INTEGRATE AZURE DEVOPS WITH VMWARE CODESTREAM

For a customer case, I had to show integration between Azure Devops, and VMware CodeStream.

Since the Git endpoint in Code Stream, does not work with Azure DevOps Git repository, I had to find another way of doing the integration.

The solution was quite simple. Trigger the pipeline, using a pipeline run by Azure Devops.

KEEPING .ENV FILES IN SYNC USING BITWARDEN

Update : After posting this, I was told that Grand Orchard, had already written a similar post, around how to do the same, using 1Password.

So if you are a 1Password user, then take a look at his blog

I use multiple computers, and sometimes it can be hard, to keep everything in sync. Working documents are easy, but my .env files, has proven to be harder.

WHEN TESTING GOT EASY - A STORY ABOUT SMTP AND DOCKER

Intro

Sometimes it’s the simple tings, that are the hardest. For a small projekt, i’m working on, I have to test sending a lot of emails. A simple thing, but in my case, I don’t have a local SMTP server.

I could set one up, but then, I have to configure users, maybe MX records, and other stuff. I have used AWS simple email service in the past, and that was high on my list, but I would really like to keep things local, and not having to configure a lot of stuff.

INSTALLING HARBOR CONTAINER REGISTRY BEHIND TRAEFIK REVERSE PROXY WITH LET'S ENCRYPT CERTIFICATE

Ever since Docker enforced their rate limit, I have been looking at using some other registry, to put my containers, but also to use as a proxy, so I hit the Docker api a blit less.

Everywhere I look, Harbor is mentioned, so that is the one, that I have been looking at.

EASY UPDATING CI/CD TOOLS

Update 09/06/2021 : Docker has changed their licenses, so that AutoBuild, in no longer part of the free license., due to it being exploided by Bitcoin miners. A shame, but something i fully understand. Update 23/03/2021 : I have changed my container image, to be build using Gitlab, and pushed to my private Harbor registry, due to speed, and amount of pulls. It’s public avaliable, so if you want to use it, pull it using

REMOTE ACCESS TO DEMOLAB USING APACHE GUACAMOLE

My demolab, is not hostet at home, but remote. So i’m always dependend, on some kind of remote access. At home, I use a IPSEC Site2Site VPN, between my PFsense, and the Edgerouter lite, I have in my Demo enviroment.

Remote I use Tailscale for client VPN, as I have described, in an earlier post.

TAILSCALE ON UBITIQUE EDGEROUTER

Update

06.08.2021 : Updated blog to version 1.12.3 - Tested and working. 30.01.2021 : Updated blog to version 1.4.1 - Tested and working.

Tailscale is what I have been using, to get access to my demo enviroment, and allow clients to communicate with each other, across networks etc. But I have really missed, having it installed on my firewall, to make it act as a more traditional vpn. The firewall i’m using is an Ubitique Edgerouter lite.

SECURE DEPLOYMENTS WITH DOCKER, TRAEFIK AND LET'S ENCRYPT

During the christmas holliday, I had some time, to look into Traefik reverse proxy.

The reason for me to use Traefik, is due to the automation, it delivers. It can automaticly detect deployments, and present them, and for my demo projects, that is exactly what I need.

Optimal, I would deploy everything to a K8S cluster, but i’m having some problems getting it working with Traefik. So for now, it’s just running on a single docker host. So K8S must be for a later blog post, when I get it working :-)

CUSTOM DNS RESOLVER FOR HOMELABS

Using custom dns servers, depending on enviroment, or resolving multiple internal domains, can be a real pain.

You can setup host files, but it’s a pain to manage. You can also setup your own DNS server, but if you are using company VPN etc, then it’s not always the right DNS server, that is being used.

GIVING BACK FOR THE FIRST TIME

One thing, I have been wanting to do, ever since I started learning Python, and started using Github, was to give back, the the projects, that I use. I remember reading, how to get started doing this, but I see myself as a beginner, when it comes to coding, and find myself thinking, “why would anybody want something, that I have done.”