Build Custom Docker Images with Redis Json and Search Module Support for deploying Bitnami Redis Cluster and Standalone in AKS

 Redis cluster deployed in AKS (kubernetes) is a really useful way to use Redis cache in dotnet projects. To depoy Redis on AKS we can use Redis bitnami cluster or standalone. Cluster mode deployment is only accessible within the kubernetes clsuter, therefore for development environments, to allow local machine access to Redis in an AKS clsuter you need the standalone mode of deployment, which we will discuss in the next post. The bitnnami Redis images are not included with the json module and search module which are useful to store json documents and search them in a Redis setup. In this post let's explore how to include addtional modules in Bitnami Redis to build a custom image so that the Json and Search of Redis available in AKS once deployed.

The expection is to build custom Bitnami Redis images with module support similar to Redis 8 and get them added to Azure Container registry as shown below.

 

Use Directory.Packages.props to Centralize Version Management of Consumed NuGet Packages in a .NET Solution

 Using NueGet packages and keep the versions upto date is a requirement as well as a challange if the versions are defined all over in many projects, in a given dotnet solution. We can limit the reference to packages to refer only in one project for a solution as consuming projects will inherently get the references. However, when it comes to using unit test projects we must reference the packages in all test projects to ensure test dicoverability in pipelines as well as in Test Explorer of the Visual Studio. Therefore, centralize Nuget Package management is essential in a complex and large solutions.

The Directory.Packages.props is the saviour for this requirement which allows us to define all the package versions centrally in the solution, by adding a Directory.Packages.props to the root of the repo, similar to using nuget.config.

Use DefaultAzureCredential with C# to Work with Azure Cosmos DB Data Using "Cosmos DB Built-in Data Contributor" RBAC

 We have discussed "Add Cosmos DB Built-in Roles to Resource Identities via Terraform to Allow Role Based Access to Data in Cosmos DB" in the previous post. Now that the data constributor roles are setup in Azure Cosmos DB, let's look at how to write a simple code to access,  create Cosmos DB data using DefaultAzureCredential with C#.

The expection is to get document data created in Cosmos DB as similar to shown below.

Add Cosmos DB Built-in Roles to Resource Identities via Terraform to Allow Role Based Access to Data in Cosmos DB

 Azure Cosmos DB can be used with DefaultAzureCrentials in C#. However, for enabling usage of DefaultAzureCrentials  with Azure Cosmos DB requires special data roles to be added to the  Cosmos DB account. There are two built in roles data reader and data contributor. Unlike other RBAC roles in Azure these roles cannot be assigned via Azure portal and they must be added programatically. They have to added via Azure CLI, Bicep, Powershell, REST API or Terraform.

Expose AKS Deployed RabbitMQ AMQP Access for Local Development via Load Balancer

 We have discussed "Setting Up RabbitMQ Cluster in AKS Using RabbitMQ Cluster Operator" in a previous post. Within the AKS cluster apps can access RabbitMQ with AMQP with rabbitmq-cluster.rabbitmq.svc.cluster.local using cluster IP service. However it is important to expose the rabbitmq cluster for local development. For this purpose we have to setup a load banacer service as Rabbit MQ AMQP protocol is not supported via Nginx. Let's look at how to setup a load balancer service to enable local development of applications using a RabbitMQ cluster deployed in an AKS cluster in this post.