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autoscaling and task definition

The document explains how to implement auto scaling for an ECS service in AWS CDK using the auto_scale_task_count method, which allows the service to adjust the number of running tasks based on metrics like CPU and memory utilization. It provides a step-by-step guide to set up a VPC, ECS cluster, Docker image asset, and Fargate service, while enabling auto scaling and defining scaling policies. Additionally, it clarifies the concept of desired count and how requests are distributed among containers using a load balancer.

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Rahul Mishra
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7 views

autoscaling and task definition

The document explains how to implement auto scaling for an ECS service in AWS CDK using the auto_scale_task_count method, which allows the service to adjust the number of running tasks based on metrics like CPU and memory utilization. It provides a step-by-step guide to set up a VPC, ECS cluster, Docker image asset, and Fargate service, while enabling auto scaling and defining scaling policies. Additionally, it clarifies the concept of desired count and how requests are distributed among containers using a load balancer.

Uploaded by

Rahul Mishra
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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To include auto scaling for your ECS service in AWS CDK, you can use the

auto_scale_task_count method on your ECS service to define scaling policies. This


allows your ECS service to automatically scale the number of running tasks based on
metrics such as CPU utilization, memory usage, or custom CloudWatch metrics.

Example: Adding Auto Scaling to Your ECS Service


Here's how you can add auto scaling to your ECS service in the CDK stack:

python
Copy code
from aws_cdk import aws_ecs as ecs
from aws_cdk import aws_ec2 as ec2
from aws_cdk import aws_ecr_assets as ecr_assets
from aws_cdk import aws_applicationautoscaling as appscaling
from aws_cdk import core

class MyEcsStack(core.Stack):

def __init__(self, scope: core.Construct, id: str, **kwargs) -> None:


super().__init__(scope, id, **kwargs)

# Define a VPC
vpc = ec2.Vpc(self, "MyVpc", max_azs=2)

# Create an ECS Cluster


cluster = ecs.Cluster(self, "MyCluster", vpc=vpc)

# Define the Docker image asset


asset = ecr_assets.DockerImageAsset(self, "FlaskAppImage",
directory="../path_to_your_flask_app", # Adjust the path to your app
directory
file="Dockerfile", # Specify the Dockerfile to use
)

# Use the image asset in your ECS task definition


task_definition = ecs.FargateTaskDefinition(self, "MyTaskDef")
container = task_definition.add_container("MyContainer",
image=ecs.ContainerImage.from_docker_image_asset(asset),
memory_limit_mib=512)
container.add_port_mappings(ecs.PortMapping(container_port=80,
protocol=ecs.Protocol.TCP))

# Create the ECS Service


ecs_service = ecs.FargateService(self, "MyService",
cluster=cluster,
task_definition=task_definition,
desired_count=2,
public_load_balancer=True)

# Enable auto scaling for the service


scalable_target = ecs_service.auto_scale_task_count(
min_capacity=2, # Minimum number of tasks
max_capacity=10 # Maximum number of tasks
)

# Scale based on CPU utilization


scalable_target.scale_on_cpu_utilization("CpuScaling",
target_utilization_percent=50) # Target CPU utilization percentage
# Optionally, scale based on memory utilization
scalable_target.scale_on_memory_utilization("MemoryScaling",
target_utilization_percent=50) # Target memory utilization percentage
Key Components:
Min and Max Capacity: Defines the minimum and maximum number of tasks that your ECS
service can scale to.
Scaling Policy: You can add scaling policies based on CPU utilization, memory
utilization, or custom metrics.
Step-by-Step Explanation:
Define the VPC and ECS Cluster: Set up a VPC and an ECS cluster to host your
service.
Create a Docker Image Asset: Define a Docker image asset using the local directory
where your Flask app and Dockerfile are located.
Create an ECS Fargate Service: Use the Docker image in a Fargate task definition
and create an ECS service.
Enable Auto Scaling: Use the auto_scale_task_count method to enable auto scaling,
specifying the minimum and maximum number of tasks.
Define Scaling Policies: Use the scale_on_cpu_utilization and
scale_on_memory_utilization methods to automatically adjust the number of running
tasks based on resource utilization.
Deployment:
When you deploy this CDK stack using cdk deploy, your ECS service will start with
the specified desired_count of tasks (e.g., 2 tasks) and will automatically scale
up or down based on the defined scaling policies.

This setup ensures that your service can handle varying levels of traffic
efficiently by adjusting the number of running tasks dynamically.

You said:
what does 2 tasks mean in desired count? and where are the containers reside?
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
Understanding Desired Count and Tasks in ECS
Desired Count: The desired_count specifies the number of task instances that you
want to run in your ECS service. A task is an instantiation of a task definition,
which typically contains one or more containers (e.g., your Flask app container).

Tasks: Each task is a running instance of the containers defined in your task
definition. If you set desired_count to 2, ECS will ensure that 2 task instances
are running at all times.

Where Do the Containers Reside?


The containers reside within the tasks, which in turn run on ECS container
instances. Depending on the launch type you choose (Fargate or EC2), the underlying
infrastructure will differ:

Fargate Launch Type:

Fargate Tasks: If you are using the Fargate launch type (as in the example
provided), the tasks are managed by AWS Fargate. You don't need to manage the
underlying servers or instances. AWS Fargate abstracts the infrastructure, and each
task runs in its own isolated environment with its own allocated CPU and memory
resources.
Containers: Each task will have one or more containers (as defined in your task
definition). For example, if you have 2 tasks and each task runs a Flask container,
you'll have 2 running Flask containers, each in its own task.
EC2 Launch Type:

EC2 Instances: If you use the EC2 launch type, your tasks run on a fleet of EC2
instances that you manage. ECS schedules the tasks on these instances based on
available resources.
Containers: The containers in your task definition run inside the tasks on the EC2
instances. If you have 2 tasks, ECS will run these tasks on your EC2 instances,
potentially on different instances or on the same instance depending on resource
availability and task placement strategies.
Visualizing the Setup
Fargate:

desired_count = 2
2 tasks running on Fargate, each in its isolated environment, each task containing
a Flask container.
EC2:

desired_count = 2
2 tasks running on one or more EC2 instances, each task containing a Flask
container.
Summary
Desired Count of 2: This means ECS will always try to maintain 2 running instances
of your task, ensuring that 2 instances of your containers are running.
Container Location: Depending on the launch type, containers run either in Fargate-
managed environments or on EC2 instances that you manage. The tasks contain the
containers, and the tasks are the units that ECS scales.

You said:
2 tasks running on Fargate, each in its isolated environment, each task containing
a Flask container.

so when users hit the request it can transfer to any container ?


ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
Yes, when you have multiple tasks running on Fargate (or EC2), each with its own
instance of your Flask container, requests from users can be distributed to any of
these running containers. This distribution is typically managed by a load
balancer.

How Request Routing Works:


Load Balancer: In a typical ECS setup, you would use an Application Load Balancer
(ALB) to distribute incoming requests across the tasks (containers).
Target Groups: The ALB routes requests to the ECS tasks registered in its target
group. Each running task is a target, and the load balancer will evenly distribute
traffic based on its routing algorithm (e.g., round-robin or least connections).
Routing to Containers:
When a user sends a request to your application, it first hits the load balancer.
The load balancer then forwards the request to one of the available tasks (and thus
to one of the containers) based on its routing logic.
This ensures that no single container is overwhelmed with requests, and the load is
spread evenly across all running containers.
Example Workflow:
Scenario: You have an ECS service with desired_count = 2, meaning two tasks are
running, each hosting a Flask container.
User Request:
User sends a request to the application URL, which points to the load balancer.
The load balancer forwards the request to one of the two running tasks.
The Flask container within the selected task processes the request and returns the
response.
The next user request might be routed to the other task/container, depending on the
load balancer's logic.
Benefits:
Scalability: As traffic increases, the load balancer can continue distributing
requests across all available tasks.
High Availability: If one task or container fails, the load balancer can route
traffic to the remaining healthy tasks, maintaining application availability.
Auto Scaling: If you enable auto-scaling, ECS can launch additional tasks when
needed, and the load balancer will automatically start distributing requests to
these new tasks as well.
This setup ensures that your application can handle varying traffic loads
efficiently and that requests are processed reliably across multiple containers.

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