What is our primary use case?
I monitor our GitHub repository and integrate it with our database using Pipeline. By creating code builds and deployment scripts, I connect them to our EC2 instances for automatic execution upon code pushes. Our setup includes production and development branches, each serving different purposes. Additionally, I store generated artifacts in an EC2 bucket and manage a three-layer application with frontend, backend, and database components, ensuring seamless collaboration with developers' needs.
How has it helped my organization?
Before implementing AWS CodeDeploy, our deployment process was manual and time-consuming. Developers would write code, save it locally, zip it, and then manually upload and unzip it on the server. This process required a lot of effort and time. After introducing AWS CodeDeploy, we streamlined our deployment process significantly. Now, developers can push code directly to GitHub, and CodeDeploy automates the deployment process to our AWS EC2 instances. This has not only saved time and effort but also optimized cost as AWS's pay-as-you-go model is more efficient compared to our previous hosting setup.
What is most valuable?
I found the default settings of AWS CodeDeploy to be highly beneficial for my deployment workflows. For instance, when deploying a Node.js application, I manually installed the necessary components on my AWS instance, such as the web server required by developers. Then, I created deployment scripts for starting and stopping instances and performing the deployment itself. These scripts were stored alongside my code in GitHub, ensuring they executed seamlessly with the CI/CD pipeline. Since the project wasn't overly complex, I opted for the default settings, which proved to be efficient and straightforward for deployment.
What needs improvement?
There aren’t many improvements that can be made.
In one of my projects, I initially didn't implement CodeDeploy directly. Instead, I stored my private key in Secret Manager and integrated it with my build spec to seamlessly work with GCP's Cloud Build. However, after using CodeDeploy, I haven't encountered any significant issues or areas that urgently need improvement.
Overall, I'm quite satisfied with the features and functionality of AWS CodeDeploy.
For how long have I used the solution?
I work at AlarmNet Technologies, where I introduced AWS CodeDeploy to replace Oracle methodology.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In terms of stability, I would rate it at eight out of ten, acknowledging that we have faced some issues and bugs along the way.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the scalability of AWS CodeDeploy very highly, perhaps a ten out of ten, as it offers robust scalability options compared to our previous hosting servers.
How are customer service and support?
Accessing technical support requires an additional developer support subscription.
How would you rate customer service and support?
How was the initial setup?
Setting up AWS CodeDeploy initially was quite challenging for me and other users in our organization. We encountered difficulties in integrating AWS services and had to navigate through errors and issues to rectify them.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
AWS CodeDeploy has proven to be a cost-effective solution for us, especially considering the benefits we gain from using it. In terms of pricing, AWS is quite affordable, providing excellent value for the features and services it offers.
What other advice do I have?
I would highly recommend AWS CodeDeploy to others for its ease of deployment and efficient handling of code updates. Overall, I would give AWS CodeDeploy a rating of nine out of ten for its deployment capabilities.
*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.