Initialize CloudFormation Template

Initialize CloudFormation Template

In this step, you will build the network infrastructure in AWS. In this section, you’ll leverage the template from AWS Quick Start to build a secure and high availability (HA) network infrastructure using AWS CloudFormation. This is the architecture that will be built from the template.

Launch CloudFormation

Hands-on with AWS CloudFormation

  1. Login to AWS Management Console

    • Find CloudFormation
    • Select CloudFormation

    Launch CloudFormation

  2. In the CloudFormation interface, select Create stack.

    Launch CloudFormation

  3. In the Create stack interface:

    Launch CloudFormation

  4. Implement stack configuration:

    • In Stack name, enter HybridDNS.
    • In Availability Zones, select ap-northeast-1a and ap-northeast-1.

    Launch CloudFormation

  5. Perform Network configuration:

    • In VPC CIDR, Private Subnet 1 & 2 CIDR, and Public Subnet 1 & 2 CIDR, keep the default values.
    • In Allowed Remote Desktop Gateway External Access CIDR, enter 0.0.0.0/0.

    Launch CloudFormation

    Note: The warning notice highlights that this configuration allows any IP to remote into the RDP port of the EC2 instance, which is not secure for production.

  6. In Amazon EC2 configuration step:

    • In Key Pair Name, select the previously created Key Pair (hybrid-DNS).
    • In Remote Desktop Gateway Instance Type, keep the default value (t2.large).
    • In Number of RDGW Hosts, keep the default value (1).
    • In Admin User Name, keep the default value (StackAdmin).
    • Admin Password, set an easy-to-remember password for you.

    Launch CloudFormation

    Note: The note provides additional information about the RDGW hosts and the use of AutoScaling groups for availability and scalability.

  7. For other options, keep the default value and select Next.

    Launch CloudFormation

  8. Select Next.

    Launch CloudFormation

  9. On the Review HybridDNS screen, check the settings again. Select the two checkboxes and select Create Stack.

    Launch CloudFormation

  10. The template takes about 15 minutes to complete. In the meantime, we’ll take a look at what the CloudFormation template will create. After completing the stack initialization, the stack state will change to CREATE_COMPLETE.

    Launch CloudFormation

  11. View Output of the newly created Stack.