Learn how to use Terraform to effortlessly create a Route 53 record that directs traffic to your Application Load Balancer (ALB) in AWS.
This guide explains how to connect your domain name to an Application Load Balancer (ALB) in AWS using Route 53. Before you begin, ensure you have a registered domain name in Route 53 and an ALB configured in your AWS account. You'll need your domain name and the ALB's DNS name, which you can find in the ALB details within the EC2 console. To create the connection, you'll set up an ALIAS record in Route 53. This involves using Terraform's aws_route53_record
resource, specifying 'A' as the record type and configuring the 'alias' block with your ALB's DNS name and your Route 53 hosted zone ID. Once you've saved your Terraform configuration, run 'terraform apply' to create the record. Remember that ALIAS records are the correct choice for ALBs, not CNAME records. Also, ensure your ALB has properly configured listeners and targets for health checks. After the changes are applied, allow time for DNS propagation. If you encounter issues, verify your ALB's DNS name, zone ID, and the ALB's health status. For Terraform errors, review the messages for syntax problems or permission issues.
To connect your domain name to an Application Load Balancer (ALB) using Route 53, you'll need to create an ALIAS record. Here's a breakdown:
Prerequisites:
Gather Information:
example.com
).your-alb-name-1234567890.us-east-1.elb.amazonaws.com
.Create the ALIAS Record:
aws_route53_record
resource with type = "A"
and alias
block.
name
to your desired subdomain (e.g., blog
for blog.example.com
or leave empty for the root domain).alias
block:
name
should point to your ALB's DNS name.zone_id
is the Route 53 hosted zone ID where your domain is managed.evaluate_target_health
should generally be set to true
for ALBs.Apply Changes:
terraform apply
to create the record in Route 53.Important Considerations:
name
attribute in aws_route53_record
determines the subdomain. An empty string represents the root domain.Troubleshooting:
This Terraform code configures an AWS Route 53 ALIAS record to point your root domain name to an Application Load Balancer (ALB). It uses variables for flexibility and includes health check configuration. You need to provide your domain name, ALB DNS name, and hosted zone ID.
# Configure the AWS Provider
terraform {
required_providers {
aws = {
source = "hashicorp/aws"
version = "~> 4.0" # Use the latest version compatible with your setup
}
}
}
# Variables (Replace with your actual values)
variable "domain_name" {
default = "example.com"
}
variable "alb_dns_name" {
default = "your-alb-name-1234567890.us-east-1.elb.amazonaws.com"
}
variable "hosted_zone_id" {
# Get this from the Route 53 console
default = "YOUR_HOSTED_ZONE_ID"
}
# Create an ALIAS record for the root domain
resource "aws_route53_record" "alb_record" {
zone_id = var.hosted_zone_id
name = var.domain_name
type = "A"
alias {
name = var.alb_dns_name
zone_id = var.hosted_zone_id # Use the same hosted zone ID
evaluate_target_health = true
}
}
Explanation:
aws_route53_record
Resource: This resource defines a new Route 53 record.
zone_id
: Specifies the Route 53 hosted zone where the record will be created.name
: Sets the subdomain. In this case, it's an empty string (""
) to target the root domain (example.com
).type
: Set to "A"
for an address record.alias
: Configures the record as an ALIAS record.
name
: The ALB's DNS name.zone_id
: The hosted zone ID of the ALB (which is the same as your domain's hosted zone ID).evaluate_target_health
: Enables Route 53 health checks on the ALB.How to Use:
terraform init
terraform apply
Additional Notes:
blog.example.com
), set the name
attribute to the desired subdomain ("blog"
in this case).aws_route53_record
resources to define records for different subdomains or purposes.terraform destroy
.aws_route53_record
data source and then modify it to be an ALIAS record.This guide outlines how to connect your domain name to an Application Load Balancer (ALB) using an ALIAS record in Route 53.
Before You Begin:
Steps:
Gather Information:
example.com
).your-alb-name-1234567890.us-east-1.elb.amazonaws.com
).Create the ALIAS Record (using Terraform):
aws_route53_record
resource with type = "A"
and the alias
block.name
attribute to your desired subdomain (e.g., blog
for blog.example.com
) or leave it empty for the root domain.alias
block:
name
to your ALB's DNS name.zone_id
to the Route 53 hosted zone ID where your domain is managed.evaluate_target_health
to true
for ALBs.Apply Changes:
terraform apply
to create the record in Route 53.Key Points:
Troubleshooting:
By following these steps, you can effectively connect your domain name to an Application Load Balancer using Route 53, ensuring traffic is routed efficiently and reliably to your applications. Remember to leverage Terraform for streamlined infrastructure management and refer to the provided code example for a practical starting point. Always consult the AWS documentation for the latest features, updates, and best practices.
brand.com
) as an ALIAS record - cloudposse/terraform-aws-route53-alias