Summary of AWS blogs for the week of Monday, Jul 17
In the week of Mon Jul 17 2023 AWS published 95 blog posts — here is an overview of what happened.
Topics Covered
- Desktop and Application Streaming
- AWS DevOps Blog
- AWS for SAP
- Official Machine Learning Blog of AWS
- Announcements, Updates, and Launches
- Containers
- AWS Smart Business Blog
- Official Database Blog of AWS
- AWS Cloud Financial Management
- AWS Training and Certification Blog
- Microsoft Workloads on AWS
- Official Big Data Blog of AWS
- Networking & Content Delivery
- AWS Compute Blog
- AWS for M&E Blog
- AWS Storage Blog
- AWS Developer Tools Blog
- AWS Architecture Blog
- AWS Partner Network (APN) Blog
- AWS Cloud Enterprise Strategy Blog
- AWS Cloud Operations & Migrations Blog
- AWS for Industries
- AWS Messaging & Targeting Blog
- The latest AWS security, identity, and compliance launches, announcements, and how-to posts.
- Front-End Web & Mobile
- Innovating in the Public Sector
- The Internet of Things on AWS – Official Blog
Desktop and Application Streaming
Desktop and Application Streaming
Adjusting Auto Scaling Steps and Thresholds with AWS Lambda
Amazon AppStream 2.0 provides Fleet Auto Scaling capabilities to automatically adjust the size of the AppStream 2.0 fleet to match user demand. However, for some usage patterns, manual adjustments of the auto scaling policy may be needed. To address this, Cloud2 has developed a solution where an event-driven AWS Lambda function can be used to automatically adjust the AppStream 2.0 auto scaling policy based on time of day.
Using this solution, the AppStream 2.0 fleet can be set up to manage peak hours and have different fleets defined. During off-peak, the fleet size can be lowered to save costs, while during peak hours, the fleet size can be increased to meet user demand.
This solution can be implemented using the following steps:
- Set up your AppStream 2.0 fleet.
- Define the auto scaling policy.
- Create an AWS Lambda function to adjust the auto scaling policy based on time of day.
- Set up AWS CloudWatch events to trigger the Lambda function on a scheduled basis.
With this solution, customers can be sure that their AppStream 2.0 fleet is always scaled to meet user demand, while always minimizing costs. Cloud2 can help you configure and implement this solution so that you can benefit from the flexibility and scalability of AppStream 2.0.
Dynamically Setting NICE DCV Session Permissions at Windows Logon
NICE DCV is a secure, high-performance remote desktop solution for Windows and Linux. When using system authentication, Windows-based NICE DCV servers delegate client authentication to the underlying operating system. Upon authentication, DCV validates the DCV permissions, which specify the users that are allowed to access the session stream and the features they can use.
Dynamically setting DCV session permissions allows administrators to automate session permissions based on specific group memberships or user roles. With this solution, users can have different access rights depending on the authentication context and session type.
To set up dynamic DCV session permissions, customers can use the following steps:
- Configure NICE DCV authentication through Windows.
- Create the roles and permissions to be used.
- Create an authentication provider to define the roles and permissions.
- Configure NICE DCV to use the authentication provider for dynamic session permissions.
This solution allows customers to configure their NICE DCV servers to set up the session permissions according to the authentication context. Cloud2 can help customers to set up dynamic DCV session permissions so that they can benefit from a secure and scalable remote desktop solution.
Read the full blog posts from AWS
- Use AWS Lambda to adjust scaling steps and thresholds for Amazon AppStream 2.0
- Dynamically set NICE DCV session permissions at Windows logon
AWS DevOps Blog
Integration Testing of AWS CDK Applications
Integration testing allows developers to validate system components and build confidence in new software releases. For applications running on the AWS cloud, integration tests can validate AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) policies, service limits, configuration, and runtime code.
Integrating AWS CDK with Integration Testing
For developers leveraging AWS Cloud Development Kit (AWS CDK) as their infrastructure-as-code (IaC) tool, integration testing can be integrated into the development pipeline. AWS CDK uses TypeScript or Python to define cloud infrastructure as code, allowing developers to use general-purpose programming language concepts such as classes, loops, and conditionals to provision cloud applications.
The AWS CDK Toolkit provides developers with the ability to programmatically define and deploy resources using AWS CDK. The AWS CDK Toolkit also automates the integration testing process with the AWS CDK Testing Library. This library allows developers to construct and execute integration tests for the resources created by the AWS CDK.
Getting Started with AWS CDK Testing Library
The AWS CDK Testing Library works by executing a CloudFormation template—either by creating a new “synthesized” template or by using an existing template—and evaluates the conditions described in the tests.
To get started, create a new folder and install the AWS CDK Testing Library. The AWS CDK Testing Library is compatible with Typescript and Python, so developers can use either language depending on their application.
Integration Testing with AWS CDK
The AWS CDK Testing Library allows developers to simulate and test changes to their AWS CDK applications before they are deployed. To perform integration tests, developers should create an assert method that compares the expected output of the resource to the actual output from the CloudFormation stack. This allows developers to validate that the resource is created correctly and that the changes made to the AWS CDK application are working as expected.
Benefits of AWS CDK Integration Testing
Integration testing of AWS CDK applications allows developers to ensure their resources are deployed correctly and that the IAM policies, service limits, and configurations are working as expected. This helps developers build confidence in the applications they are releasing and minimizes unexpected issues when deploying resources to the AWS cloud.
The Cloud2 Advantage
At Cloud2, our team of AWS experts have deep knowledge and experience in deploying applications to the AWS cloud. We specialize in building cloud-native applications and can help you get the most out of the AWS CDK. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you build and deploy secure and reliable applications to the AWS cloud.