Listener requirements for CodeDeploy Blue/Green Deployments

Question

I would like to set up blue/green deployments for an ECS service.  From the documentation it would seem that the target must be configured with the default action on each listener, but I would like more granular control over the traffic to our service using listener rules with specific conditions, so I prefer not to have the listeners default actions pointing at the service.  Is there a way to use codedeploy for blue/green with specific listener rules as opposed to the default action?  (I’d rather not have to implement my own blue-green deployment, but this seems like a pretty significant limitation IMO)

Accepted Answer

AWS CodeDeploy does not natively support direct integration with listener rules for routing traffic between blue/green environments. The service primarily works with the default listener action to switch traffic between target groups.

**Workaround Approach:**

* Set up your ECS service with a load balancer and define your listener rules as needed. You should have two target groups: one for the blue environment and one for the green environment.
* Deployment Process:
1) Initially, your listener rules should direct traffic to the blue environment's target group.
2) When you're ready to deploy the green environment, update it as needed (but don't change the listener rules yet).
3) Once the green environment is ready and tested, manually update the listener rules to shift traffic from the blue target group to the green target group. This step does not involve CodeDeploy but is a manual process in the AWS Management Console or through the AWS CLI/API.
* After successful traffic shifting and monitoring, decommission the old blue environment.

This approach requires manual intervention for traffic shifting, which is a deviation from the fully automated nature of blue/green deployments in CodeDeploy.

**Alternative Solution:**

Using a service mesh like Istio or AWS App Mesh can effectively address the need for granular control in blue/green deployments on ECS. A service mesh allows for precise traffic management, enabling you to route specific portions of traffic to different service versions. This approach is beneficial for blue/green deployments as it allows automated and controlled traffic shifting between the old (blue) and new (green) versions, with enhanced monitoring capabilities. While implementing a service mesh can add complexity to your system, it offers a robust solution for advanced deployment strategies without needing to manually adjust load balancer listener rules.

Let me know if you have any further questions to discuss.

Best regards!

Mina

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edit: removed email address - Zack M

Answer

Hello.

What is the default listener rule?  
Are you referring to the port 80 listener rule?  
ECS Blue/Green deployment creates two target groups and CodeDeploy switches between them to replace the old and new environments.  
Therefore, it is possible to deploy by selecting a non-default listener associated with the target group using CodeDeploy.  
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/codedeploy/latest/userguide/deployment-groups-create-ecs.html  
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/codedeploy/latest/userguide/deployment-groups-create-load-balancer-for-ecs.html

Listener requirements for CodeDeploy Blue/Green Deployments

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