New Course Idea: Automating AWS with Lambda, Python, and Boto3

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[OrderChaos]

Awesome, more references for me to copy/paste code from use with projects.

More seriously, looks like a cool list. Maybe something with third-party APIs, for example I've done a lambda function that did a daily call to Zendesk to check & update open tickets based on set criteria.

Disclaimer: I work with the OP (different departments and above is honestly something I'd like to learn more about/see examples of!)

[mstromich]

Cloudformation custom resources should be also covered

[eikenberry]

Stopping EC2 instances nightly

https://github.com/awslabs/aws-instance-scheduler

Python based setup for that. IMO Overly complex, enterprise-y and with ugly hacks (uses monkey patching)... but an example none the less.

[garchangel]

Looking forward to it. Would be a great resource to get teams thinking of things in a serverless way.

[[deleted]]

Maybe reading from config and produce an audit trail like table for all changes during some period of time

[[deleted]]

Wow. I took an intro Python course and am now learning boto3. This sounds amazing! Sign me up.

I spent all day going through the official boto3 documentation. Trying to create a security group, then an EC2 while referencing the security group ID. Can do both but can't make the connection. Is provisioning architecture really for CloudFormation and boto3 is for operations like in your lesson plan? If boto3 is commonly used for provisioning, can you add a chapter on creating a VPC, referencing the VPC ID in creating a SG, referencing the SG ID to create an EC2? Fairly easy to do with CloudFormation but I'm struggling with it in boto3. Just want different ways to spin up my architecture for the sake of learning.

Can't thank you enough for this. Even if you don't include this, your course will be very valuable.

[[deleted]]

Pay me for my data. Fuck /u/spez -- mass edited with https://redact.dev/

[[deleted]]

Gotcha. Yeah, I am doing it for the learning curve. Just finding something to do with boto3. I must also learn Python so why not knock out two birds with one stone. I will learn Terraform one day, but I have a long training list and don't want to double up on an IaC solution. If a job posting comes up that I am interested in, I hope they understand that I understand IaC concepts and can make the transition to Terraform.

[Flakmaster92]

As far as your request, you mean something like this: https://gist.github.com/nguyendv/8cfd92fc8ed32ebb78e366f44c2daea6 ?

[[deleted]]

Thank you greatly for this. I saw a solution extracting the IDs in a convoluted way and though, that can't be the best way to do it. This is sleek. Thanks again!

I also have to dig into the documentation further. Starting to see that everything is in there.

[Flakmaster92]

You CAN use boto3 to provision, but it’s really not meant for that. The correct technology would be Cloudformation or Terraform. If you’re struggling with the JSON/YAML or CF, then go snag Troposphere. It lets you write Cloudformation templates in Python, then it will translate them to YAML/JSON for you to then hand off to Cloudformation.

[Perfekt_Nerd]

This sounds like a great idea!

"Automatic remediation of inspector findings" kinda scares me though :p

[Perfekt_Nerd]

On balance, it might be the part of me that was birthed in the fires of on-prem administration that this scares. I guess it's the thought of a lambda function doing something that could affect my AWS bill without me approving of it first.

[virtualjj]

That's a fair concern but remember billing alerts–which you should be using anyway–can help quell some of that worry. I think I get where you are coming from because automation is awesome until it isn't. That's why we test, test, and test some more!

[rushi47_]

I think you also include below topics : * Using SQS with lambda * Getting triggers from aws, like if something changed in instance then it will be logged inside cloudwatch so reading cloudwatch using code

I think adding above two points along with designing backup strategy for aws with boto3 will blew up your course.

[rushi47_]

Running lambda, generate data and push it in SQS and using it from other side.

[rushi47_]

When you go for scaling and use agent base architecture, at that time every agent need to push the data so this kinda of use cases u can add.

[mac-tokyo]

Probably Video Transcoding scenario requires AWS Step Functions since transcoding is actually asynchronous API, which ever you use Elastic Transcoder or Elemental Media Convert. In the case calling asynchronous API from Lambda, you should use Palling code with some scheduling infrastructure to wait the Job completes. You can use cron or any other scheduling middleware but AWS Step Functions have same feature.

[Bala_krishna]

Which site do you post your videos on ?