Project Overview:
In this comprehensive project, I designed and implemented a secure, scalable web application architecture using Microsoft Azure. The architecture leveraged a jump box provisioner with Ansible for automated configuration management, ensuring efficient and consistent deployment of Docker containers across multiple web servers.
Architecture Details:
- Jump Box Provisioner: Served as the secure entry point for administrative tasks. It was configured to allow SSH access (port 22) exclusively from my home network, enhancing security by restricting unauthorized access.
- Ansible Configuration Management: Utilized from the jump box to automate the deployment and management of web servers running Docker containers. Ansible played a critical role in streamlining the setup process and maintaining consistency across deployments.
- Docker Containers: Each web server hosted Docker containers that ran the web application, ensuring isolated environments for application operation which improves security and reduces conflicts between servers.
- Load Balancer: Placed in front of the web servers to distribute incoming traffic evenly among them, enhancing the application’s availability and reliability. The load balancer was configured to handle traffic on ports 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS), making the web application accessible to the public.
- Network Security Groups (NSGs): Critical in defining security rules to control inbound and outbound traffic within the Azure network. The NSGs were specifically configured to:
- Allow only my home network to SSH into the jump box on port 22.
- Enable open access to the public for HTTP and HTTPS traffic through the load balancer.
Security and Efficiency:
This architecture not only ensured that the web application could handle increased traffic with minimal downtime but also emphasized security at every layer. By using a jump box with restricted access and managing applications in isolated Docker containers, the setup protected against various security threats. Additionally, network security groups were meticulously configured to ensure that only authorized traffic could access critical resources, safeguarding the entire infrastructure.
Outcome:
The deployment demonstrated effective use of cloud resources to create a robust, secure, and scalable web application environment. This project highlighted my capabilities in utilizing advanced cloud architecture principles and security practices to manage and deploy secure web applications efficiently.
