How to stay sane during your Vagrant journey

It's crucial to make sure everyone's local environment is identical if you're a part of geographically distributed team and your project is composed of many services. It's also quite unlikely that all cogs in your app will spin self-sufficiently. Search engines, various APIs, authentication endpoints and HTTP accelerators - all of these services are standard these days. Your app is a part of a much wider picture.
This complexity forces you not only to broaden your mind during design phase, but it also affects the way your software is deployed. All the moving parts should be available on every single environment - including the one that works on your machine. Having in mind aforementioned complexity double click on a ZIP file is a poor man's solution. Duct taping things will end badly. And if anything can go wrong, it will, so better be prepared.
Our goal was clear - portable, versionable and predictable environment everyone can run. Throughout our journey with Vagrant, Packer and Chef we learned a lot of things:
- how box over-optimization can lead to poor user experience
- why it's important to make first "vagrant up" as quick as possible
- not everything should be dockerized
- Vagrant box is a 'virtual' release artifact and needs the same care your app receives
- successful Packer build is often half of the story
- why Consul deployment in a Vagrant box is not as trivial as it may sound
- how to optimize long Chef runs and provide more granular approach to your dev team
- it's surprisingly easy to get from "I don't want to run any VMs on my laptop!" to "Hope you have Vagrant for that"

Transcript

1. How to stay sane during your Vagrant journey Jakub Wądołowski
2. • Focus goes primarily towards staging and production • Local environments are often underrated and left behind • Engineers need their own playgrounds Environment hierarchy https://flic.kr/p/daxeMY
3. Why should I care about local environments?
4. Everyone runs the same https://flic.kr/p/aiBHiz
5. Fast onboarding https://flic.kr/p/dMP2zA
6. Break things! https://flic.kr/p/c7a8iE
7. Experiment! https://flic.kr/p/pZg3vQ
8. Start over any time you need it https://flic.kr/p/8Mw9gq
9. Before Vagrant
10. • ZIP files everywhere • Build it once and ZIP it! • … • xyz-aem-author.zip • xyz-aem-author (copy).zip • xyz-aem-author_20140112.zip • xyz-aem-publish_backup.zip • xyz-aem-publish_recovery_061213.zip • john’s-aem-author (backup).zip • 1307120312-aem (copy).zip Back in the days… https://flic.kr/p/nD6HMe
11. • The overall complexity increased • Much more moving parts • Whatever Works™ doesn’t scale anymore • New technologies emerged Things have changed https://flic.kr/p/EQbNYd
12. • Isolation • Reliability • Completeness • Ability to upgrade • Decent UX The right balance https://flic.kr/p/6cKwNy
13. • Makes very little sense due to underlying architecture • Introduces differences between dev and prod • Vast majority of the team runs Windows Why not Docker? https://flic.kr/p/9Y5SVV
14. Vagrant beginnings
15. VAGRANTFILE_API_VERSION = '2' Vagrant.require_version '>= 1.5.0' Vagrant.configure(VAGRANTFILE_API_VERSION) do |config| config.vm.hostname = 'project-vagrant' config.vm.box = 'opscode-centos-6.6' config.vm.box_url = 'http://whatever.s3.amazonaws.com/opscode-centos-6.6.box' config.vm.network :private_network, ip: '192.168.123.123' config.vm.network 'forwarded_port', guest: 6002, host: 4502 config.vm.network 'forwarded_port', guest: 26002, host: 24502 config.vm.provider 'virtualbox' do |v| v.memory = 3072 v.cpus = 2 end config.omnibus.chef_version = '11.16.4' config.berkshelf.enabled = true config.vm.provision :chef_solo do |chef| chef.json = {} chef.run_list = [ 'recipe[cognifide-base::default]', 'recipe[project-webapp::author_base]', 'recipe[project-webapp::author_app]', 'recipe[project-httpd::default]' ] end end
16. • Pros • full application stack • provisioned the same way as all other environments (Chef) • all in one box • managed as Chef cookbook Nothing extraordinary, huh? https://flic.kr/p/dwvcSo • Cons • based on completely clean box • first vagrant up takes over 2 hours • everyone waits for the same process to complete • poor user experience
17. Custom boxes
18. • Veewee was first (released in 2011) • Packer came into play in 2013 • Both tools require something that underpins the build process Build your own box https://flic.kr/p/cMBbTu
19. • In-house tool that goes through 3 phases • prepare • build (Packer) • release • Requires physical machine Build process https://flic.kr/p/GQopsq
21. { "builders": [ { "type": "virtualbox-ovf", "vm_name": "{{user `image_name`}}" } ], "post-processors": [ { "output": "{{user `packer_build_dir`}}/{{.Provider}}/{{user `image_name`}}-{{user `image_version`}}.box", "type": "vagrant" } ], "provisioners": [ { "chef_environment": "app-packer", "run_list": [ "recipe[xyz-base::hostname]", "recipe[xyz-base::lvm]" ], "validation_key_path": "{{user `chef_validation_key_path`}}" }, { "scripts": [ "scripts/aem/remove_tmp.sh", "scripts/generic/minimize.sh" ], "type": "shell" } ], "variables": { "chef_validation_key_path": "{{env `CHEF_VALIDATION_KEY_PATH`}}", "description": "xyz full-stack box", "image_name": "xyz-full-stack", "image_version": "0.9.1", "packer_build_dir": "{{env `PACKER_BUILD_DIR`}}", } }
22. • Build takes 1-3 hours (varies by project) • Packer destroys everything on error • Say hello to github.com/mitchellh/packer/issues/409 • Extremely frustrating at the very beginning • Even more frustrating when it happens during box export Take your time… https://flic.kr/p/e88Ce2
23. • Set TMP variable to custom location • Use environment variables for configuration • Save Chef environment to file upon successful build • Create tags in your repository • Reduce box size, but… • Great examples: github.com/chef/bento Build tuning https://flic.kr/p/9hTC27
24. • Why one VM is better than many? • Consider incremental boxes • Don’t repeat yourself (start from scratch) Even more tuning https://flic.kr/p/kmYSYT
25. • HashiCorp Atlas • Build your internal Vagrant Cloud Atlas • 3rd party services, i.e. Artifactory Box distribution https://flic.kr/p/5EBCiH
26. VAGRANTFILE_API_VERSION = '2' Vagrant.require_version '>= 1.5.0' Vagrant.configure(VAGRANTFILE_API_VERSION) do |config| config.vm.hostname = 'project-vagrant' config.vm.box = 'project-full-stack' config.vm.box_url = 'https://boxes.example.com/project-full-stack/' config.vm.box_version = '0.6.2' config.vm.box_check_update = true config.vm.network :private_network, ip: '192.168.123.123' config.vm.network 'forwarded_port', guest: 6002, host: 4502 config.vm.network 'forwarded_port', guest: 26002, host: 24502 config.vm.provider 'virtualbox' do |v| v.memory = 3072 v.cpus = 2 end config.omnibus.chef_version = '11.16.4' config.berkshelf.enabled = true config.vm.provision :chef_zero do |chef| chef.json = {} chef.run_list = [ 'recipe[cognifide-base::default]', 'recipe[project-webapp::author_base]', 'recipe[project-webapp::author_app]', 'recipe[project-httpd::default]' ] end end
27. • vagrant up provides complete environment • Don’t force vagrant provision on first run • All services are in place Final product https://flic.kr/p/gs9NMG
28. On-going work with Vagrant
29. • Preserve habits and routines • Compile/build/install flow stays the same • No config changes is required • Feels like a first-class environment • Easy to upgrade Provisioning rules https://flic.kr/p/csrifU
30. • git pull && berks update && vagrant provision • git pull && berks update && vagrant provision • git pull && ᐺ΅ᐺ͢Κ͹ͼͫ͹·ΠͶ͢ Keep it simple https://flic.kr/p/iYHqv2
31. Featureful, but slow and heavy https://flic.kr/p/9nHAfM
32. Better UX , much faster https://flic.kr/p/nA2Tf1
33. • Automate repetitive tasks • Reduce CLI complexity • Eliminate confusion related to Berkshelf • 15 minutes to deploy a single config change?! • 8/789 resources updated in 04 minutes 41 seconds?! Time to rake https://flic.kr/p/aEaKWh
34. Vagrant.require_version '~> 1.8.1' Vagrant.configure(VAGRANTFILE_API_VERSION) do |config| config.vm.hostname = 'project-vagrant' config.vm.box = 'project-full-stack' config.vm.box_url = 'https://boxes.example.com/project-full-stack/' config.vm.box_version = '1.2.1' config.vm.box_check_update = true config.vm.provider 'virtualbox' do |v| v.memory = ENV['VAGRANT_MEM'] || 6144 v.cpus = ENV['VAGRANT_CPU'] || 2 v.linked_clone = true end config.berkshelf.enabled = false if Vagrant.has_plugin?('vagrant-berkshelf') config.vm.provision :chef_solo do |chef| chef.node_name = 'project-vagrant' chef.cookbooks_path = 'cookbooks' run_lists = {} run_lists['empty'] = [] run_lists['httpd'] = [ 'recipe[project-httpd::default]' ] run_lists['tomcat_baseline'] = [ 'recipe[project-tomcat::default]' ] run_lists['tomcat_full'] = [ 'recipe[project-tomcat::default]', 'recipe[project-tomcat::app]' ] # Fallback to empty run list if there's no .run_list file rl = File.read('.run_list') rescue 'empty' chef.run_list = run_lists[rl] File.delete('.run_list') rescue nil # Once read this file is redundant end end
35. services = [ { 'httpd' => 'Provision Apache configuration' }, { 'tomcat_baseline' => 'Provision Tomcat' }, { 'tomcat_full' => 'Provision Tomcat and install apps' }, ] namespace 'berkshelf' do file 'Berksfile.lock' => 'Berksfile' do sh 'berks update || berks install' Rake::Task['berkshelf:vendor'].execute end task :vendor do sh 'berks vendor cookbooks' end end namespace 'vagrant' do task :up do sh 'vagrant up --no-provision --no-color' end task :provision => 'Berksfile.lock' do sh 'vagrant provision --no-color' end end namespace 'provision' do services.each do |s| desc "#{s.values.first}" task :"#{s.keys.first}" do File.open('.run_list', 'w') { |f| f.write(s.keys.first) } Rake::Task['vagrant:provision'].invoke end end end
36. desc 'Install all required Vagrant plugins' task :init do sh 'vagrant plugin install vagrant-hostmanager' end desc 'Remove old Vagrant boxes to reclaim disk space' task :clean do vf = File.read('Vagrantfile') box_name = vf[/config.vm.box = '([^']+)'/,1] box_version = vf[/config.vm.box_version = '([^']+)'/,1] old_versions = [] %x(vagrant box list).lines.grep(/#{box_name}/).each do |l| # Line format: BOX_NAME (PROVIDER, VERSION) m = l.match(/(?:[^\ ]+)\ +\((?:[^,]+),\ (?<version>.+)\)/) old_versions.push(m['version']) if m['version'] != box_version end old_versions.each do |v| sh "vagrant box remove #{box_name} --box-version #{v}" end end desc 'Start Vagrant and skip provisioning part' task :up => 'vagrant:up' task :provision => 'vagrant:provision' desc 'Refresh all cookbook dependecies' task :refresh do sh 'berks update' Rake::Task['berkshelf:vendor'].invoke end
37. The reward https://flic.kr/p/do51TU
38. $ rake -T rake clean # Remove old Vagrant boxes to reclaim disk space rake refresh # Refresh all cookbook dependecies rake init # Install all required Vagrant plugins rake provision:httpd # Provision Apache configuration rake provision:tomcat_baseline # Provision Tomcat rake provision:tomcat_full # Provision Tomcat and install all apps rake up # Start Vagrant and skip provisioning part $ rake provision:httpd vagrant provision --no-color ==> default: Running provisioner: chef_solo... ==> default: Detected Chef (latest) is already installed ==> default: Generating chef JSON and uploading... ==> default: Running chef-solo... ==> default: Compiling Cookbooks… ... ==> default: [2016-06-10T08:35:02+02:00] INFO: Chef Run complete in 9.854542964 seconds ==> default: [2016-06-10T08:35:02+02:00] INFO: Skipping removal of unused files from the cache ==> default: ==> default: Running handlers: ==> default: [2016-06-10T08:35:02+02:00] INFO: Running report handlers ==> default: Running handlers complete ==> default: [2016-06-10T08:35:02+02:00] INFO: Report handlers complete ==> default: Chef Client finished, 0/34 resources updated in 11 seconds
39. • Does it make any sense? • Consul + dnsmasq • Update nameservers in /etc/resolv.conf • Prevent DNS changes via /etc/dhcp/dhclient-enter-hooks • Works most of the time Service discovery and Vagrant https://flic.kr/p/83mv7r
40. make_resolv_conf(){ : } # /etc/dhcp/dhclient-enter-hooks: line 1: make_resolv_conf(){ # /etc/dhcp/dhclient-enter-hooks: line 1: syntax error near unexpected token {
41. • EOL characters (.gitattributes) • Chef Solo vs Chef Zero • https://github.com/chef/chef/issues/4980 • Less plugins equals faster processing • Useful helpers • Vagrant.require_version • Vagrant.has_plugin?(‘plugin') • Vagrant::VERSION =~ /^1.8/ Vagrant tips https://flic.kr/p/nzMBtw
42. https://flic.kr/p/tt2yB7