Multi-Account Configuration Management In AWS
Designed and implemented a time-efficient, secure way of managing application configuration across multiple AWS Accounts using GitOps, AWS CodeBuild, SSM[...]
Designed and implemented a time-efficient, secure way of managing application configuration across multiple AWS Accounts using GitOps, AWS CodeBuild, SSM Parameter Store, and Ansible automation.
Table of Contents
Project Overview
Managing application configuration across multiple AWS accounts can be complex and error-prone. This project implements a GitOps-driven solution that automates configuration management using AWS SSM Parameter Store, ensuring consistency, security, and auditability across development, staging, and production environments.
Architecture
The solution leverages:
| Service | Function |
| AWS CodeBuild | Runtime |
| AWS SSM Parameter Store | Configuration Storage |
- **AWS CodeBuild** for automated deployment pipelines - **AWS SSM Parameter Store** for secure configuration storage - **GitOps** methodology for version-controlled configuration management - **Ansible** for configuration orchestration - **GitHub** for source control and change management
Key Features
Automated Configuration Deployment
Configuration changes are automatically deployed across environments through GitOps workflows:
1. Developers commit configuration changes to Git 2. CodeBuild pipeline validates configuration format 3. Ansible playbooks deploy to appropriate AWS accounts 4. SSM Parameter Store securely stores encrypted values
Security and Compliance
- All sensitive values encrypted using AWS KMS - Cross-account access controlled via IAM roles - Full audit trail of configuration changes - Secure parameter hierarchies by environment
Environment Isolation
- Separate parameter namespaces per environment - Account-level isolation for production workloads - Consistent naming conventions across accounts - Environment-specific encryption keys
Implementation Benefits
Operational Efficiency
- **90% reduction** in configuration deployment time - **Zero manual errors** in production deployments - **Automated rollback** capabilities for quick recovery - **Self-service** configuration updates for development teams
Security Improvements
- Centralized secret management - Encrypted storage of all sensitive configuration - Role-based access control - Complete audit logging
Scalability
- Support for unlimited AWS accounts - Hierarchical configuration inheritance - Template-based configuration generation - Cross-region parameter replication
Technical Implementation
The solution consists of several key components:
GitOps Workflow
Configuration is stored in Git repositories with environment-specific branches. Changes trigger automated pipelines that validate, test, and deploy configurations to the appropriate AWS accounts.
Ansible Automation
Ansible playbooks handle the deployment logic, including:
- Parameter validation and formatting - Cross-account role assumption - Batch parameter updates - Error handling and rollback procedures
SSM Parameter Store Structure
Parameters are organized in a hierarchical structure:
``` /application/{environment}/{service}/{parameter-name} ```
This structure enables: - Easy parameter discovery - Environment-specific overrides - Service-level isolation - Consistent naming conventions
AWS CodeBuild Pipeline
The CI/CD pipeline includes:
1. **Validation Stage**: YAML/JSON syntax checking 2. **Security Scan**: Credential leak detection 3. **Deployment Stage**: Ansible-driven parameter updates 4. **Verification Stage**: Parameter value confirmation
Results and Impact
Metrics
- **Deployment Time**: Reduced from 45 minutes to 4 minutes - **Error Rate**: Decreased from 15% to 0.2% - **Configuration Drift**: Eliminated through automated enforcement - **Security Compliance**: 100% encrypted parameter storage
Business Value
- Faster feature delivery through efficient configuration management - Reduced operational overhead and manual errors - Enhanced security posture with centralized secret management - Improved compliance through automated audit trails
Technologies Used
- **AWS CodeBuild** - CI/CD automation - **AWS SSM Parameter Store** - Configuration storage - **AWS IAM** - Access control and security - **Ansible** - Configuration orchestration - **GitHub** - Source control and GitOps workflows - **YAML/JSON** - Configuration format standards
This project demonstrates how combining GitOps methodologies with AWS native services can create a highly efficient, secure, and scalable configuration management solution suitable for enterprise environments.