Discover how integrating Amazon WorkSpaces with AWS OpsWorks for Chef Automate can simplify the management of Amazon Linux WorkSpaces at scale
Key Takeaways:
- Amazon Web Services, like Amazon WorkSpaces, dominate the market, providing reliable experience and security
- Migrating to Linux WorkSpaces cuts costs and provides numerous advantages in scalability
- Learn how AWS OpsWorks for Chef Automate works and how to set it up to simplify the management of Amazon Linux WorkSpaces at scale
- CloudHesive has the resources to help you grow globally
Amazon Web Services (AWS) continues to dominate the cloud computing market, accounting for over 30% of the global expenditure on cloud infrastructure. Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos attributed this to its seven-year head start over other competitors.
Among Amazon’s web services is Amazon WorkSpaces, a managed, cloud-based virtual desktop service with comprehensive security. It can connect to both Windows and Linux desktops in almost 200 countries, providing huge growth potential and scalability. Simplifying management of cloud-based networks is becoming more and more important as the need for remote workers with secure access grows in proportion to globalization and consumer demand.
When it comes to scalability, using the Linux OS can cut expansion costs and reduce financial risk. If Amazon Linux WorkSpaces is used in connection with other AWS products, it can greatly simplify managing your global network as your organization grows.
Using AWS OpsWorks for Chef Automate to manage Amazon Linux WorkSpaces at scale
AWS OpsWorks is a service that does configuration management for Chef Automate servers, which can be set up and provisioned in a matter of minutes. No additional installations are necessary, and updates, patches, and backups are continuously managed. AWS OpsWorks for Chef Automate can:
- Automate testing and compliance for security
- Provide continuous configuration management
- Manage hybrid environments
Chef Automate itself is a tool for automating tasks performed in the management of Amazon Linux WorkSpaces. All necessary communication is accomplished through code written in Ruby, contained in what’s called Cookbooks and Recipes. These ensure that all nodes on any scale conform to our desired configuration. Some of the common tasks it automates are:
- Configuration on Amazon Linux WorkSpaces
- Package installation and version enforcement
- Configuration of access and controls
- Benchmarking and remediation of security and compliance
Setting up AWS OpsWorks for Chef Automate
So how do you deploy AWS OpsWorks for Chef Automate to simplify the management of Amazon Linux WorkSpaces at any scale?
1. Set up the Chef Automate Server using AWS OpsWorks
AWS OpsWorks provides options depending on the size of the organization and how many nodes it requires. It’s crucial at this point to decide whether the server will be in the same Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) as the desktops or not.
Decide the subnet and make the IP address public to be able to access the Chef Automate console. Maintenance and backup scheduling are configured at this point as well. A Starter Kit is provided, containing necessary documentation to set up a configuration file for desktops.
Note: Credentials are only shown once, so if you fail to download and save them, you will need to create a new server as they cannot be retrieved.
2. Bring Amazon Linux WorkSpaces under the management of the Chef Automate server using the client method
Follow the steps to launch an Amazon WorkSpace and create a directory of users. If the credentials and development kit were downloaded, they will be imported into the WorkSpace. Unzip the development kit and create your configuration. Download the Chef Client to the node and run it in order to register the node. Open the Chef Automate Dashboard, enter credentials, and verify the node has checked in.
3. Configure image for automatic registration of Amazon Linux WorkSpaces as a node.
Once you’ve configured one node, you can create an image to automate deploying all future WorkSpaces. There are various ways to do it.
4. Run CIS benchmark scans and perform management actions.
In the Chef Automate Dashboard, scans can be run on the registered nodes to assess and perform multiple tasks. Download or create the scanning profile. Use Cookbooks and Recipes to take action on the result of the scans.
CloudHesive can help
The main advantage of using AWS OpsWorks for Chef Automate is simplifying the management of Amazon Linux WorkSpaces regardless of the scale. It’s designed to be reliable and secure, offering rapid growth with reduced cost and risk, and it works just as well for 10 users as for 10,000 users.
Our professionally trained team at CloudHesive stands ready to help you grow your organization with simplicity and finesse for consulting, management, and solutions with global scalability. To learn more about how to manage Amazon Linux WorkSpaces at scale, call CloudHesive today.
