Step-by-Step Guide: Deploying an ECS Instance on Alibaba Cloud with Terraform

Deploying an ECS Instance in Alibaba Cloud using Terraform

Introduction

Terraform simplifies the process of managing cloud infrastructure. Here’s a detailed guide to deploying an Elastic Compute Service (ECS) instance on Alibaba Cloud using Terraform.

Terraform Configuration

1. Provider Configuration

provider "alicloud" {
  region = "cn-hangzhou"
}

Explanation:
This block configures the Terraform provider for Alibaba Cloud and specifies the region (cn-hangzhou).

2. VPC (Virtual Private Cloud)

resource "alicloud_vpc" "default" {
  name = "terraform-vpc"
  cidr_block = "172.16.0.0/12"
}

Explanation:
A VPC is created with the name terraform-vpc and a CIDR block of 172.16.0.0/12, providing a private network for your cloud resources.

3. VSwitch

resource "alicloud_vswitch" "default" {
  name = "terraform-vswitch"
  vpc_id = alicloud_vpc.default.id
  cidr_block = "172.16.0.0/21"
  zone_id = "cn-hangzhou-e"
}

Explanation:
A VSwitch, named terraform-vswitch, is created within the VPC. The cidr_block specifies the range of IP addresses, and zone_id determines the availability zone.

4. Security Group

resource "alicloud_security_group" "default" {
  name = "terraform-sg"
  vpc_id = alicloud_vpc.default.id
}

Explanation:
A security group named terraform-sg is created to manage inbound and outbound traffic for resources in the VPC.

5. Security Group Rule

resource "alicloud_security_group_rule" "allow_ssh" {
  type = "ingress"
  ip_protocol = "tcp"
  nic_type = "internet"
  policy = "accept"
  port_range = "22/22"
  priority = 1
  security_group_id = alicloud_security_group.default.id
  cidr_ip = "0.0.0.0/0"
}

Explanation:
This rule allows SSH access (port 22) from any IP address (0.0.0.0/0). The ingress type specifies inbound traffic.

6. ECS Instance

resource "alicloud_instance" "default" {
  instance_name = "terraform-ecs"
  instance_type = "ecs.t5-lc2m1.nano"
  security_groups = [alicloud_security_group.default.id]
  vswitch_id = alicloud_vswitch.default.id
  image_id = "ubuntu_18_04_64_20G_alibase_20190624.vhd"
  internet_max_bandwidth_out = 5
  system_disk_category = "cloud_efficiency"
  instance_charge_type = "PostPaid"
}

Explanation:
This block creates an ECS instance with the name terraform-ecs. It uses a specific instance type (ecs.t5-lc2m1.nano), an Ubuntu image, and is attached to the previously created VSwitch and security group. The instance has a maximum outbound internet bandwidth of 5 Mbps and uses a cost-efficient system disk. The billing method is set to PostPaid.

Conclusion

This Terraform configuration provides a detailed setup for deploying an ECS instance on Alibaba Cloud. Adjust the parameters according to your specific requirements for a more customized deployment.