Configuration Management & Infrastructure as Code

Question 1

What is CloudFormation

Answer 1

Amazon’s infrastructure as code solution which is written in either JSON or YAML.

Question 2

Three CloudFormation Terms

Answer 2

1. Stack - The resource group that one wants to manage as a single entity.
2. Template - Document that specifies what to do. Can be used to both create and update the stack
3. Stack Policy - A list of service.

Question 3

Intrinsic Functions

Answer 3

Allows assigning functions to variables that are not available until runtime.

Question 4

What is CloudFormation FindInMap - Intrinsic Map.

Answer 4

Allows the mapping of key-value pairs to be used at runtime.

Question 5

CloudFormation FN:Base 64 Intrinsic

Answer 5

Returns the base64

Question 6

FN:CIDR

Answer 6

Returns the number of blocked returned on the count value

Question 7

FN:GetAtt

Answer 7

Getting the name of an attribute within a template.

Question 8

FN:GetAZs

Answer 8

Returns the given AZ that are available.

Question 9

FN:ImportValue

Answer 9

Returns the outpout values created by another stack

Question 10

FN:Join

Answer 10

Allows to append multiple values to a single variable using delimited list of values

Question 11

FN: Select

Answer 11

Allows one to reference a list array of items and then pick one of the items out based upon an index reference #.

Question 12

FN: Split

Answer 12

Works with a string of variables and allows them to be separated and then possibly used select

Question 13

FN: Sub

Answer 13

Used to subsitute variables on a variable.

Question 14

FN: Transform

Answer 14

Specfies a macro to perform customer porcessing on a part of a stack template.

Question 15

Ref

Answer 15

Simply provides a specified parameter or resource name.

Question 16

Condition Functions

Answer 16

Allows you to create logic. This includes things like 
FN:AND
FN:Equals
FN:If
FN:NOT
FN:Or

Question 17

CloudFormation DependsOn

Answer 17

This is used to make sure that a given resource is available before proceeding with a code.

Question 18

Creating Policies

Answer 18

Prevents a resource status from reaching a complete

Question 19

Wait Conditions & Handlers

Answer 19

Allows one to provide
Usual relys on 4 coponetnts
DependsOn
Handle Property
Time Out 
Count

Question 20

What is Nesting?

Answer 20

Allows more complicated use and provides overcoming of inherit limitation of CloudFormation

Question 21

What are Resource Deletion Policies

Answer 21

A means of defining actions upon compleion. Options include
Delete - Default - fully delted
Retain - Keeps the services after the template is delete. Could get messy
Snapshot - Only available on a few services like EC2. It takes a snapshot of resources and then deletes.

Question 22

CloudFormation - Stack Updates

Answer 22

Stack policy - The

Question 23

CloudFormation - Change Sets

Answer 23

When a cloud update is made– this allows to preview changes made to devices before implementation.

Question 24

CloudFormation - Custom Resources

Answer 24

Allows to update things beyond the control of AWS like a REST API update to alternative systems.