TL;DR;
fck-nat is an open-source, cost-effective alternative to AWS Managed NAT Gateway. It dramatically reduces costs, eliminates data transfer charges, and supports high-bandwidth traffic. Built on Amazon Linux 2023, fck-nat offers features like high availability, custom monitoring with CloudWatch, and flexible deployment options using Terraform, CDK, or CloudFormation. Ideal for cost-sensitive setups and development environments, fck-nat has some limitations in production.
Managing Network Address Translation (NAT) in AWS can be expensive and tricky, but that's where fck-nat comes in. It's a simple, affordable, and customizable alternative to AWS Managed NAT Gateway that saves you money while keeping things running smoothly.
What is fck-nat?
fck-nat is an open-source project providing a modern, cost-effective alternative to AWS Managed NAT Gateway. Built on Amazon Linux 2023 and available as a pre-configured Amazon Machine Image (AMI), fck-nat supports high-bandwidth traffic at significantly lower costs than AWS's proprietary solutions. It also offers flexibility in deployment, including support for high-availability (HA) configurations, static IPs, and custom monitoring with CloudWatch.
AndrewGuenther
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fck-nat
Feasible cost konfigurable NAT: An AWS NAT Instance AMI
fck-nat
Welcome to fck-nat. The (f)easible (c)ost (k)onfigurable NAT!
- Overpaying for AWS Managed NAT Gateways? fck-nat.
- Want to use NAT instances and stay up-to-date with the latest security patches? fck-nat.
- Want to reuse your Bastion hosts as a NAT? fck-nat.
Full documentation is available at https://fck-nat.dev
fck-nat offers a ready-to-use ARM and x86 based AMIs built on Amazon Linux 2023 which can support up to 5Gbps burst NAT traffic on a t4g.nano instance. How does that compare to a Managed NAT Gateway?
Hourly rates:
- Managed NAT Gateway hourly: $0.045
- t4g.nano hourly: $0.0042
Per GB rates:
- Managed NAT Gateway per GB: $0.045
- fck-nat per GB: $0.00
Sitting idle, fck-nat costs 10% of a Managed NAT Gateway. In practice, the savings are even greater.
"But what about AWS' NAT Instance AMI?"
The official AWS supported NAT Instance AMI hasn't been updates since 2018, is still running Amazon Linux 1 which is now…
Key Features
Cost Efficiency
- Low Costs: Operating on a t4g.nano instance, fck-nat costs approximately $3.06/month compared to AWS Managed NAT Gateway's $32/month.
- No Data Transfer Costs: Unlike Managed NAT Gateway, fck-nat does not charge for per-GB data transfer.
High Performance
- Performance Tuning Tips: To maximize fck-nat's performance, ensure you choose the right EC2 instance type based on your traffic needs.
- Scalable Bandwidth: Supports up to 5 Gbps egress on smaller instances and higher capacities on larger instances with over 32 vCPUs.
- Optimized Configurations: Uses advanced routing and security configurations to maximize throughput.
Flexibility and Control
- Custom Deployments: Supports deployment via CDK, Terraform, and CloudFormation.
- High-Availability Mode: Automatically replaces instances in case of failure while maintaining consistent IP addresses.
Monitoring and Security
- CloudWatch Integration: Provides detailed metrics for monitoring NAT traffic.
- Enhanced Security: Leverages security groups and supports custom firewall rules using iptables.
Sustainability
- ARM-based Instances: Optimized for ARM architecture to reduce costs and energy consumption.
Benefits of Using fck-nat
Cost Savings: fck-nat offers a highly affordable solution for managing NAT. Unlike AWS Managed NAT Gateway, which incurs steep costs for both usage and data transfer, fck-nat eliminates per-GB transfer charges and operates on low-cost instances, saving you hundreds of dollars monthly.
Customizability: You can adapt fck-nat to fit your requirements. Whether you need custom routing rules, specific security configurations, or tailored deployment strategies, fck-nat offers the flexibility to align with your infrastructure.
Simplicity: Deploying fck-nat is straightforward, even for users with minimal experience. Comprehensive guides and examples make the setup process quick and easy, ensuring you can get up and running without unnecessary complexity.
Reliability: High availability is built into fck-nat's design. With support for automatic failover and redundant instances, it guarantees consistent performance and minimal downtime, keeping your network running smoothly.
Use Cases
Enterprise Cost Optimization
Replace AWS Managed NAT Gateways in your Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs) to significantly cut costs. fck-nat maintains excellent performance, making it a perfect option for businesses aiming to optimize cloud expenses.
Hybrid Architectures
Seamlessly integrate fck-nat with private subnets in hybrid cloud setups. This ensures efficient management of egress traffic without the steep costs associated with other NAT solutions.
Development Environments
Simplify and reduce costs for NAT in development or test environments. fck-nat’s affordability and straightforward deployment make it ideal for temporary or experimental setups.
Step-by-Step Guide: Setting Up fck-nat
Prerequisites
- Access to an AWS account.
- Basic understanding of AWS VPCs, routing, and EC2 instances.
Deployment Methods
Using Terraform
module "fck-nat" {
source = "RaJiska/fck-nat/aws"
name = "my-fck-nat"
vpc_id = "vpc-abc1234"
subnet_id = "subnet-abc1234"
update_route_tables = true
route_tables_ids = {
"private-route-1" = "rtb-abc1234Foo"
"private-route-2" = "rtb-abc1234Bar"
}
}
Using CDK (TypeScript)
const natGatewayProvider = new FckNatInstanceProvider({
instanceType: InstanceType.of(InstanceClass.T4G, InstanceSize.NANO),
});
const vpc = new Vpc(this, 'vpc', {
natGatewayProvider,
});
natGatewayProvider.securityGroup.addIngressRule(Peer.ipv4(vpc.vpcCidrBlock), Port.allTraffic());
Manual Deployment
- Launch the fck-nat AMI from the EC2 Console.
- Disable source/destination checks on the instance.
- Update private subnet route tables to point to the fck-nat instance.
Configuration Options
-
/etc/fck-nat.conffile controls behavior:-
eni_id: Elastic Network Interface ID for HA mode. -
eip_id: Elastic IP for consistent external IP. -
cwagent_enabled: Enable CloudWatch agent for detailed metrics.
-
Validating Deployment
- SSH into a private instance routed through fck-nat.
- Verify public IP matches the fck-nat Elastic IP.
Considerations for Production Environments
Scaling Limitations
fck-nat does not include native support for automatic scaling. This can be a challenge for applications with fluctuating or large-scale traffic requirements, as manual intervention might be needed to adjust resources.
Compliance and Security
Meeting strict compliance and security standards may require additional configurations. While fck-nat supports security groups and custom firewall rules, organizations may need to perform audits and implement tailored adjustments to ensure compliance.
High Availability
Deploying fck-nat in a high-availability setup requires careful planning and continuous monitoring. Failover events, while supported, depend on manual configurations or external tools to ensure seamless operations.
Before deploying fck-nat in critical systems, it is essential to evaluate these factors thoroughly and consider supplementary tools or processes to address potential gaps.
Conclusion
fck-nat bridges the gap between cost-efficiency and performance in AWS network configurations. However, it is important to note that this solution has some limitations for production environments. For instance, it does not natively support automatic scaling for high-traffic scenarios, and additional configuration may be required to meet compliance and security standards. With flexible deployment options, advanced features, and significant cost savings, fck-nat is best suited for cost-sensitive setups or development environments. To learn more and get started, visit the fck-nat GitHub page.
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