AWS Global Accelerator is a networking service designed to improve the availability and performance of applications by directing user traffic to optimal endpoints over the AWS global network. By leveraging AWS’s extensive infrastructure, Global Accelerator enhances the performance of applications hosted on AWS or on-premises. A core component of this service is the Endpoint Group, which allows users to define specific resources to route traffic efficiently.

In this knowledge base, we will delve into the details of AWS Global Accelerator Endpoint Groups, their configuration, use cases, best practices, and troubleshooting strategies.

What is AWS Global Accelerator?

AWS Global Accelerator provides a single static IP address that serves as a fixed entry point for applications, ensuring high availability and fault tolerance. This service improves application performance through the following features:

1. Static IP Addresses: Global Accelerator offers two static IP addresses that act as fixed entry points for applications. This means that applications can maintain a consistent IP address even as underlying resources change.

2. Intelligent Traffic Routing: Global Accelerator automatically routes user traffic to the nearest healthy endpoint based on latency, availability, and routing policies.

3. Health Checks: Global Accelerator continuously monitors the health of endpoints and redirects traffic to healthy endpoints in the event of an outage.

4. Endpoint Groups: These are logical groupings of endpoints that Global Accelerator uses to manage traffic routing based on user-defined criteria.

Understanding Endpoint Groups

What is an Endpoint Group?

An Endpoint Group is a configuration within AWS Global Accelerator that defines a collection of endpoints that can receive traffic. These endpoints can be Application Load Balancers (ALB), Network Load Balancers (NLB), EC2 instances, or even IP addresses.

Each Endpoint Group is associated with a specific AWS region and can contain multiple endpoints, allowing for effective traffic distribution and failover capabilities.

Key Components of Endpoint Groups

1. Endpoints: These are the resources that receive traffic. An Endpoint can be an Application Load Balancer, Network Load Balancer, EC2 instance, or an IP address.

2. Traffic Dial: This setting defines the proportion of traffic that should be directed to an Endpoint Group compared to others within the same Accelerator. It is expressed as a percentage (0-100).

3. Health Check Configuration: This specifies how Global Accelerator checks the health of the endpoints. It can be configured to use TCP or HTTP protocols to ensure the endpoints are operational.

4. Region: Each Endpoint Group is associated with a specific AWS region, which is critical for latency optimization and geographical routing.

Configuring an Endpoint Group

Access the AWS Global Accelerator Console

1. Log in to the AWS Management Console.
2. Navigate to Global Accelerator.

 Create a New Accelerator (If Necessary)

1. Click on Create Accelerator.
2. Provide a name and optionally add tags for easier management.
3. Note the static IP addresses assigned to your accelerator.

Create an Endpoint Group

1. In the Global Accelerator dashboard, select the Accelerator you just created.
2. Click on Add Endpoint Group.
3. Choose the AWS Region where your endpoints are located.

Add Endpoints to the Group

1. Click on Add Endpoint.
2. Select the type of endpoint you want to add (e.g., Application Load Balancer, Network Load Balancer, EC2 instance).
3. Specify the Endpoint and add additional configurations as needed.
4. Click Add to include the endpoint in the group.

Configure Traffic Dial

1. Specify the Traffic Dial for the Endpoint Group. This determines the percentage of traffic directed to this group.
2. Adjust the dial according to your traffic management strategy.

Configure Health Checks

1. Define health check settings by choosing either TCP or HTTP as the protocol.
2. Set parameters such as the Health Check Path (for HTTP checks), Port, Interval, and Thresholds.
3. Save the configuration.

 Review and Create

1. Review the configurations for the Endpoint Group.
2. Click Create Endpoint Group to finalize the settings.

Test the Configuration

1. Use the static IP addresses provided by Global Accelerator to test the routing and ensure that traffic is being directed correctly to the endpoints.
2. Monitor the health and performance of the endpoints using CloudWatch metrics.

Use Cases for AWS Global Accelerator Endpoint Groups

Multi Region Applications

For applications deployed in multiple regions, Endpoint Groups allow developers to manage traffic efficiently, directing users to the nearest available endpoint while providing failover capabilities in case of regional outages.

 Load Balancing Across Multiple Endpoints

Organizations can configure Endpoint Groups to distribute incoming traffic across multiple load balancers or EC2 instances, optimizing resource utilization and ensuring high availability.

Disaster Recovery and Failover

In case of a failure in one region or endpoint, Global Accelerator can automatically reroute traffic to healthy endpoints in other regions or instances, enhancing resilience and minimizing downtime.

Gaming and Real Time Applications

For latency-sensitive applications such as online gaming, Global Accelerator can significantly enhance user experience by routing players to the nearest game servers.

 Media Streaming

Media streaming applications can benefit from reduced latency and improved performance through optimal routing provided by Endpoint Groups, ensuring a smooth user experience.

Best Practices for Using AWS Global Accelerator Endpoint Groups

1. Use Static IPs for Consistency: Leverage the static IP addresses provided by Global Accelerator to maintain a consistent entry point for users, even when backend resources change.

2. Optimize Traffic Dials: Adjust traffic dials for each Endpoint Group to manage load effectively and ensure optimal performance.

3. Configure Health Checks Wisely: Set up health checks appropriately to ensure that traffic is directed only to healthy endpoints, reducing the risk of user-facing downtime.

4. Monitor Performance: Utilize AWS CloudWatch to monitor the health and performance of your endpoints, and make adjustments to configurations as needed based on the metrics.

5. Regular Testing: Periodically test your endpoint groups and configurations to ensure they perform as expected under various load conditions and failover scenarios.

6. Leverage Geo-Targeting: Use the geographical routing capabilities of Global Accelerator to provide optimal performance for users based on their location.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Endpoints Not Receiving Traffic

Symptoms: Traffic appears to be routed incorrectly, with some endpoints receiving no requests.

Solutions:

• Check Endpoint Health: Verify that the health checks for the endpoints are configured correctly and that the endpoints are marked as healthy.
• Review Traffic Dials: Ensure that the traffic dials are set appropriately to direct traffic to the desired endpoints.

 High Latency

Symptoms: Users experience higher-than-expected latency.

Solutions:

• Monitor Metrics: Use CloudWatch to monitor latency metrics for each endpoint.
• Reassess Endpoint Locations: Ensure that your endpoints are located strategically to minimize latency for users.

 Endpoint Group Misconfiguration

Symptoms: Unexpected behavior or routing of traffic.

Solutions:

• Review Configurations: Double-check all configurations in the Endpoint Group, including endpoints, health checks, and traffic dials.
• Test with Different Scenarios: Simulate traffic to see how the Endpoint Group handles different load scenarios and adjust settings as needed.

 IP Address Issues

Symptoms: Users cannot access the application through the static IP addresses.

Solutions:

• DNS Propagation: Ensure that DNS records have propagated correctly if you’re using a custom domain name.
• Security Groups and NACLs: Verify that the security groups and network access control lists (NACLs) associated with your endpoints allow incoming traffic from the Global Accelerator IP addresses.

AWS Global Accelerator Endpoint Groups are a powerful tool for enhancing the performance and reliability of applications deployed across multiple AWS regions or on-premises. By effectively managing how user traffic is routed to various endpoints, organizations can improve user experiences, reduce latency, and enhance the resilience of their applications.

Proper configuration, monitoring, and adherence to best practices are essential for leveraging the full potential of Endpoint Groups within AWS Global Accelerator. With the right setup, businesses can ensure their applications remain performant and available, regardless of user location or underlying resource changes.