Terraform Infrastructure for Django TodoApp

This project demonstrates how to deploy a Django web application to Azure Cloud using Terraform Infrastructure as Code (IaC). The main focus is on showing the complete Azure infrastructure provisioning process for a multi-tier web application with proper DevOps practices.

Project Purpose

This repository serves as a demonstration of Azure infrastructure deployment using:

• Terraform for infrastructure provisioning
• Azure Resource Manager (ARM) for cloud resources
• Modular infrastructure design
• Production-ready Azure configurations
• Cloud-native deployment best practices
• Azure services integration (Compute, Network, Storage)

Application Overview

A Django todo list application that includes:

• User authentication system
• Todo list management with CRUD operations
• REST API with Django REST Framework
• Automated deployment and service configuration

Technologies Used

• Terraform 1.x - Infrastructure as Code
• Azure Cloud Services - Cloud platform
• Python 3.x - Application runtime
• Django - Web framework
• Ubuntu Linux - Virtual machine OS
• systemd - Service management
• Bash - Deployment automation
• Git - Source code management

Azure Infrastructure Architecture

This project demonstrates deployment using:

Main Infrastructure (main.tf)

• Resource Group: Container for all Azure resources
• Virtual Network: Network isolation and segmentation
• Subnet: Application tier network
• Network Security Group: Firewall rules and security
• Public IP: External access with dynamic allocation
• Virtual Machine: Ubuntu-based compute instance
• Storage Account: Backend state storage and artifacts

Modular Design (modules/)

• Compute Module: Virtual machine and network interface
• Network Module: VNet, subnet, NSG, and public IP
• Storage Module: Storage account and containers

Remote State Management (backend.tf)

• Azure Storage Backend: Centralized state management
• State Locking: Concurrent operation protection
• Remote Collaboration: Team-based infrastructure management

Key Terraform Files

├── main.tf                                   # Main infrastructure configuration
├── variables.tf                              # Input variables definition
├── outputs.tf                                # Output values
├── backend.tf                                # Remote state configuration
├── terraform.tfvars                          # Variable values (gitignored)
├── install-app.sh                            # Application deployment script
└── modules/
    ├── compute/
    │   ├── main.tf                            # VM and network interface
    │   ├── variables.tf                       # Compute module variables
    │   └── outputs.tf                         # Compute module outputs
    ├── network/
    │   ├── main.tf                            # VNet, subnet, NSG, public IP
    │   ├── variables.tf                       # Network module variables
    │   └── outputs.tf                         # Network module outputs
    └── storage/
        ├── main.tf                            # Storage account and containers
        ├── variables.tf                       # Storage module variables
        └── outputs.tf                         # Storage module outputs

How to Deploy the Infrastructure

Prerequisites

• Azure CLI installed and configured
• Terraform >= 1.0
• Azure subscription with appropriate permissions
• SSH key pair for VM access

Quick Start

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/zave52/terraform-python-app.git
   cd terraform-python-app

2. Configure Azure authentication

   # Login to Azure
   az login
   
   # Set subscription (if multiple)
   az account set --subscription "your-subscription-id"

3. Create terraform.tfvars file

   # Copy example and edit values
   cat > terraform.tfvars << EOF
   ssh_key_public = "ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2E... your-public-key"
   storage_account_name = "yourstorageaccount$(date +%s)"
   EOF

4. Initialize and deploy

   # Initialize Terraform
   terraform init
   
   # Review planned changes
   terraform plan
   
   # Apply infrastructure
   terraform apply

5. Access the application

   # Get connection details from outputs
   terraform output application_url
   terraform output ssh_connection_command
   
   # SSH to the VM
   ssh testadmin@<public-ip>

6. Clean up

   terraform destroy

Azure Resources Created

1. Resource Group

resource "azurerm_resource_group" "rg" {
  name     = var.resource_group_name
  location = var.location
}

2. Virtual Network and Security

# Virtual Network with subnet
# Network Security Group with rules
# Public IP with dynamic allocation

3. Virtual Machine

# Ubuntu 20.04 LTS VM
# SSH key authentication
# Custom data script for app installation

4. Storage Account

# Standard LRS storage
# Private container for Terraform state
# Public container for artifacts

Terraform Features Demonstrated

1. Module Dependencies

module "network" {
  source = "./modules/network"
  # ... configuration
}

module "compute" {
  source = "./modules/compute"
  subnet_id = module.network.subnet_id
  # ... configuration
}

2. Remote State Backend

terraform {
  backend "azurerm" {
    resource_group_name  = var.resource_group_name
    storage_account_name = var.storage_account_name
    container_name       = var.container_name
    key                  = "terraform.tfstate"
  }
}

3. Random Resource Generation

resource "random_integer" "dns" {
  min = 10000
  max = 99999
}

4. Output Values for Integration

output "application_url" {
  description = "The URL to access the ToDo List application"
  value       = "http://${module.network.public_ip_address}"
}

5. Variable Validation and Defaults

variable "location" {
  description = "The Azure region where resources will be deployed"
  default     = "uksouth"
  type        = string
}

Configuration

Key variables in terraform.tfvars:

# Required variables
ssh_key_public = "ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2E..."
storage_account_name = "mystorageaccount123"

# Optional variables (have defaults)
location = "uksouth"
resource_group_name = "django-todolist"
vm_size = "Standard_B1s"
admin_username = "testadmin"

Application Deployment

The install-app.sh script automatically:

1. Updates the Ubuntu system
2. Installs Python 3 and pip
3. Clones the Django application
4. Sets up systemd service
5. Starts the TodoApp service

Manual Deployment (Alternative)

If you prefer step-by-step deployment:

1. Initialize Terraform

   terraform init

2. Create workspace (optional)

   terraform workspace new production

3. Validate configuration

   terraform validate
   terraform fmt

4. Plan deployment

   terraform plan -var-file="terraform.tfvars"

5. Apply changes

   terraform apply -var-file="terraform.tfvars"

Security Considerations

• SSH key authentication (no passwords)
• Network Security Group rules
• Private storage containers for state
• Resource group isolation
• Dynamic public IP allocation

Cost Optimization

• Uses Standard_B1s (burstable) VM size
• Standard LRS storage (lowest cost)
• Dynamic public IP (lower cost than static)
• Proper resource tagging for cost tracking

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions:

1. Storage account name conflicts

   • Use unique names with random suffixes
   • Check availability with az storage account check-name

2. SSH connection issues

   • Verify public key format
   • Check NSG rules allow SSH (port 22)

3. Application not accessible

   • Check VM status: az vm get-instance-view
   • Verify service status: systemctl status todoapp

License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 - see the LICENSE file for details.