episode, we mentioned the following resources:

Blog post from Alex DeBrie on API Gateway Service Proxy: https://www.alexdebrie.com/posts/aws-api-gateway-service-proxy/
Another blog post on Service Proxy by Sheen Brisals: https://sbrisals.medium.com/dont-wait-for-functionless-write-less-functions-instead-8f2c331cd651
"Some code is more equal than others" by Paul Swail https://serverlessfirst.com/some-code-more-equal/

You can listen to AWS Bites wherever you get your podcasts:

78. When do you need a bastion host? Apr 27, 2023

Show notes

Harken, good sir! Art thou aware of the arcane art of safeguarding thy AWS instances from malevolent threats whilst keeping them accessible for thy travels? There exists a mighty tool for such purpose, and it is hight the "bastion host." In this pamphlet, we shalt unravel the mysteries of the bastion host and showeth thee how to useth it to safeguard thy web space. We shall commence by presenting a shadowy example architecture and introducing thee to the definition of a bastion host. We shalt then delve into the question of whether bastion hosts could be a security liability and explore the enigmatic concept of port-knocking. We shalt also take thee on a valiant journey of how to provision a bastion host on AWS, and explaineth the cryptic basics of SSH and tunnels. Thou shalt discover the dark side of managing SSH keys and auditing SSH connections, and we shall reveal the secrets of AWS EC2 Instance Connect and AWS Session Manager (SSM) as solutions. Thou shalt learn how to accept connections without exposing a port on the public internet, and we shall introduce thee to a mysterious tool called "basti" that can make it easier to provision SSM-based bastion hosts and connect to thy databases. We shalt wrap up by revealing alternative security measures to the mysterious bastion host and provide thee with cryptic closing notes to summarize the key takeaways from this video. Heed our call to this intriguing guide to securing thy web space, and may the forces of the internet be in thy favor! 🛡️ SPONSORS 🛡️ Harken, good folk! We would like to offer our deepest gratitude to our noble sponsor, fourTheorem (https://fourtheorem.com), an AWS Consulting Partner that doth offer training, cloud migration, and modern application architecture. Thanks to their generosity, we are able to continue on our journey of imparting wisdom and knowledge regarding AWS.

Verily, in this episode, we hath made mention of the following resources:

⁠⁠⁠An open-source implementation of the port-knocking technique
Thee official guide to set up EC2 Instance Connect
A list of AWS IPs
Thee official docs on how to set up SSM
SSM agent code on GitHub
Thee inlets project on GitHub
Basti on GitHub
Tailscale
Wireguard

Hear ye, hear ye! AWS Bites is at thy disposal wherever thou mayest listen to thy podcasts:

77. How do you use Lambda Response Streaming? Apr 20, 2023

Show notes

Are you tired of waiting for your Lambda functions to finish before getting a response? Well, now you don't have to! In this episode of the AWS Bites podcast, we will talk about Lambda Response Streaming, a new feature recently added by AWS that lets you stream responses from your Lambda functions in real time. We'll start by explaining what Lambda Response Streaming is and how it differs from buffering. We'll also discuss HTTP Chunking and other benefits of streaming. If you're a Node.js developer, you'll be happy to know that we'll cover how to work with streams in Node.js and how the new Lambda Response Streaming API works with the Node.js runtime. But that's not all! We'll also discuss how to consume Lambda Response Streaming responses and compare that with S3 Object Response. And if you're wondering about pricing and quotas, we'll cover that too. Finally, we'll answer the question on everyone's mind: will we get streaming requests as well? You'll have to watch the video to find out! So if you're interested in learning more about Lambda Response Streaming and how it can improve the performance of your serverless applications, make sure to tune in. We promise it'll be worth your time.

💰 SPONSORS 💰

AWS Bites is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourTheorem⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an AWS Consulting Partner offering training, cloud migration, and modern application architecture.

In this episode, we mentioned the following resources:

⁠Official announcement blog post for Lambda Response Streaming
Our previous episode about Lambda function URLs vs API GW vs LB
HTTP Chunked transfer encoding protocol
Luciano's free Node.js streams workshop on GitHub
Node.js design patterns (the book)
Streamify response functionality in Middy
Lambda Rust Runtime codebase (support for Response Streaming)
Similar evidence of Response Streaming feature support in the GoLang Runtime
Our previous episode about S3 pre-signed URLs
Lambda Response Streaming pricing
Eoin's article about S3 Object Response
Experimental Node.js custom Node.js streaming runtime

You can listen to AWS Bites wherever you get your podcasts:

76. Unboxing AWS Copilot Apr 13, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, we're doing something different! Join us for a special screen-sharing edition of our podcast series, as we take a deep dive into AWS Copilot, a service designed to simplify container application deployment on AWS. During this video, we'll be sharing our screens as we walk through the AWS Copilot landing page and documentation, and demonstrate how to use the service to deploy a container application. We highly recommend watching the video version of this episode, as we'll be providing a lot of visual guidance and examples. Starting with the basics, we'll learn about the differences between copilot init and copilot app init, and how to prepare our environment using a custom domain. We'll then walk through the deployment process step-by-step, examining the generated configuration file, manifest.yml, and testing our deployed application. Next, we'll explore the networking resources created by AWS Copilot, including a VPC, subnets, and a load balancer, and review the automation capabilities of CodePipeline. We'll also discuss the options available for rolling out new changes, and demonstrate how to make changes and re-deploy through the pipeline. Throughout the video, we will share their thoughts and opinions on AWS Copilot, including a failed attempt with AppRunner and a review of the pipeline execution and timing.

💰 SPONSORS 💰

AWS Bites is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠fourTheorem⁠⁠⁠⁠, an AWS Consulting Partner offering training, cloud migration, and modern application architecture.

In this episode, we mentioned the following resources:

AWS Copilot landing page
AWS Copilot documentation
AWS App2Container tool
AWS AppRunner
Our previous episode "Do you use CodePipeline or GitHub Actions?"
Gurarpit Singh's blog post "Blue/Green Deployments with AWS CodeDeploy and Terraform"
Additional guides and resources on AWS Copilot

You can listen to AWS Bites wherever you get your podcasts:

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