diff --git a/docs/blog/images/ec2-mac2-m2pro.png b/docs/blog/images/ec2-mac2-m2pro.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cdb871c Binary files /dev/null and b/docs/blog/images/ec2-mac2-m2pro.png differ diff --git a/docs/blog/posts/2023-10-06-tart-on-aws.md b/docs/blog/posts/2023-10-06-tart-on-aws.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..75e124d --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/blog/posts/2023-10-06-tart-on-aws.md @@ -0,0 +1,71 @@ +--- +draft: false +date: 2023-10-06 +search: + exclude: true +authors: + - fkorotkov +categories: + - announcement +--- + +# Tart is now available on AWS Marketplace + +Announcing [official AMIs for EC2 Mac Instances](https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/pp/prodview-qczco34wlkdws) +with preconfigured Tart installation that is optimized to work within AWS infrastructure. + +EC2 Mac Instances is a gem of engineering powered by AWS Nitro devices. Just imagine there is a physical Mac Mini with +a plugged in Nitro device that can push the physical power button! + +![EC2 M2 Pro](/blog/images/ec2-mac2-m2pro.png) + +This clever synergy between Apple Hardware and Nitro System allows seamless integration with VPC networking and booting macOS from an EBS volume. + +In this blog post we’ll see how a virtualization solution like Tart can compliment and elevate experience with EC2 Mac Instances. + + + +Let’s start from the basics, what EC2 Mac Instances allow to do compared to physical Mac Minis seating in offices of +many companies around the world? + +First and foremost, EC2 Mac Instances sit inside AWS data centers and can leverage all the goodies of VPC networking +within your company's existing infrastructure. No need to connect your Macs in the office through a VPN and deal +with networking and security. + +Additionally, EC2 Mac Instances are booting from EBS volumes which means it is possible to always have reproducible instances +and apply all the best practices of Infrastructure-as-Code. Managing a fleet of physical Macs is a pain and it's very hard +to make them configured in a reproducible and stable way. With booting from identical EBS volumes your team is always sure +about the identical initial state of the fleet. + +## Compromises of EC2 Mac Instances + +The flexibility of EBS volumes for macOS comes with some compromises that virtualization solutions like Tart can help with. +The initial boot from an EBS volume takes some time and not instant. macOS itself is pretty heavy and a Nitro device needs +to download tens of gigabytes that macOS requires in order to boot. This means that **resetting a EC2 Mac Instance to a clean state +is not instant and usually takes a couple of minutes** when you can’t utilize the precious resources for your workloads. + +It is much easier to tailor such EBS volumes with tools like Packer but there is still a **friction to test newly created EBS volumes** +since one needs to start and run a EC2 Mac Instance and it’s not possible to test things locally. Similarly it is even harder +to test beta versions of macOS that require manual interaction with a running instance. + +## Solution + +Tart can help with all the compromises! Tart virtual machines (VMs) have nearly native performance thanks to utilizing +native `Virtualization.Framework` that was developed along the first Apple Silicon chip. **Tart VMs can be copied/disposed +instantly and booting a fresh Tart VM takes only several seconds**. It is also possible to run two different Tart VMs in parallel +that can have completely different versions of macOS and packages. For example, it is possible to have the latest stable macOS +with the release version of Xcode along with the next version of macOS with the latest beta of Xcode. + +Creation of Tart VMs can be automated with [a Packer plugin](https://github.com/cirruslabs/packer-plugin-tart) the same way as +creation of EC2 AMIs with one caveat that **Tart Packer Plugin works locally so you can test the same virtual machine locally +as you would run it in the cloud**. + +Lightweight nature of Tart VMs with a focus on an easy-to-integrate Tart CLI compliments any macOS automation and helps to reduce +the feedback cycle and improves reproducibility of macOS environments even further. + +## Conclusion + +We are excited to bring [official AMIs that include Tart installation optimized to work within AWS](https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/pp/prodview-qczco34wlkdws). +In the coming weeks when macOS Sonoma will become available on AWS we’ll release another update specifically targeting EC2 Mac Instances. +This update will simplify access to local SSDs of Mac Instances that are slightly faster than EBS volumes. Stay tuned and don’t hesitate +to ask any [questions](https://tart.run/licensing/). diff --git a/docs/licensing.md b/docs/licensing.md index 4622619..18862a5 100644 --- a/docs/licensing.md +++ b/docs/licensing.md @@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ If your organization is interested in purchasing one of the license tiers, pleas You can see a template of a license subscription agreement [here](assets/TartLicenseSubscription.pdf). +!!! info "Running on AWS?" + + There are [official AMIs for EC2 Mac Instances](https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/pp/prodview-qczco34wlkdws) + with preconfigured Tart installation that is optimized to work within AWS infrastructure. + # General Support The best way to ask general questions about particular use cases is to email our support team at [support@cirruslabs.org](mailto:support@cirruslabs.org). diff --git a/docs/theme/overrides/home.html b/docs/theme/overrides/home.html index 3b8350e..4f69647 100644 --- a/docs/theme/overrides/home.html +++ b/docs/theme/overrides/home.html @@ -1,8 +1,8 @@ {% extends "base.html" %} {% block announce %} - - 🚀🚀🚀  Announcing Tart 2.0.0  🚀🚀🚀 + + ☁️☁️☁️  Tart is now available on AWS Marketplace  ☁️☁️☁️ {% endblock %}