Deep Dive on Serverless Application Development

AWS Summit, London, June 28th, 2017

AWS Lambda and Amazon API Gateway have changed how developers build and run their applications or services. But what are the best practices for tasks such as deployment, monitoring, and debugging in a serverless world? In this session, we’ll dive into best practices that serverless developers can use for application lifecycle management, CI/CD, monitoring, and diagnostics. We’ll talk about how you can build CI/CD pipelines that automatically build, test, and deploy your serverless applications using AWS CodePipeline, AWS CodeBuild, and AWS CloudFormation. We’ll also cover the built-in capabilities of Lambda and API Gateway for creating multiple versions, stages, and environments of your functions and APIs. Finally, we’ll cover monitoring and diagnostics of your Lambda functions with Amazon CloudWatch and AWS X-Ray.

Transcript

1. © 2015, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates. All rights reserved.
   Danilo Poccia, Technical Evangelist
   @danilop
   Deep Dive on Serverless Application
   Development
   

   View Slide

2. What are
   Serverless Applications?
   

   View Slide

3. No servers to provision
   or manage
   Scales with usage
   Never pay for idle Availability and fault
   tolerance built in
   Serverless means…
   

   View Slide

4. Serverless application
   EVENT SOURCE SERVICES (ANYTHING)
   Changes in
   data state
   Requests to
   endpoints
   Changes in
   resource state
   FUNCTION
   Node.js
   Python
   Java
   C#
   

   View Slide

5. Amazon S3 Amazon
   DynamoDB
   Amazon
   Kinesis
   AWS
   CloudFormation
   AWS CloudTrail Amazon
   CloudWatch
   Amazon
   Cognito
   Amazon SNS
   Amazon
   SES
   Cron events
   DATA STORES ENDPOINTS
   CONFIGURATION REPOSITORIES EVENT/MESSAGE SERVICES
   Example event sources that trigger AWS Lambda
   … and a few more with more on the way!
   AWS
   CodeCommit
   Amazon
   API Gateway
   Amazon
   Alexa
   AWS IoT AWS Step
   Functions
   

   View Slide

6. API Gateway
   Internet
   Mobile Apps
   Websites
   Services
   AWS Lambda
   functions
   AWS
   API Gateway
   Cache
   Endpoints on
   Amazon EC2
   All publicly
   accessible
   endpoints
   Amazon
   CloudWatch
   Monitoring
   Amazon
   CloudFront
   Any other
   AWS service
   

   View Slide

7. Common use cases
   Web
   Applications
   • Static
   websites
   • Complex web
   apps
   • Packages for
   Flask and
   Express
   Data
   Processing
   • Real time
   • MapReduce
   • Batch
   Chatbots
   • Powering
   chatbot logic
   Backends
   • Apps &
   services
   • Mobile
   • IoT
   >
   >
   Amazon
   Alexa
   • Powering
   voice-enabled
   apps
   • Alexa Skills
   Kit
   IT
   Automation
   • Policy engines
   • Extending
   AWS services
   • Infrastructure
   management
   

   View Slide

8. Bundling and Deploying
   Serverless Applications
   

   View Slide

9. Building a deployment package
   Node.js & Python
   • .zip file consisting of
   your code and any
   dependencies
   • Use npm/pip to
   install libraries
   • All dependencies
   must be at root level
   Java
   • Either .zip file with all
   code/dependencies,
   or standalone .jar
   • Use Maven / Eclipse
   IDE plugins
   • Compiled class &
   resource files at root
   level, required jars in
   /lib directory
   C# (.NET Core)
   • Either .zip file with all
   code/dependencies,
   or a standalone .dll
   • Use NuGet /
   VisualStudio plugins
   • All assemblies (.dll)
   at root level
   

   View Slide

10. Create templates of your infrastructure
    CloudFormation provisions AWS resources
    based on dependency needs
    Version control/replicate/update templates like
    code
    Integrates with development, CI/CD,
    management tools
    JSON and YAML supported
    AWS CloudFormation
    

    View Slide

11. AWSTemplateFormatVersion: '2010-09-09'
    Resources:
    GetHtmlFunctionGetHtmlPermissionProd:
    Type: AWS::Lambda::Permission
    Properties:
    Action: lambda:invokeFunction
    Principal: apigateway.amazonaws.com
    FunctionName:
    Ref: GetHtmlFunction
    SourceArn:
    Fn::Sub: arn:aws:execute-api:${AWS::Region}:${AWS::AccountId}:${ServerlessRestApi}/Prod/ANY/*
    ServerlessRestApiProdStage:
    Type: AWS::ApiGateway::Stage
    Properties:
    DeploymentId:
    Ref: ServerlessRestApiDeployment
    RestApiId:
    Ref: ServerlessRestApi
    StageName: Prod
    ListTable:
    Type: AWS::DynamoDB::Table
    Properties:
    ProvisionedThroughput:
    WriteCapacityUnits: 5
    ReadCapacityUnits: 5
    AttributeDefinitions:
    - AttributeName: id
    AttributeType: S
    KeySchema:
    - KeyType: HASH
    AttributeName: id
    GetHtmlFunction:
    Type: AWS::Lambda::Function
    Properties:
    Handler: index.gethtml
    Code:
    S3Bucket: flourish-demo-bucket
    S3Key: todo_list.zip
    Role:
    Fn::GetAtt:
    - GetHtmlFunctionRole
    - Arn
    Runtime: nodejs4.3
    GetHtmlFunctionRole:
    Type: AWS::IAM::Role
    Properties:
    ManagedPolicyArns:
    - arn:aws:iam::aws:policy/AmazonDynamoDBReadOnlyAccess
    - arn:aws:iam::aws:policy/service-role/AWSLambdaBasicExecutionRole
    AssumeRolePolicyDocument:
    Version: '2012-10-17'
    Statement:
    - Action:
    - sts:AssumeRole
    Effect: Allow
    Principal:
    Service:
    - lambda.amazonaws.com
    ServerlessRestApiDeployment:
    Type: AWS::ApiGateway::Deployment
    Properties:
    RestApiId:
    Ref: ServerlessRestApi
    Description: 'RestApi deployment id: 127e3fb91142ab1ddc5f5446adb094442581a90d'
    StageName: Stage
    GetHtmlFunctionGetHtmlPermissionTest:
    Type: AWS::Lambda::Permission
    Properties:
    Action: lambda:invokeFunction
    Principal: apigateway.amazonaws.com
    FunctionName:
    Ref: GetHtmlFunction
    SourceArn:
    Fn::Sub: arn:aws:execute-api:${AWS::Region}:${AWS::AccountId}:${ServerlessRestApi}/*/ANY/*
    ServerlessRestApi:
    Type: AWS::ApiGateway::RestApi
    Properties:
    Body:
    info:
    version: '1.0'
    title:
    Ref: AWS::StackName
    paths:
    "/{proxy+}":
    x-amazon-apigateway-any-method:
    x-amazon-apigateway-integration:
    httpMethod: ANY
    type: aws_proxy
    uri:
    Fn::Sub: arn:aws:apigateway:${AWS::Region}:lambda:path/2015-03-
    31/functions/${GetHtmlFunction.Arn}/invocations
    responses: {}
    swagger: '2.0'
    CloudFormation template
    

    View Slide

12. AWS Serverless Application Model (SAM)
    CloudFormation extension optimized for
    serverless
    New serverless resource types:
    functions, APIs, and tables
    Supports anything CloudFormation supports
    Open specification (Apache 2.0)
    

    View Slide

13. AWSTemplateFormatVersion: '2010-09-09'
    Resources:
    GetHtmlFunctionGetHtmlPermissionProd:
    Type: AWS::Lambda::Permission
    Properties:
    Action: lambda:invokeFunction
    Principal: apigateway.amazonaws.com
    FunctionName:
    Ref: GetHtmlFunction
    SourceArn:
    Fn::Sub: arn:aws:execute-api:${AWS::Region}:${AWS::AccountId}:${ServerlessRestApi}/Prod/ANY/*
    ServerlessRestApiProdStage:
    Type: AWS::ApiGateway::Stage
    Properties:
    DeploymentId:
    Ref: ServerlessRestApiDeployment
    RestApiId:
    Ref: ServerlessRestApi
    StageName: Prod
    ListTable:
    Type: AWS::DynamoDB::Table
    Properties:
    ProvisionedThroughput:
    WriteCapacityUnits: 5
    ReadCapacityUnits: 5
    AttributeDefinitions:
    - AttributeName: id
    AttributeType: S
    KeySchema:
    - KeyType: HASH
    AttributeName: id
    GetHtmlFunction:
    Type: AWS::Lambda::Function
    Properties:
    Handler: index.gethtml
    Code:
    S3Bucket: flourish-demo-bucket
    S3Key: todo_list.zip
    Role:
    Fn::GetAtt:
    - GetHtmlFunctionRole
    - Arn
    Runtime: nodejs4.3
    GetHtmlFunctionRole:
    Type: AWS::IAM::Role
    Properties:
    ManagedPolicyArns:
    - arn:aws:iam::aws:policy/AmazonDynamoDBReadOnlyAccess
    - arn:aws:iam::aws:policy/service-role/AWSLambdaBasicExecutionRole
    AssumeRolePolicyDocument:
    Version: '2012-10-17'
    Statement:
    - Action:
    - sts:AssumeRole
    Effect: Allow
    Principal:
    Service:
    - lambda.amazonaws.com
    ServerlessRestApiDeployment:
    Type: AWS::ApiGateway::Deployment
    Properties:
    RestApiId:
    Ref: ServerlessRestApi
    Description: 'RestApi deployment id: 127e3fb91142ab1ddc5f5446adb094442581a90d'
    StageName: Stage
    GetHtmlFunctionGetHtmlPermissionTest:
    Type: AWS::Lambda::Permission
    Properties:
    Action: lambda:invokeFunction
    Principal: apigateway.amazonaws.com
    FunctionName:
    Ref: GetHtmlFunction
    SourceArn:
    Fn::Sub: arn:aws:execute-api:${AWS::Region}:${AWS::AccountId}:${ServerlessRestApi}/*/ANY/*
    ServerlessRestApi:
    Type: AWS::ApiGateway::RestApi
    Properties:
    Body:
    info:
    version: '1.0'
    title:
    Ref: AWS::StackName
    paths:
    "/{proxy+}":
    x-amazon-apigateway-any-method:
    x-amazon-apigateway-integration:
    httpMethod: ANY
    type: aws_proxy
    uri:
    Fn::Sub: arn:aws:apigateway:${AWS::Region}:lambda:path/2015-03-
    31/functions/${GetHtmlFunction.Arn}/invocations
    responses: {}
    swagger: '2.0'
    CloudFormation template
    

    View Slide

14. SAM template
    AWSTemplateFormatVersion: '2010-09-09’
    Transform: AWS::Serverless-2016-10-31
    Resources:
    GetHtmlFunction:
    Type: AWS::Serverless::Function
    Properties:
    CodeUri: s3://flourish-demo-bucket/todo_list.zip
    Handler: index.gethtml
    Runtime: nodejs4.3
    Policies: AmazonDynamoDBReadOnlyAccess
    Events:
    GetHtml:
    Type: Api
    Properties:
    Path: /{proxy+}
    Method: ANY
    ListTable:
    Type: AWS::Serverless::SimpleTable
    

    View Slide

15. AWS commands – Package & Deploy
    Package
    •Creates a deployment package (.zip file)
    •Uploads deployment package to an Amazon S3 bucket
    •Adds a CodeUri property with S3 URI
    Deploy
    •Calls CloudFormation ‘CreateChangeSet’ API
    •Calls CloudFormation ‘ExecuteChangeSet’ API
    

    View Slide

16. Versioning, Stages, Variables
    

    View Slide

17. Function versioning and aliases
    • Versions = immutable copies of
    code + configuration
    • Aliases = mutable pointers to
    versions
    • Development against $LATEST
    version
    • Each version/alias gets its own
    ARN
    • Enables rollbacks, staged
    promotions, “locked” behavior for
    client
    Lambda Function
    Version $LATEST
    Lambda Function
    Version 123
    Lambda Function
    DEV Alias
    Lambda Function
    BETA Alias
    Lambda Function
    PROD Alias
    

    View Slide

18. API Gateway Stages
    Stages are named links to a deployed
    version of your API
    Recommended for managing API lifecycle
    • dev/test/prod
    • alpha/beta/gamma
    Support for parameterized values via
    stage variables
    

    View Slide

19. Lambda Environment Variables
    Key-value pairs that you can dynamically pass to your
    function
    Available via standard environment variable APIs such as
    process.env for Node.js or os.environ for Python
    Can optionally be encrypted via KMS
    • Allows you to specify in IAM what roles have access to the keys
    to decrypt the information
    Useful for creating environments per stage (i.e. dev,
    testing, production)
    

    View Slide

20. API Gateway Stage Variables
    • Stage variables act like environment variables
    • Use stage variables to store configuration values
    • Stage variables are available in the $context object
    • Values are accessible from most fields in API Gateway
    • Lambda function ARN
    • HTTP endpoint
    • Custom authorizer function name
    • Parameter mappings
    

    View Slide

21. Stage variables and Lambda alias for stages
    Using Stage Variables in API Gateway together with Lambda function Aliases
    helps you manage a single API configuration and Lambda function for multiple
    stages
    myLambdaFunction
    1
    2
    3 = prod
    4
    5
    6 = beta
    7
    8 = dev
    My First API
    Stage variable = lambdaAlias
    Prod
    lambdaAlias = prod
    Beta
    lambdaAlias = beta
    Dev
    lambdaAlias = dev
    

    View Slide

22. Manage Multiple Versions and Stages of your APIs
    Works like a source repository – clone your API to create a new version:
    API 1
    (v1)
    Stage (dev)
    Stage (prod)
    API 2
    (v2)
    Stage (dev)
    

    View Slide

23. Continuous Integration &
    Continuous Delivery for
    Serverless Applications
    

    View Slide

24. Fully managed build service that compiles source code,
    runs tests, and produces software packages
    Scales continuously and processes multiple builds
    concurrently
    You can provide custom build environments suited to
    your needs via Docker images
    Only pay by the minute for the compute resources you
    use
    Launched with CodePipeline and Jenkins integration
    AWS CodeBuild
    

    View Slide

25. version: 0.1
    environment_variables:
    plaintext:
    "INPUT_FILE": "saml.yaml”
    "S3_BUCKET": "”
    phases:
    install:
    commands:
    - npm install
    pre_build:
    commands:
    - eslint *.js
    build:
    commands:
    - npm test
    post_build:
    commands:
    - aws cloudformation package --template $INPUT_FILE --s3-
    bucket $S3_BUCKET --output-template post-saml.yaml
    artifacts:
    type: zip
    files:
    - post-saml.yaml
    - beta.json
    buildspec.yml Example
    

    View Slide

26. version: 0.1
    environment_variables:
    plaintext:
    "INPUT_FILE": "saml.yaml”
    "S3_BUCKET": "”
    phases:
    install:
    commands:
    - npm install
    pre_build:
    commands:
    - eslint *.js
    build:
    commands:
    - npm test
    post_build:
    commands:
    - aws cloudformation package --template $INPUT_FILE --s3-
    bucket $S3_BUCKET --output-template post-saml.yaml
    artifacts:
    type: zip
    files:
    - post-saml.yaml
    - beta.json
    • Variables to be used by phases of
    build
    • Examples for what you can do in
    the phases of a build:
    • You can install packages or run
    commands to prepare your
    environment in ”install”.
    • Run syntax checking,
    commands in “pre_build”.
    • Execute your build
    tool/command in “build”
    • Test your app further or ship a
    container image to a repository
    in post_build
    • Create and store an artifact in S3
    buildspec.yml Example
    

    View Slide

27. Continuous delivery service for fast and
    reliable application updates
    Model and visualize your software release
    process
    Builds, tests, and deploys your code every time
    there is a code change
    Integrates with third-party tools and AWS
    AWS CodePipeline
    

    View Slide

28. Source
    Source
    GitHub
    Build
    CodeBuild
    AWS CodeBuild
    Deploy
    JavaApp
    Elastic Beanstalk
    Pipeline
    Stage
    Action
    Transition
    AWS CodePipeline
    MyApplication
    

    View Slide

29. Build
    CodeBuild
    AWS CodeBuild
    NotifyDevelopers
    Lambda
    Parallel actions
    Source
    Source
    GitHub
    Deploy
    JavaApp
    Elastic Beanstalk
    AWS CodePipeline
    MyApplication
    

    View Slide

30. Build
    CodeBuild
    AWS CodeBuild
    NotifyDevelopers
    Lambda
    TestAPI
    Runscope
    Sequential actions
    Deploy
    JavaApp
    Elastic Beanstalk
    Source
    Source
    GitHub
    AWS CodePipeline
    MyApplication
    

    View Slide

31. Build
    CodeBuild
    AWS CodeBuild
    Staging-Deploy
    JavaApp
    Elastic Beanstalk
    Prod-Deploy
    JavaApp
    Elastic Beanstalk
    QATeamReview
    Manual Approval Manual Approvals
    Review
    AWS CodePipeline
    MyApplication
    

    View Slide

32. Deploy via CodePipeline
    Pipeline flow:
    1. Commit your code to a source code repository
    2. Package in CodeBuild
    3. Use CloudFormation actions in CodePipeline to
    create or update stacks via SAM templates
    Optional: Make use of ChangeSets
    4. Make use of specific stage/environment
    parameter files to pass in Lambda variables
    5. Test our application between stages/environments
    Optional: Make use of Manual Approvals
    

    View Slide

33. AWS CodeStar
    New!
    

    View Slide

34. Metrics, Monitoring,
    Logs, and Profiling
    Serverless Applications
    

    View Slide

35. • Gain system-wide visibility into resource utilization,
    application performance, and operational health
    • Collect and track metrics with CloudWatch Metrics
    • Collect and monitor log files with CloudWatch Logs
    • Set alarms and send messages to SNS
    • Automatically react changes via CloudWatch Events
    Amazon CloudWatch
    

    View Slide

36. Lambda
    • Default (free) metrics:
    • Invocations
    • Duration
    • Throttles
    • Errors
    • Iterator Age
    • Create custom metrics from inside
    your application using “put-metric”
    API call.
    CloudWatch Metrics
    API Gateway
    • Default (free) metrics at Stage
    level:
    • Count
    • 4XXError
    • 5XXError
    • Latency
    • IntegrationLatency
    • CacheHitcount
    • CacheMissCount
    • Detailed metrics
    • Same set of metrics at method
    level
    • Can be enabled globally or only for
    specific methods
    

    View Slide

37. CloudWatch Logs
    Lambda Logging
    • Logging directly from your code
    • Basic request information included
    API Gateway Logging
    • 2 Levels of logging, ERROR and INFO
    • Optionally log method request/body content
    • Set globally in stage, or override per method
    Log Pivots
    • Build metrics based on log filters
    • Jump to logs that generated metrics
    

    View Slide

38. Custom
    CloudWatch
    Dashboards
    

    View Slide

39. • Identify performance bottlenecks and errors
    • Pinpoint issues to specific service(s) in your
    application
    • Identify impact of issues on users of the
    application
    • Visualize the service call graph of your
    application
    AWS X-Ray
    

    View Slide

40. Service map
    

    View Slide

41. Trace view
    

    View Slide

42. Putting it all together!
    • Bundling and Deploying
    • Continuous Integration & Continuous Delivery
    • Versioning, Stages, Variables
    • Metrics, Monitoring, Logs, and Profiling
    

    View Slide

43. Building on Lambda Functions
    Padraig O’Brien - Luciano Mammino
    

    View Slide

44. {
    “name”: “Padraig”,
    “job”: “engineer”,
    “twitter”: “@Podgeypoos79”,
    “extra”: [
    “NodeSchool organiser”,
    “LeanCoffee organiser”,
    “Tons of secret projects!”
    ]
    }
    

    View Slide

45. {
    “name”: “Luciano”,
    “job”: “engineer”,
    “twitter”: “@loige”,
    “Website”: “loige.co”
    “side-projects”: [
    “Node.js Design Patterns”,
    “Fullstack Bulletin”
    ]
    }
    

    View Slide

46. • UK energy supplier
    • ESB funded startup (25 people)
    • Targets energy intensive customers
    • Trading platform / billing / forecasting
    

    View Slide

47. Technology adoption by industry
    Source: BCG, Boston Consulting Group, 2016
    

    View Slide

48. Common startup goals
    • Quick and agile
    • High quality software
    

    View Slide

49. Our challenge
    • Grow customer base
    • Get to market fast
    • Bringing digital disruption
    in the energy industry
    

    View Slide

50. The Standing data service
    ● Download, process & store
    industry data
    ● Integration layer
    (REST Api) Get more
    details!
    

    View Slide

51. Recurring task
    • Software provisioning
    • Security patches
    • Be on call for down
    times
    First Design OVER-SIMPLIFIED
    AZ a AZ b AZ c
    

    View Slide

52. Drawbacks
    • Many moving parts
    • Steep learning curve
    • Significantly long time to market
    

    View Slide

53. Second (and current) design
    Dev. Experience
    • Write business logic
    • Define triggers
    (API Gateway or Schedule)
    • Deploy as Lambda
    

    View Slide

54. Some lessons learned
    • Infrastructure as code is hard
    • Lambda Function auto-scaling FTW!
    • Beware of soft limits
    

    View Slide

55. Some lessons learned
    • Local development was challenging
    • Orchestration of lambda functions
    • Managed service, less hassle
    

    View Slide

56. Some lessons learned
    • Got to focus on delivering.
    • Cost of $8 a month.
    • Best practices for larger projects are hard to
    find.
    

    View Slide

57. What’s up next (AWS Step Functions)
    

    View Slide

58. What’s up next
    • AWS X-Ray
    Improve debugging experience
    • AWS Glue (ETL)
    Simplify data import and synchronization
    • Amazon AI services & platforms
    Predicting electricity costs and consumption
    

    View Slide

59. Thank you
    www.planet9energy.com
    Talk to us at our Partner’s stand S28
    

    View Slide

60. Next steps
    • See https://aws.amazon.com/serverless for reference
    architectures, samples, and links to more content!
    • Explore the AWS SAM specification on GitHub
    • Visit the Lambda console, download a blueprint, and get
    started building your own Serverless Applications
    • Send us your questions, comments, and feedback on the
    AWS Lambda Forums.
    

    View Slide

61. Conclusion
    Lambda is a fundamental
    component of modern
    application architectures
    It has a place in everything
    from data processing to
    simple web apps
    

    View Slide

62. Thank you!
    @danilop
    

    View Slide