Automated Testing of AWS CloudFormation Template | Best Practices

Automated Testing of AWS CloudFormation Template

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Question

As part of your deployment pipeline, you want to enable automated testing of your AWS CloudFormation template.

What testing should be performed to enable faster feedback while minimizing costs and risk? Select three answers from the options given below.

Answers

A. Use the AWS CloudFormation Validate Template to validate the syntax of the template

B. Use the AWS CloudFormation Validate Template to validate the properties of resources defined in the template.

C. Validate the template’s is syntax using a general JSON parser.

D. Validate the AWS CloudFormation template against the official XSD scheme definition published by Amazon Web Services.

E. In the testing environment create and update the stack with the template. If the template fails rollback will return the stack and its resources to exactly the same state.

F. In the testing environment, while creating the stack, specify an Amazon SNS topic for subscription. Your testing environment runs tests when it receives notification when the stack is created or updated.

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Explanations

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A. B. C. D. E. F.

Answer - A,E and F.

The AWS documentation mentions the following.

The aws cloudformation validate-template command is designed to check only the syntax of your template.

It does not ensure that the property values that you have specified for a resource are valid for that resource.

Nor does it determine the number of resources that will exist when the stack is created.

To check the operational validity, you need to attempt to create the stack.

There is no sandbox or test area for AWS CloudFormation stacks, so you are charged for the resources you create during testing.

Option F is needed for notification.

For more information on Cloudformation template validation, please visit the link:

http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSCloudFormation/latest/UserGuide/using-cfn-validate-template.html

To enable automated testing of your AWS CloudFormation template as part of your deployment pipeline, the following three testing methods should be performed to provide faster feedback while minimizing costs and risks:

A. Use the AWS CloudFormation Validate Template to validate the syntax of the template:

The CloudFormation Validate Template API call validates the syntax of your CloudFormation template. This API validates your template against JSON or YAML schemas to ensure that your CloudFormation template is well-formed and that all the required parameters and properties have been specified correctly.

This validation checks for issues such as syntax errors, invalid resource types, and missing parameters. If the CloudFormation template fails validation, the process can stop before any resources are provisioned, thereby saving time and resources. Additionally, this testing method is very cost-effective since it only requires the use of an AWS API call and does not create any AWS resources.

B. Use the AWS CloudFormation Validate Template to validate the properties of resources defined in the template:

The AWS CloudFormation Validate Template API can also validate the properties of the resources defined in your template. This validation ensures that the properties you have specified are valid for the resource type you are using.

For example, if you specify an invalid value for a specific property, CloudFormation will identify it during the validation process. By validating the properties, you can ensure that your CloudFormation stack is correctly configured and that any potential errors are identified before the stack is created.

C. Validate the template's syntax using a general JSON parser:

Using a general JSON parser to validate the syntax of the template can provide an additional layer of validation. This method can detect syntax errors that are not detected by the CloudFormation validation process. However, it may not be as effective as the first two methods because it cannot identify specific errors in the CloudFormation template.

In summary, using the AWS CloudFormation Validate Template API to validate the syntax and properties of your CloudFormation template and validating the template's syntax using a general JSON parser can help ensure that your CloudFormation stack is correctly configured and that any potential errors are identified before the stack is created. These testing methods are cost-effective, provide faster feedback, and minimize risk during the deployment process.

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