How to make use of environments to manage deployments in Gitlab

CICD

How to make use of environments to manage deployments in Gitlab

By novicejava1 0
gitlab_environments

Here in this article we will try to setup different environment to deploy the application using the gitlab environment feature.

Test Environment

fedres.stack.com – gitlab v16.9.2-ee
k8master.stack.com – master node – v1.28.5
k8node.stack.com – worker node – v1.28.5

Procedure

Step1: Ensure Gitlab agent for Kubernetes cluster installed

As a first step you need to ensure that you have a working Gitlab Server with Gitlab agent for kubernetes cluster installed on your kubernetes cluster.
Follow “How to manage Kubernetes cluster using Gitlab CICD workflow” to complete this setup.

Step2: Ensure kubernetes namespaces exist

Here in this step we are going to create three namespace stackdev, stackpre, stackprod wherein we will deploy our job.

admin@k8master:~$ kubectl get ns
NAME                     STATUS   AGE
...
stackdev                 Active   61m
stackpre                 Active   61m
stackprod                Active   61m

Step3: Update the CICD pipeline

Now let’s try to update our CICD pipeline in such a way that we have three stages that will be executed, the first stage will deploy the job to dev environment, the second stage will deploy the job to preproduction environment and the third stage will deploy the job to production environment which is protected as it will need to be triggered manually by the user.

Here is the completed .gitlab-ci.yml file.

admin@fedres:~/hellojob$ cat .gitlab-ci.yml 
stages:
  - deploy_dev
  - deploy_pre
  - deploy_prod

deploy_dev:
  stage: deploy_dev
  environment:
    name: development
  script:
    - kubectl config set clusters.gitlab.certificate-authority-data 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
    - kubectl config view
    - kubectl config get-contexts
    - kubectl config use-context dev/kubernetes_iac:fedreskub
    #- kubectl create ns stackdev
    - kubectl -n stackdev apply -f job.yml
    - kubectl -n stackdev get jobs
    #- kubectl --insecure-skip-tls-verify get pods

deploy_pre:
  stage: deploy_pre
  environment:
    name: preproduction
  script:
    - kubectl config set clusters.gitlab.certificate-authority-data 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
    - kubectl config view
    - kubectl config get-contexts
    - kubectl config use-context dev/kubernetes_iac:fedreskub
    #- kubectl create ns stackpre
    - kubectl -n stackpre apply -f job.yml
    - kubectl -n stackpre get jobs
    #- kubectl --insecure-skip-tls-verify get pods

deploy_prod:
  stage: deploy_prod
  environment:
    name: production
  when: manual
  script:
    - kubectl config set clusters.gitlab.certificate-authority-data 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
    - kubectl config view
    - kubectl config get-contexts
    - kubectl config use-context dev/kubernetes_iac:fedreskub
    #- kubectl create ns stackprod
    - kubectl -n stackprod apply -f job.yml
    - kubectl -n stackprod get jobs
    #- kubectl --insecure-skip-tls-verify get pods

Push the changes to the repository.

admin@fedres:~/hellojob$ git add .
admin@fedres:~/hellojob$ git commit -m "update cicd with env"
admin@fedres:~/hellojob$ git push -u origin main

Step4: Trigger the pipeline

Go to Build – Pipelines and trigger the pipeline.

The pipeline will deploy the job to dev and pre environment but the production deployment needs to be manually triggered.

Hit the play button in the deploy_prod stage to trigger the deployment to production environment.

Step5: Validate the deployments

Go to Operate – Environment and expand each environment see the deployments in each environment.

You can also check the jobs deployed in your kubernetes cluster in the respective namespaces as shown below.

admin@k8master:~$ k -n stackdev get jobs
NAME   COMPLETIONS   DURATION   AGE
pi     1/1           9s         23m
admin@k8master:~$ k -n stackpre get jobs
NAME   COMPLETIONS   DURATION   AGE
pi     1/1           9s         23m
admin@k8master:~$ k -n stackprod get jobs
NAME   COMPLETIONS   DURATION   AGE
pi     1/1           8s         23m

Hope you enjoyed reading this article. Thank you..