Honest review of Mastering Infrastructure as Code with AWS CloudFormation
by
Anchal Gupta (Author)
Updated at: 09/02/2025
Mastering Infrastructure as Code with AWS CloudFormation provides a comprehensive guide to automating and orchestrating AWS infrastructure. This book empowers you to leverage the power of AWS CloudFormation, moving beyond manual processes to a code-driven approach. From foundational concepts like template creation and stack management to advanced techniques such as dynamic parameters and stack dependencies, this guide covers it all. Learn to design scalable, secure, and efficient cloud architectures through practical examples and best practices. Whether you're a beginner or experienced professional, this resource equips you to confidently manage complex AWS infrastructures, optimizing deployments and minimizing errors. Become proficient in IaC and propel your cloud career forward.
4.4 / 6 ratings
Review Mastering Infrastructure as Code with AWS CloudFormation
Mastering Infrastructure as Code with AWS CloudFormation proved to be a surprisingly engaging read, exceeding my expectations for a technical manual. While I approached it with some trepidation – the topic itself can feel daunting – the author, Anchal Gupta, immediately put me at ease. The writing style is remarkably clear and concise, expertly balancing theoretical explanations with practical, real-world examples. The step-by-step approach allows even a novice, like myself, to grasp the fundamentals of CloudFormation and gradually work towards more complex concepts.
The book’s structure is logical and well-paced. It cleverly builds upon earlier chapters, creating a solid foundation before venturing into more advanced techniques like stack dependencies, dynamic parameters, and the intricacies of nested stacks. Each section is self-contained yet seamlessly integrates with the overall narrative, ensuring a smooth learning experience. The inclusion of numerous code snippets and templates is invaluable; they allow you to actively participate in the learning process, reinforcing the theoretical concepts through hands-on application. I particularly appreciated the detailed explanations provided for each code example – they weren’t just presented as-is, but carefully dissected to illustrate the underlying principles.
While some reviewers mentioned missing code files, I fortunately didn't encounter this issue. However, I can understand the significant frustration it would cause, as the practical exercises are crucial to understanding the material. The effectiveness of the book heavily relies on the availability of these supplementary resources. This highlights the importance of verifying the completeness of the accompanying materials before beginning your study.
Beyond the technical aspects, the book's strength lies in its clear focus on best practices and security considerations. This is something often overlooked in purely technical guides, and it's commendable that Gupta prioritizes these critical elements. The emphasis on creating robust, scalable, and secure cloud architectures is particularly valuable, reflecting the real-world challenges faced by AWS professionals.
The book caters to a wide range of readers, from beginners exploring the world of IaC to experienced professionals looking to refine their CloudFormation skills. While it provides comprehensive coverage for beginners, it also delves into advanced topics that will challenge even seasoned practitioners. This duality makes it an excellent resource throughout one's journey with CloudFormation. I found myself continually referencing sections I'd already read, picking up new insights and nuances with each revisit.
In conclusion, "Mastering Infrastructure as Code with AWS CloudFormation" is a highly recommended resource. It's a well-written, well-structured, and comprehensive guide that effectively balances theory and practice. While the potential for missing code files is a concern, the overall quality of the writing, the clarity of the explanations, and the focus on best practices make this book an indispensable tool for anyone aiming to master AWS CloudFormation and elevate their cloud infrastructure management skills. It’s a valuable investment in your professional development, no matter your current level of expertise.
Information
Dimensions: 7.5 x 0.9 x 9.25 inches
Language: English
Print length: 396
Publication date: 2024
Book table of contents
Section I: Foundations of AWS CloudFormation
Getting Started with AWS CloudFormation
Introduction
Structure
Objectives
Knowing CloudFormation template
Benefits
Use cases
Workings of CloudFormation
Create the stack
Resource validation
Rollback mechanism
Introducing the YAML data format
YAML basics
Sample CloudFormation templates in YAML
Introducing JSON data format
JSON basics
concepts
Nesting and composition
Sample CloudFormation templates in JSON
YAML versus JSON
Conclusion
Multiple choice questions
Answers
CloudFormation Template Fundamentals
Section II: Template Deep Dive
Knowing CloudFormation template
Use cases
Workings of CloudFormation
Introducing the YAML data format
Introducing JSON data format
Objectives
Copyrighted Material
Index
Amazon RDS
AWS CLI
AWS Credentials
AWS CloudFormation
IaC Paradigm
AWS CloudFormation, components
AWS CloudFormation,
MappingLogicalName 115
Mappings 115
AWS CloudFormation,
AWS CloudFormation,
AWS CloudFormation,
AWS:CodeDeployBlueGreen 139
AWS CodePipeline 319
AWS CloudFormation;
AWS CodePipeline;
contralize, logging 34
visibility; allocating 35
dependency; managing 34
govemnance
compliance 34
modularity / reusability 33
parameterization 33
parameter; validating 34
resource deletion
policies 34
resource name,
conventions 34
resource,
resizing 34
resource; tagging 34
security; practices 34
strategies , optimizing 35
AWS CloudFormation, steps
dependency analyzing 12
AWS CodePipeline;
execution plan,
generating 12
output, completion
resource; orchestration 12
staleful resource,
managing 13
template; processing
AWS:Include 145
AWS::Include; guidelines
AWSTemplateFormatVersion
Amazon S3 URL
Cross-Region; replicating
inclusivity
JSON, validity
key-value, format
manual, updating
nest inclusion; limitalions
Template Language
compatibility
YAML Shorthand, notation
AWS:Include; scenario
AWS:Include; uses
AWS:LanguageExtensions
AWS Resource Iypes
AWS Resource Types,
dependency; resoluting
extensibility
lifecyde, managing
properties; configuring
reSOurce;
specification
servicer
associating
AWS Resource Types, services
AWS Secrets Manager
AWS:-SecretsManager
AWS:SecretsManager;
functions
AWS Secrets Manager; types
ResourcPolicy
RotationSchedule
Secret
SecretTargetAttachment
AWS-Serverless
AWS:ServiceCatalog
AWSTemplateFormat Version
Change Sets
Circular Dependences
Mastering Infrastructure as Code with AWS CloudFormation
Circular Dependencies
CloudFormation Designer
CloudFormation CD
CloudFormation Drift
CloudFormation Stacks
CloudFormation Templates
CloudFormation Templates
Deployment
EC2 Instance
scenario
Custom Resources
AWSTemplate
Description
conditions
Descriplion
mappings
Metadata
outputs
Parameters
resources
rules
transtorm
CloudFormation Templates
steps
Conditions
Conditions , functions
Conditions
Conditions, syntax
Conditions
Outputs
Parameters
Resourcs
Continuous Delivery (CD)
CreationPolicy
CreationPolicy; attributes
Count
ResourcSignal
Timeout
CreationPolicy;
implementing
EC2 Setup, deploying
Disaster Recovery (DR)
drift detection
DR,
alert, monitoring
Automate Rollbacks
backup, stralegies
compliance; auditing
data durability backup
Iailover
/high, availability
multi-region,
redundancy
security; considering
EC2 Bootstrapping
EC2 Bootstrapping advantages
consistency
efficiency
flexibility
scalability
version
controlling
CreationPolicy; syntax
CreationPolicy; uses
Custom Resources,
components
Custom Resources; synlax
seclions
Description; key aspects
documentation aid
human-readable; information
log, versioning
template; Purpose
key
testing
IAM
IAM; policies
AWS Policies
Custom Policies
IAM, scopes
CloudFormation; granting
permission,
granting
Infrastructure as Code
Helper Scripts
(laC)
Intrinsic Functions
Intrinsic Functions, sections
conditions
Metadala
outputs
resources
Intrinsic Functions, types
Fn::Base64
Fn:Cidr
Fn:ForEach
Fn:GetAtt
Fn:GetAZs
FnfJoin
Fn:Length
Fn:Select
Fn:Split
Fn:Sub
Fn:ToJsonString
Ref
JavaScript Object Notation
UJSON)
JSON Composition, nesting
JSON, fundamental
Arrays
Objects
JSON
JSON / YAML
JSON/ YAML
Logical ID
Macros
Macros, breakdown
Macros Foundation;
Macros; functions
Fn:Transform
predefine macros
Transtorm
Section
Mappings
Mappings syntax,
Metadata
Metadata, keys
Metadata, levels
Resourc
Template
Parameters
Outputs Section
Override Parameters
Parameters
Parameters, dalatypes
AWS-Specilic
CommaDelimitedList
List
SSM
Parameters
Parameters, features
Resources
Resources
Parameters, scenarios
Parameters, contraint; description
Parameters, default value; configuring
Parameters, min / max, length
Parameters, module, optimizing
Parameters, NoEcho
Parameters, pattern, considering
Parameters, values, allowing
Resources
EC2 Instance
Lambda Function
S3 Bucket
SQS Queue
VPC
Rollback Triggers
SAM
AWS CLI
AWS Templates
Amazon DynamoDB
Amazon API Gateway
AWS Lambda
StackSets
Mastering Infrastructure as Code with AWS CloudFormation