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---
layout: docs
page_title: Architecture - AWS ECS
description: >-
Architecture of Consul Service Mesh on AWS ECS (Elastic Container Service).
---
# Architecture
![Consul on ECS Architecture](/img/consul-ecs-arch.png)
As shown above there are two main components to the architecture.
1. **Consul Server task:** Runs the Consul server.
1. **Application tasks:** Runs user application containers along with two helper containers:
1. **Consul Client:** The Consul client container runs Consul. The Consul client communicates
with the Consul server and configures the Envoy proxy sidecar. This communication
is called _control plane_ communication.
1. **Sidecar Proxy:** The sidecar proxy container runs [Envoy](https://envoyproxy.io/). All requests
to and from the application container(s) run through the sidecar proxy. This communication
is called _data plane_ communication.
For more information about how Consul works in general, see Consul's [Architecture Overview](/docs/architecture).
In addition to the long-running Consul Client and Sidecar Proxy containers, there
are also two initialization containers that run:
1. `discover-servers`: This container runs at startup and uses the AWS API to determine the IP address of the Consul server task.
1. `mesh-init`: This container runs at startup and sets up initial configuration for Consul and Envoy.
### Task Startup
This diagram shows the timeline of a task starting up and all its containers:
![Task Startup Timeline](/img/ecs-task-startup.png)
- **T0:** ECS starts the task. The `discover-servers` container starts looking for the Consul server task’s IP.
It waits for the Consul server task to be running on ECS, looks up its IP and then writes the address to a file.
Then the container exits.
- **T1:** Both the `consul-client` and `mesh-init` containers start:
- `consul-client` starts up and uses the server IP to join the cluster.
- `mesh-init` registers the service for this task and its sidecar proxy into Consul. It runs `consul connect envoy -bootstrap` to generate Envoy’s bootstrap JSON file and write it to a shared volume. After registration and bootstrapping, `mesh-init` exits.
- **T2:** The `sidecar-proxy` container starts. It runs Envoy by executing `envoy -c <path-to-bootstrap-json>`.
- **T3:** The `sidecar-proxy` container is marked as healthy by ECS. It uses a health check that detects if its public listener port is open. At this time, the user’s application containers are started since all the Consul machinery is ready to service requests.
- **T4:** Consul marks the service as healthy by running the health checks specified in the task Terraform. The service will now receive traffic. At this time the only running containers are `consul-client`, `sidecar-proxy` and the user’s application container(s).

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---
layout: docs
page_title: Install - AWS ECS
description: >-
Install Consul Service Mesh on AWS ECS (Elastic Container Service).
---
# Install
Installing Consul on ECS is a multi-part process:
1. [**Terraform:**](#terraform) Your tasks must be specified in Terraform using [`ecs_task_definition`](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/hashicorp/aws/latest/docs/resources/ecs_task_definition)
and [`ecs_service`](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/hashicorp/aws/latest/docs/resources/ecs_service) resources.
1. [**Consul Server:**](#consul-server) You must deploy the Consul server onto the cluster using the [`dev-server` module](https://registry.terraform.io/modules/hashicorp/consul/aws-ecs/latest/submodules/dev-server).
1. [**Task IAM Role:**](#task-iam-role) Modify task IAM role to add `ecs:ListTasks` and `ecs:DescribeTasks` permissions.
1. [**Task Module:**](#task-module) You can then take your `ecs_task_definition` resources and copy their configuration into a new [`mesh-task` module](https://registry.terraform.io/modules/hashicorp/consul/aws-ecs/latest/submodules/mesh-task)
resource that will add the necessary containers to the task definition.
1. [**Routing:**](#routing) With your tasks as part of the mesh, you must specify their upstream
services and change the URLs the tasks are using so that they're making requests
through the service mesh.
1. [**Bind Address:**](#bind-address) Now that all communication is flowing through the service mesh,
you should change the address your application is listening on to `127.0.0.1`
so that it only receives requests through the sidecar proxy.
-> **NOTE:** This page assumes you're familiar with ECS. See [What is Amazon Elastic Container Service](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonECS/latest/developerguide/Welcome.html) for more details.
## Terraform
Your tasks must first be specified in Terraform using [`ecs_task_definition`](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/hashicorp/aws/latest/docs/resources/ecs_task_definition)
and [`ecs_service`](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/hashicorp/aws/latest/docs/resources/ecs_service) resources so that
they can later be converted to use the [`mesh-task` module](https://registry.terraform.io/modules/hashicorp/consul/aws-ecs/latest/submodules/mesh-task).
For example, your tasks should be defined with Terraform similar to the following:
```hcl
resource "aws_ecs_task_definition" "my_task" {
family = "my_task"
requires_compatibilities = ["FARGATE"]
network_mode = "awsvpc"
cpu = 256
memory = 512
execution_role_arn = "arn:aws:iam::111111111111:role/execution-role"
task_role_arn = "arn:aws:iam::111111111111:role/task-role"
container_definitions = jsonencode(
[{
name = "example-client-app"
image = "docker.io/org/my_task:v0.0.1"
essential = true
portMappings = [
{
containerPort = 9090
hostPort = 9090
protocol = "tcp"
}
]
cpu = 0
mountPoints = []
volumesFrom = []
}]
)
}
resource "aws_ecs_service" "my_task" {
name = "my_task"
cluster = "arn:aws:ecs:us-east-1:111111111111:cluster/my-cluster"
task_definition = aws_ecs_task_definition.my_task.arn
desired_count = 1
network_configuration {
subnets = ["subnet-abc123"]
}
launch_type = "FARGATE"
}
```
## Consul Server
With your tasks defined in Terraform, you're ready to run the Consul server
on ECS.
-> **NOTE:** This is a development-only Consul server. It has no persistent
storage and so will lose any data when it restarts. This should only be
used for test workloads. In the future, we will support Consul servers
running in HashiCorp Cloud Platform and on EC2 VMs for production workloads.
In order to deploy the Consul server, use the `dev-server` module:
```hcl
module "dev_consul_server" {
source = "hashicorp/consul/aws-ecs//modules/dev-server"
version = "<latest version>"
ecs_cluster_arn = var.ecs_cluster_arn
subnet_ids = var.subnet_ids
lb_vpc_id = var.vpc_id
load_balancer_enabled = true
lb_subnets = var.lb_subnet_ids
lb_ingress_rule_cidr_blocks = var.lb_ingress_rule_cidr_blocks
log_configuration = {
logDriver = "awslogs"
options = {
awslogs-group = aws_cloudwatch_log_group.log_group.name
awslogs-region = var.region
awslogs-stream-prefix = "consul-server"
}
}
}
data "aws_security_group" "vpc_default" {
name = "default"
vpc_id = var.vpc_id
}
resource "aws_security_group_rule" "ingress_from_server_alb_to_ecs" {
type = "ingress"
from_port = 8500
to_port = 8500
protocol = "tcp"
source_security_group_id = module.dev_consul_server.lb_security_group_id
security_group_id = data.aws_security_group.vpc_default.id
}
output "consul_server_url" {
value = "http://${module.dev_consul_server.lb_dns_name}:8500"
}
```
-> **NOTE:** The documentation for all possible inputs can be found in the [module reference
docs](https://registry.terraform.io/modules/hashicorp/consul/aws-ecs/latest/submodules/dev-server?tab=inputs).
The example code above will create a Consul server ECS task and Application Load
Balancer for the Consul UI. You can then use the output `consul_server_url` as
the URL to the Consul server.
## Task IAM Role
Your tasks must have an IAM role that allows them to list and describe
other tasks. This is required in order for the tasks to find the IP
address of the Consul server.
The specific permissions needed are:
1. `ecs:ListTasks` on resource `*`.
1. `ecs:DescribeTasks` on all tasks in this account and region. You can either
use `*` for simplicity or scope it to the region and account, e.g. `arn:aws:ecs:us-east-1:1111111111111:task/*`
The IAM role's ARN will be passed into the `mesh-task` module in the next step
via the `task_role_arn` input.
-> **NOTE:** There are two IAM roles needed by ECS Tasks: Execution roles and
Task roles. Here we are referring to the Task role, not the Execution role.
The Execution role is used by ECS itself whereas the Task role defines the
permissions for the containers running in the task.
Terraform for creating the IAM role might look like:
```hcl
data "aws_caller_identity" "this" {}
resource "aws_iam_role" "this_task" {
name = "this_task"
assume_role_policy = jsonencode({
Version = "2012-10-17"
Statement = [
{
Action = "sts:AssumeRole"
Effect = "Allow"
Sid = ""
Principal = {
Service = "ecs-tasks.amazonaws.com"
}
},
]
})
inline_policy {
name = "this_task"
policy = jsonencode({
Version = "2012-10-17"
Statement = [
{
Effect = "Allow"
Action = [
"ecs:ListTasks",
]
Resource = "*"
},
{
Effect = "Allow"
Action = [
"ecs:DescribeTasks"
]
Resource = [
"arn:aws:ecs:${var.region}:${data.aws_caller_identity.this.account_id}:task/*",
]
}
]
})
}
}
```
## Task Module
In order to add the necessary sidecar containers for your task to join the mesh,
you must use the [`mesh-task` module](https://registry.terraform.io/modules/hashicorp/consul/aws-ecs/latest/submodules/mesh-task).
The module will reference the same inputs as your old ECS task definition but it will
create a new version of the task definition with additional containers.
The `mesh-task` module is used as follows:
```hcl
module "my_task" {
source = "hashicorp/consul/aws-ecs//modules/mesh-task"
version = "<latest version>"
family = "my_task"
execution_role_arn = "arn:aws:iam::111111111111:role/execution-role"
task_role_arn = "arn:aws:iam::111111111111:role/task-role"
container_definitions = [
{
name = "example-client-app"
image = "docker.io/org/my_task:v0.0.1"
essential = true
portMappings = [
{
containerPort = 9090
hostPort = 9090
protocol = "tcp"
}
]
cpu = 0
mountPoints = []
volumesFrom = []
}
]
port = "9090"
consul_server_service_name = module.dev_consul_server.ecs_service_name
}
```
All possible inputs are documented on the [module reference documentation](https://registry.terraform.io/modules/hashicorp/consul/aws-ecs/latest/submodules/mesh-tas?tab=inputs)
however there are some important inputs worth highlighting:
- `family` is used as the [task definition family](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonECS/latest/developerguide/task_definition_parameters.html#family)
but it's also used as the name of the service that gets registered in Consul.
- `container_definitions` accepts an array of [container definitions](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonECS/latest/developerguide/task_definition_parameters.html#container_definitions).
These are your application containers and this should be set to the same value as what you
were passing into the `container_definitions` key in the `aws_ecs_task_definition` resource
without the `jsonencode() function`.
For example, if your original task definition looked like:
```hcl
resource "aws_ecs_task_definition" "my_task" {
...
container_definitions = jsonencode(
[
{
name = "example-client-app"
image = "docker.io/org/my_task:v0.0.1"
essential = true
...
}
]
)
}
```
Then you would remove the `jsonencode()` function and use the rest of the value
as the input for the `mesh-task` module:
```hcl
module "my_task" {
source = "hashicorp/consul/aws-ecs//modules/mesh-task"
version = "<latest version>"
...
container_definitions = [
{
name = "example-client-app"
image = "docker.io/org/my_task:v0.0.1"
essential = true
...
}
]
}
```
- `port` is the port that your application listens on. This should be set to a
string, not an integer, i.e. `port = "9090"`, not `port = 9090`.
- `consul_server_service_name` should be set to the name of the ECS service for
the Consul dev server. This is an output of the `dev-server` module so it
can be referenced, e.g. `consul_server_service_name = module.dev_consul_server.ecs_service_name`.
The `mesh-task` module will create a new version of your task definition with the
necessary sidecar containers added so you can delete your existing `aws_ecs_task_definition`
resource.
Your `aws_ecs_service` resource can remain unchanged except for the `task_definition`
input which should reference the new module's output of the task definition's ARN:
```hcl
resource "aws_ecs_service" "my_task" {
...
task_definition = module.my_task.task_definition_arn
}
```
-> **NOTE:** If your tasks run in a public subnet, they must have `assign_public_ip = true`
in their [`network_configuration`](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/hashicorp/aws/latest/docs/resources/ecs_service#network_configuration) block so that ECS can pull the Docker images.
After running `terraform apply`, you should see your tasks registered in
the Consul UI.
## Routing
Now that your tasks are registered in the mesh, you're able to use the service
mesh to route between them.
In order to make calls through the service mesh, you must configure the sidecar
proxy to listen on a different port for each upstream service your application
needs to call. You then must modify your application to make requests to the sidecar
proxy on that port.
For example, say my application `web` wants to make calls to my other application
`backend`.
First, I must configure the `mesh-task` module's upstreams:
```hcl
module "web" {
family = "web"
upstreams = [
{
destination_name = "backend"
local_bind_port = 8080
}
]
}
```
I set the `destination_name` to the name of the upstream service (in this case `backend`),
and I set `local_bind_port` to an unused port. This is the port that the sidecar proxy
will listen on and any requests to this port will be forwarded over to the `destination_name`.
This does not have to be the port that `backend` is listening on because the service mesh
will handle routing the request to the right port.
If you have multiple upstream services they'll each need to be listed here.
Next, I must configure my application to make requests to `localhost:8080` when
it wants to call the `backend` service.
For example, if my service allows configuring the URL for `backend` via the
`BACKEND_URL` environment variable, I would set:
```hcl
module "web" {
family = "web"
upstreams = [
{
destination_name = "backend"
local_bind_port = 8080
}
]
environment = [
{
name = "BACKEND_URL"
value = "http://localhost:8080"
}
]
}
```
## Bind Address
To ensure that your application only receives traffic through the service mesh,
you must change the address that your application is listening on to only the loopback address
(also known as `localhost`, `lo` and `127.0.0.1`)
so that only the sidecar proxy running in the same task can make requests to it.
If your application is listening on all interfaces, e.g. `0.0.0.0`, then other
applications can call it directly, bypassing its sidecar proxy.
Changing the listening address is specific to the language and framework you're
using in your application. Regardless of which language/framework you're using,
it's a good practice to make the address configurable via environment variable.
For example in Go, you would use:
```go
s := &http.Server{
Addr: "127.0.0.1:8080",
...
}
log.Fatal(s.ListenAndServe())
```
In Django you'd use:
```bash
python manage.py runserver "127.0.0.1:8080"
```
## Next Steps
- Now that your applications are running in the service mesh, read about
other [Service Mesh features](/docs/connect).
- View the [Architecture](/docs/ecs/architecture) documentation to understand
what's going on under the hood.

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---
layout: docs
page_title: Requirements - AWS ECS
description: >-
Requirements for Consul Service Mesh on AWS ECS (Elastic Container Service).
---
# Requirements
Currently, the following requirements must be met in order to install Consul on ECS:
1. **Terraform:** The tasks that you want to add to the service mesh must first be modeled in Terraform.
1. **Launch Type:** Only the Fargate launch type is currently supported.
1. **Subnets:** ECS Tasks can run in private or public subnets. Tasks must have [network access](https://aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport/knowledge-center/ecs-pull-container-api-error-ecr/) to Amazon ECR to pull images.
1. **Consul Servers:** Currently, Consul servers must run inside ECS on Fargate using the `dev-server` Terraform module. This is a development/testing only server that does not support persistent storage. In the future, we will support production-ready Consul servers running in HashiCorp Cloud Platform and on EC2 VMs.
## Future Improvements
- Support EC2 launch type.
- Support production-ready Consul servers running outside of ECS in HashiCorp Cloud Platform or EC2.
- Support Consul TLS, ACLs, and Gossip Encryption.
- Support Consul service health checks.

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---
layout: docs
page_title: AWS ECS
description: >-
Consul Service Mesh can be deployed on AWS ECS (Elastic Container Service).
This section documents the official installation of Consul on ECS.
---
# AWS ECS
-> **Tech Preview:** This functionality is currently in Tech Preview and is
not yet ready for production use.
Consul can be deployed on [AWS ECS](https://aws.amazon.com/ecs/) (Elastic Container Service) using our official
Terraform modules.
![Consul on ECS Architecture](/img/consul-ecs-arch.png)
## Service Mesh
Using Consul on AWS ECS enables you to add your ECS tasks to the service mesh and
take advantage of features such as zero-trust-security, intentions, observability,
traffic policy, and more.
## Example Installation
See our [Example Installation](https://registry.terraform.io/modules/hashicorp/consul-ecs/aws/latest/examples/dev-server-fargate)
to learn how to install Consul on an example ECS cluster along with example service mesh applications.
## Install
See our full [Install Guide](/docs/ecs/get-started/install) when you're ready to install Consul
on an existing ECS cluster and add existing tasks to the service mesh.

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