CI/CD Pipeline for .NET Serverless Applications on AWS

Partner Solution Deployment Guide

QS

July 2023
Andy Hopper, AWS Microsoft Specialist SA team

Refer to the GitHub repository to view source files, report bugs, submit feature ideas, and post feedback about this Partner Solution. To comment on the documentation, refer to Feedback.

This Partner Solution was created by Amazon Web Services (AWS). Partner Solutions are automated reference deployments that help people deploy popular technologies on AWS according to AWS best practices. If you’re unfamiliar with AWS Partner Solutions, refer to the AWS Partner Solution General Information Guide.

Overview

This guide covers the information you need to deploy the CI/CD Pipeline for .NET Serverless Applications Partner Solution in the AWS Cloud.

This Partner Solution builds a continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) pipeline for serverless .NET applications on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud. It deploys an AWS CodeCommit repository with a sample AWS Lambda application defined in an AWS Serverless Application Model (AWS SAM) template. Pushing changes to modify the application invokes AWS CodePipeline. The pipeline builds and deploys the application using AWS CloudFormation and exposes it to the internet with Amazon API Gateway.

Costs and licenses

There is no cost to use this Partner Solution, but you will be billed for any AWS services or resources that this Partner Solution deploys. For more information, refer to the AWS Partner Solution General Information Guide.

Architecture

Deploying this Partner Solution with default parameters builds the following CI/CD Pipeline for .NET Serverless Applications environment in the AWS Cloud.

Architecture
Figure 1. Partner Solution architecture for CI/CD Pipeline for .NET Serverless Applications on AWS

As shown in Figure 1, the Partner Solution sets up the following:

  • AWS CodePipeline to create a pipeline with source, build, and deploy stages. The pipeline is invoked when a developer commits a code change to the CodeCommit repository.

    • A CodeCommit repository to host the application source code.

    • AWS CodeBuild to generate an AWS CloudFormation template from the source code.

    • AWS CodeDeploy to deploy the template.

  • CloudFormation to provision and configure the AWS Lambda application.

  • An AWS Lambda function to run the code.

  • API Gateway endpoint to expose the application to the internet.

  • An Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) bucket to store pipeline artifacts.

  • AWS Identification and Access Management (IAM) for IAM roles used by CodeBuild, CodeDeploy, and CloudFormation.

Deployment options

This Partner Solution provides the following deployment options:

Deployment steps

  1. Sign in to your AWS account, and launch this Partner Solution, as described under Deployment options. The AWS CloudFormation console opens with a prepopulated template.

  2. Choose the correct AWS Region, and then choose Next.

  3. On the Create stack page, keep the default setting for the template URL, and then choose Next.

  4. On the Specify stack details page, change the stack name if needed. Review the parameters for the template. Provide values for the parameters that require input. For all other parameters, review the default settings and customize them as necessary. When you finish reviewing and customizing the parameters, choose Next.

    Unless you’re customizing the Partner Solution templates or are instructed otherwise in this guide’s Predeployment section, don’t change the default settings for the following parameters: QSS3BucketName, QSS3BucketRegion, and QSS3KeyPrefix. Changing the values of these parameters will modify code references that point to the Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) bucket name and key prefix. For more information, refer to the AWS Partner Solutions Contributor’s Guide.
  5. On the Configure stack options page, you can specify tags (key-value pairs) for resources in your stack and set advanced options. When you finish, choose Next.

  6. On the Review page, review and confirm the template settings. Under Capabilities, select all of the check boxes to acknowledge that the template creates AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) resources that might require the ability to automatically expand macros.

  7. Choose Create stack. The stack takes about 15 minutes to deploy.

  8. Monitor the stack’s status, and when the status is CREATE_COMPLETE, the CI/CD Pipeline for .NET Serverless Applications deployment is ready.

  9. To view the created resources, choose the Outputs tab.

Postdeployment steps

Test the deployment

After the stack operation completes, the following output values display on the Outputs tab of the AWS CloudFormation console.

Ouput Description

RepoUrl

URL of the CodeCommit repository that you can clone and edit to invoke the pipeline and application deployment.

CodePipelineUrl

URL of the CodePipeline pipeline.

After you deploy this Partner Solution, a build of the application starts. You can use your browser to navigate to the CodePipeline URL to observe the build process. After the build completes, the deployment process for the application creates a CloudFormation named <Quick Start stack name>-Deploy using the name you enter when launching this Partner Solution.

The stack also includes an output parameter that can be used to view your deployed application:

Ouput Description

ServerlessExampleApi

API Gateway URL that exposes the application.

After you deploy this Partner Solution, you can use the CodeCommit repository URL to clone the repo and modify the application. Changes pushed to the repository invoke CodePipeline and a deployment of the application.

Best practices for using CI/CD Pipeline for .NET Serverless Applications on AWS

This Partner Solution uses AWS Serverless Application Model to define and deploy an application. While you are able and encouraged to modify the application code, we recommend that you maintain the definition of the application in the AWS SAM template.

Troubleshooting

For troubleshooting common Partner Solution issues, refer to the AWS Partner Solution General Information Guide and Troubleshooting CloudFormation.

Customer responsibility

After you deploy a Partner Solution, confirm that your resources and services are updated and configured—including any required patches—to meet your security and other needs. For more information, refer to the Shared Responsibility Model.

Feedback

To submit feature ideas and report bugs, use the Issues section of the GitHub repository for this Partner Solution. To submit code, refer to the Partner Solution Contributor’s Guide. To submit feedback on this deployment guide, use the following GitHub links:

Notices

This document is provided for informational purposes only. It represents current AWS product offerings and practices as of the date of issue of this document, which are subject to change without notice. Customers are responsible for making their own independent assessment of the information in this document and any use of AWS products or services, each of which is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, whether expressed or implied. This document does not create any warranties, representations, contractual commitments, conditions, or assurances from AWS, its affiliates, suppliers, or licensors. The responsibilities and liabilities of AWS to its customers are controlled by AWS agreements, and this document is not part of, nor does it modify, any agreement between AWS and its customers.

The software included with this paper is licensed under the Apache License, version 2.0 (the "License"). You may not use this file except in compliance with the License. A copy of the License is located at https://aws.amazon.com/apache2.0/ or in the accompanying "license" file. This code is distributed on an "as is" basis, without warranties or conditions of any kind, either expressed or implied. Refer to the License for specific language governing permissions and limitations.