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Rolling Updates in CI/CD

Introduction

Rolling updates are a deployment strategy that allows you to update your applications without downtime. This approach is crucial in CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) pipelines, ensuring that new features and fixes are delivered seamlessly to users while maintaining service availability.

What is a Rolling Update?

A rolling update is a method of deploying changes to a live application by incrementally replacing instances of the previous version with the new version. This allows for minimal disruption and can be easily rolled back if issues arise.

How It Works

In a rolling update, new application instances are spun up while old instances are gradually taken down. This ensures that a portion of the application remains available at all times.

Step-by-Step Process


graph TD;
    A[Start Deployment] --> B[Deploy New Version];
    B --> C[Monitor Instances];
    C --> D{Are All Instances Healthy?};
    D -- Yes --> E[Remove Old Instances];
    D -- No --> F[Rollback];
    F --> E;
    E --> G[Deployment Complete];

Follow these steps for a rolling update:

  • Start the deployment process.
  • Deploy the new version of your application.
  • Monitor the health of the new instances.
  • If all instances are healthy, proceed to remove the old instances.
  • If issues arise, roll back to the previous version.
  • Complete the deployment.

    • Best Practices

    To ensure successful rolling updates, consider the following best practices:

  • Use automated deployment tools to minimize human error.
  • Implement monitoring and alerting to catch issues early.
  • Test the new version thoroughly before deployment.
  • Keep a rollback plan ready in case of failures.
  • Gradually increase the number of instances being updated to minimize risk.

    • FAQ

    What tools can I use for rolling updates?

    Popular tools include Kubernetes, AWS Elastic Beanstalk, and Jenkins, which support rolling updates natively.

    How do I ensure zero downtime during updates?

    By using load balancers and health checks, you can ensure that traffic is only directed to healthy instances during updates.

    What should I do if a rolling update fails?

    Implement a rollback strategy that allows you to revert to the previous version quickly and minimize disruption to users.