Let's make Cloud #36: Wing programming language for the cloud, Scaling IaC and CI/CD pipelines with AWS Proton, Creating Custom Metrics in Cloudwatch for AWS Step Functions

Hello CloudMakers!

As we embrace the sizzling heart of summer, many of us are counting down to a well-deserved vacation, if not already enjoying one. "Let's make Cloud" will also take a summer break in August. In the meantime, let's dive into this week's roundup of noteworthy articles and insights.

Today we shall see:

• Wing, the Cloud programming language

• Scaling IaC and CI/CD pipelines with AWS Proton

• Creating Custom Metrics in Cloudwatch for AWS Step Functions

Enjoy!

Wing: the Cloud programming language

Winglang is a new open-source programming language tailored for the cloud. This language streamlines the development of distributed systems by combining infrastructure and application code. Winglang's unique aspect is its ability to execute programs locally using a functional simulator or deploy them to any cloud provider, promising versatility.

With its focus on higher-level abstraction and direct cloud service integration, Winglang presents a new approach to Infrastructure as Code (IaC). While it's too early to predict if it can supplant current IaC tools, its potential to transform the cloud programming landscape is evident. Keep an eye on Winglang; it could play a significant part in the future of cloud-oriented programming and infrastructure management.

Scaling IaC and CI/CD pipelines with Terraform, GitHub Actions, and AWS Proton

As organizations adopt practices like Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD), managing and scaling these services can be challenging.

AWS Proton is a service aimed at addressing the scaling challenges faced by organizations using modern compute platforms on AWS and practices like Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD). As roles like DevOps engineer and platform engineer emerge, the need for solutions that allow them to efficiently manage cloud infrastructure without hindering the fast-paced work of development teams has become increasingly important.

AWS Proton offers a solution by providing mechanisms to version, track, and publish updates for IaC and CI/CD templates, thereby streamlining the process of maintaining and evolving these templates over time. It serves as a managed deployment mechanism with a central dashboard, enhancing template usage visibility and traceability across AWS accounts.

Creating Custom Metrics in Cloudwatch for AWS Step Functions

In this article I wrote recently, I address the complex task of managing numerous AWS Step Functions. The compelling part of the solution I propose hinges on the flexible use of CloudWatch's Custom Metrics. With the aid of Terraform to set up our infrastructure, I harness AWS CloudWatch to create an intuitive monitoring dashboard. This dashboard presents a real-time, color-coded overview of each Step Function's status, helping to identify and address any issues promptly. Thus, the overwhelming task of overseeing myriad AWS Step Functions becomes a significantly more manageable process.

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