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Create Stacks

Stacks in StackGuardian enable the automation and sequencing of related workflows, with each workflow seamlessly passing its outputs as inputs to the next. The aws-full-stack example template streamlines the provisioning of an AWS Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) environment by orchestrating workflows to create a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), deploy an EKS cluster, configure managed node groups, and set up an Nginx service using Helm.

Steps to Create Stack​

Step 1: Navigate to the Workflow Groups​

  1. Go to Orchestrator > Workflow Groups in the sidebar.
  2. Click the "Stacks" tab, then "Create Stack" > "Use Dev Portal (Preview)" to begin.

Step 2: Search and Select the Template​

  1. In the Dev Portal preview, choose Template and search for aws-full-stack in the Search bar.
  2. Click "Use" to select the aws-full-stack template.

Step 3: Configure Stack Meta Details​

  1. Fill in the following fields:
    • Workflow Group Name: Select a workflow group from the dropdown.
    • Stack Name*: Provide a unique name for your stack.
    • Description: Add a brief description (e.g., AWS EKS full-stack deployment).
    • Add Tags: Enter tags to categorize the stack.
  2. (Optional) Enable Advanced Configuration to specify:
    • Runtime Environment: Set execution details and allocate resources.
    • Resources and Events: Configure deployment triggers.
  3. Click "Next: Variables".

Step 4: Configure Workflows​

The aws-full-stack template includes the following workflows:

  1. terraform-aws-vpc-stripped: Provisions a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) with subnets, route tables, and internet gateways.
    • Fields to Fill:
      • VPC Name: Enter a name for the VPC (e.g., aws-eks-vpc-demo).
      • Region: Select an AWS region based on your deployment:
        • For EU: Ireland (eu-west-1) or Frankfurt (eu-central-1)
        • For US: Ohio (us-east-2) or Oregon (us-west-2)

  1. terraform-aws-eks-stripped: Deploys an Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) cluster in AWS.
    • Fields to Fill:
      • Cluster Name: Provide a name for the EKS cluster (e.g., eks-cluster-demo).
      • Cluster Version: Select the Kubernetes version (e.g., 1.29).

  1. terraform-aws-eks-managed-node-group-stripped: Configures managed node groups for worker nodes in the EKS cluster. Use default values for all fields.

  2. helm_nginx: Deploys an Nginx service using Helm on the EKS cluster. Use default values for all fields.

Click "Next: Connector Env" after completing these configurations.

Step 5: Connect Your Deployment Environment​

  1. Select a pre-configured connector (e.g., aws-demo) or create a new one.
  2. Optionally, assign individual connectors to each workflow in the stack. Click "Next: Runtime Environment".

Step 6: Define the Runtime Environment​

  1. Configure execution behaviors, state management, lifecycle steps, and private runner integrations.
  2. Use pre-configured connectors or define new runtime variables as needed. Click "Next: Resources & Events".

Step 7: Configure Resources & Events​

  1. Add resources, execution schedules, and workflow chaining.
tip

For guidance on generating a Cron expression for your execution schedule, refer to this documentation:
Creating Cron Expressions for Scheduled Events

  1. Set webhook integrations for automated triggers. Click "Next: Meta".

Step 8: Finalize Workflow Meta Details​

  1. Fill in the following fields:
    • Workflow Name: Provide a unique name for the workflow.
    • Description: Add a brief description (e.g., AWS EKS full-stack deployment).
    • Add Tags: Categorize the workflow with tags.
  2. Click "Launch" to create and execute the stack.

Steps to Deploy Stack​

You have successfully created and deployed a stack using the aws-full-stack template. To learn how to update an existing stack, check out our guide on Updating Stacks.