Deploy Using Helmfile

Set up Local Governance modules using HelmFile

Overview

This guide walks you through the steps required to set up the local governance application suite using Helmfile.

Pre-requisites

• helmfile

• git

• Kubernetes Cluster

Helmfile is a declarative spec for deploying Helm charts. It lets you…

• Keep a directory of chart value files and maintain changes in version control.

• Apply CI/CD to configuration changes.

• Periodically sync to avoid skew in environments.

To avoid upgrades for each iteration of helm, the helmfile executable delegates to helm - as a result, helm must be installed.

Why Helmfile

• Standardisation of Helm templates (Override specific parameters such as namespace)

• To improve the utilisation of Helm capabilities (Rollback)

• Easy to add any open-source Helm chart to your DIGIT stack

Installation Steps

1. Download one of the releases

2. Run as a container

3. Archlinux: install via pacman -S helmfile

4. open SUSE: install via zypper in helmfile assuming you are on Tumbleweed; if you are on Leap you must add the kubic repo for your distribution version once before that command, e.g. zypper ar https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/devel:/kubic/openSUSE_Leap_\$releasever kubic

5. Windows (using scoop): scoop install helmfile

6. macOS (using homebrew): brew install helmfile

Run as a container

The Helmfile Docker images are available in GHCR. There is no latest tag, since the 0.x versions can contain breaking changes, so pick the right tag. Example using helmfile 0.156.0:

$ docker run --rm --net=host -v "${HOME}/.kube:/helm/.kube" -v "${HOME}/.config/helm:/helm/.config/helm" -v "${PWD}:/wd" --workdir /wd ghcr.io/helmfile/helmfile:v0.156.0 helmfile sync

You can also use a shim to make calling the binary easier:

$ printf '%s\n' '#!/bin/sh' 'docker run --rm --net=host -v "${HOME}/.kube:/helm/.kube" -v "${HOME}/.config/helm:/helm/.config/helm" -v "${PWD}:/wd" --workdir /wd ghcr.io/helmfile/helmfile:v0.156.0 helmfile "$@"' |
    tee helmfile
$ chmod +x helmfile
$ ./helmfile sync

Helm File - Commands

init

The helmfile init sub-command checks the dependencies required for helmfile operation, such as helm, helm diff plugin, helm secrets plugin, helm helm-git plugin, helm s3 plugin. When it does not exist or the version is too low, it can be installed automatically.

sync

The helmfile sync sub-command syncs your cluster state as described in your helmfile. The default helmfile is helmfile.yaml, but any YAML file can be passed by specifying a --file path/to/your/yaml/file flag.

apply

The helmfile apply sub-command begins by executing diff. If diff finds that there are any changes, sync is executed. Adding --interactive instructs Helm File to request your confirmation before sync.

destroy

The helmfile destroys sub-commands, uninstalls and purges all the releases defined in the manifests. helmfile-- interactive destroy instructs Helm File to request your confirmation before actually deleting releases.\

Deploy Local Governance Using Helmfile

$ git clone https://github.com/egovernments/DIGIT-DevOps.git
$ cd DIGIT-DevOps
$ git checkout DIGIT-2.9LTS-URBAN

• Update the domain name in the env.yaml

$ vi deploy-as-code/charts/environments/env.yaml

• Update db password, flywaypassword, loginusername, loginpassword and git-sync private key in env-secrets.yaml

Note: Make sure the db_password and flywaypassword are the same.

$ vi deploy-as-code/charts/environments/env-secrets.yaml

Note

1. Generate SSH key pairs using the method below. Use the online website (not recommended in a production setup - to be used for demo setups only): https://8gwifi.org/sshfunctions.jsp

2. Add the public key to your GitHub account - (reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C7_jBn9XJ0&ab_channel=AOSNote )

• Run the below command to install DIGIT successfully.

$ helmfile -f deploy-as-code/digit-helmfile.yaml apply

Deploy Local Governance Using Managed Database

This guide outlines a deployment strategy for running containerised applications on Kubernetes, focusing on seamless database integration. It's suitable for teams looking to simplify their database setup using in-cluster PostgreSQL or externally managed database services.

Transitioning to Managed Database Services

By updating the Kubernetes deployment configuration, teams can easily switch from an in-cluster PostgreSQL database to a managed service. This move enhances scalability and reliability while reducing the operational overhead of database management.

Key Benefits:

• Scalability and Reliability: Managed services offer superior scalability and reliability compared to in-cluster databases.

• Reduced Operational Overhead: Outsourcing database management allows teams to concentrate on application development.

Integration Steps

$ git clone https://github.com/egovernments/DIGIT-DevOps.git
$ cd DIGIT-DevOps
$ git checkout DIGIT-2.9LTS-URBAN(Helmfile)

• To integrate a managed PostgreSQL service, modify the following parameters in the

  deploy-as-code/charts/environments/env.yaml configuration file:

  • db-host: Update with the database service host address.

  • db-name: Update with the specific database name.

  • db-url: Update with the complete database connection URL.

  • domain: Update the domain name with your domain name

$ vi deploy-as-code/charts/environments/env.yaml

• Update db password, db username, flyway username, flyway password, login username, login password and git-sync private key in env-secrets.yaml

$ vi deploy-as-code/charts/environments/env-secrets.yaml

Note:

1. Generate SSH key pairs using the method below. Use the online website (not recommended in production setup - to be only used for demo setups): https://8gwifi.org/sshfunctions.jsp

2. Add the public key to your GitHub account - (reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C7_jBn9XJ0&ab_channel=AOSNote )

• Run the below command to install Local Governance successfully.

$ helmfile -f deploy-as-code/digit-helmfile.yaml apply    

Post Deployment

Navigate to the URL below to log in to the employee dashboard with SUPERUSER access.

https://<domain_name>/employee

Log in with the user credentials which you have provided in the file path below.

deploy-as-code/charts/environments/env-secrets.yaml

Destroy the deployment using Helmfile

$ helmfile -f deploy-as-code/digit-helmfile.yaml destroy

Tested Environment

This deployment approach has been thoroughly tested on an Amazon Web Services Elastic Kubernetes Service (AWS EKS) Cluster with Kubernetes version 1.28.\