.NET Day 2023: Continuous Deployment Showdown: Traditional CI/CD vs. GitOps

In this session, we will compare traditional CI/CD and GitOps approaches to continuous deployment. Using practical examples, we will demonstrate how to implement both methods using Azure Pipelines and FluxCD. In traditional CI/CD workflows, code changes are pushed through a pipeline to reach production, while in GitOps, changes are submitted and detected by a GitOps agent that synchronizes them with the production environment. We will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each method and how to optimize your continuous deployment process using Azure Pipelines and FluxCD. Attendees will learn which method is best suited for their needs and how to improve software development and deployment.

Transcript

1. Continuous Deployment Showdown: Traditional CI/CD vs. GitOps Marc Müller Principal Consultant marc.mueller@4tecture.ch @muellermarc www.4tecture.ch
3. Slide Download https://www.4tecture.ch/events/dotnetday2023
4. Agenda ▪ Intro ▪ Setup ▪ Implementing the Deployment ▪ Staging ▪ Automatic Updates ▪ Cluster Setup with Azure Pipelines ▪ Conclusion
5. Intro
6. Once upon a time… Source: https://pixabay.com/de/illustrations/ai-generiert-mann-designer-7974535/, https://imgflip.com/i/7x3amn, https://imgflip.com/i/7x3apt, https://imgflip.com/i/7x3at0 * pretty similar
7. Our playground… ▪ ASP.NET Core Application ▪ Dockerized ▪ Kubernetes deployment environment
8. Kubernetes Deployment Deployment Pod Service Pod Pod Ingress Secret Secret Secret ConfigMap HPA ReplicaSet dapr component Sidecar Pod
9. We focus on deployment …this is the build
10. Kustomize ▪ Standalone tool ▪ for customizing Kubernetes objects ▪ by using a declarative configuration language ▪ Built-in in kubectl since 1.14 ▪ kustomization.yaml → procecces resources ▪ Bases and overlays ▪ Patches, ConfigMaps and Secrets, Variable substitution
11. Helm ▪ Package Manger for Kubernetes ▪ Define, install and upgrade Kubernetes applications ▪ Configuration based on «Charts» Source: https://helm.sh/
12. Helm Features ▪ Manage Complexity ▪ Charts describe even the most complex apps ▪ Provide repeatable application installation ▪ Serve as a single point of authority ▪ Easy Updates ▪ Take the pain out of updates ▪ In-place upgrades ▪ Custom hooks. ▪ Simple Sharing ▪ Versioning ▪ Easy to share, and host on public or private servers ▪ Rollbacks ▪ Use helm rollback to roll back to an older version of a release with ease. Source: https://helm.sh/
13. Source: https://imgflip.com/i/7xal0f
14. GitOps ▪ Declarative Configuration: ▪ System state is described in a declarative manner, usually using files like YAML. ▪ Version-Controlled System State: ▪ Desired system state is stored in a version control system, typically Git. ▪ Git serves as the single source of truth. ▪ Automated Delivery: ▪ Changes in the Git repository trigger automatic system updates. ▪ Software Agents Ensure System Convergence: ▪ Tools continuously monitor and ensure the actual system state matches the desired state in the Git repository. ▪ Any discrepancies lead the system to self-correct to match the desired state. ▪ Infrastructure as Code (IaC): ▪ Infrastructure setup and configuration are defined and version-controlled as code. ▪ Enhanced Visibility and Traceability: ▪ All changes are tracked, auditable, and can be rolled back using Git's capabilities. ▪ Reduced Manual Intervention: ▪ Direct changes to production are discouraged. ▪ Changes are made via pull requests or commits to the repository.
15. GitOps By following these principles, GitOps aims to make operations and deployment more consistent, repeatable, and secure.
16. Setup
17. General Setup Deployment Target (k8s) Config (Git) Artifacts (Container Registry) Deployer App Container Image Helm Chart
18. Azure Pipelines
19. Base Infrastructure CD Service CD Pipeline Design Base Infrastructure Template Resource Template Resource Template Dev/Test Prod Service CI Build Stage PR Stage Testing PreProd Prod Compile Service DB Schema Compile System Tests Infrastructure Artifacts Pipeline Artifacts Task / Job Templates Task / Job Templates Resource Groups, vNets, VMs, Azure SQL, CosmosDB, … App Deployment, DB instance, DB Schema, Managed Identities, Storage, … Deplyoment Verification
20. Azure DevOps & AKS CI / CD Azure DevOps CI Pipeline Azure DevOps CD Pipeline Container Registry Build App Test Build Container Repo Configuration Helm Upgrade AKS (Cluster) Helm Chart Package Push Cluster Pull container image Release Pull Helm chart
21. Configuration as Code ▪ Pipelines, Templates, Variables / Values files stored in Git ▪ Do not store secrets in Git! ▪ Mono-Repo / Repo per Service ▪ Staging is implemented by ▪ Feature Branches → PR → PR Deployment with QA → PR Approval / Integration ▪ Main Branch → Pre Production → Production (checks and approvals, deployment rings)
24. helm upgrade --install azdodeploymentagent \ .\charts\deploymentagent \ --namespace azdoagent \ --create-namespace \ --set agent.pool=k8sdemodeployment\ --set agent.token=xxxx
25. Flux
26. FluxCD ▪ Open-source GitOps toolkit for Kubernetes ▪ Part of the CNCF ▪ Monitors Git repositories ▪ Automatically applies the changes to the cluster
27. Flux Source Controller
28. Flux Kustomize Controller
29. Flux Helm Controller
30. Flux Notification Controller
31. Flux Image Update Automation
32. Setup Flux ▪ Install the CLI ▪ Installation in k8s ▪ flux bootstrap ▪ flux install ▪ Add kustomizations, sources, … Deployment Target (k8s) Config (Git) Artifacts (Container Registry) Flux Controller Flux Controller Flux Controller Flux Controller
33. Implementing the Deployment
34. Azure Pipelines
35. CD Pipeline with CI Resource
36. Define Versioning
37. Deployment Job
38. Deployment
39. Deployment
40. Configuration
41. Flux
42. Kustomization
43. Helm Repository
44. Helm Release
45. Configuration
46. Unique Resource Names
47. Staging
48. Azure Pipelines
49. Pipeline Stages
50. Environments
51. Dedicated Settings per Stage
52. Dedicated Settings per Stage
53. Flux
54. Structuring Best Practices ▪ Use base configuration with overlays ▪ Overlay config maps / secrets ▪ Overlay objects with patches - apps - application1 - base - overlays - dev - prod - application2 - base - overlays - dev - prod
55. Structure
56. Overlay Kustomization
57. Overlay Values
58. Patch Release
59. Add dedicated objects
60. Automatic Updates
61. Azure Pipelines
62. Out-of-the box: triggers and branches ▪ Pipeline Triggers on Source Update ▪ Use a branching concept and PR workflow ▪ PR deployments ▪ Checks and Approvals
63. Flux
64. GitOps ▪ Git Repo defines what is deployed ▪ No update without new commit Repo Updates ▪ Task after successful CI ▪ Listen for new images / Helm charts
65. Flux Image Automation ▪ Monitor Container Registry ▪ Analyze updates based on policy ▪ Change configuration – commit change in GIT repo ▪ Standard GitOps flow is triggered
66. Image Repository
67. Image Policy
68. Image Update Automation
70. Updates
71. Updates
72. Cluster Setup with Azure Pipelines
73. Deploy Cluster Services ▪ Cluster setup has a lot of Helm chart deployments ▪ Configuration as Code ▪ Pipeline automation on configuration object ▪ Runtime Parameters / Parameters support objects ▪ Define your cluster configuration as object
74. Parameter with all charts
76. Add and update Helm Repos
77. Install helm charts
78. Conclusion
79. Comparison Pipelines ▪ Everything in Git ▪ Versatile ▪ Full DevOps Lifecycle ▪ End-to-end Traceability ▪ Integrated Test Automation Flux ▪ Everything in Git ▪ K8s Deployments ▪ Focus on Continuous Deployment ▪ Independent / Various Sources
80. Conclusion ▪ Both provide a state-of-the-art deployment ▪ Git is the source of truth ▪ We use ▪ Azure Pipelines: Classic Development to Deployment (CI/CD) ▪ Flux: disconnected from development / prod cluster deployment
81. Q & A
82. Thank you for your attention! If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us: 4tecture GmbH Marc Müller Industriestrasse 25 Principal Consultant CH-8604 Volketswil +41 44 508 37 00 marc.mueller@4tecture.ch info@4tecture.ch @muellermarc www.4tecture.ch www.powerofdevops.com