Using Terraform to Manage Resources in Multiple AWS Accounts

While working on deploying resources on AWS using Terraform, I encountered a scenario where I needed to work with more than one AWS account within the same Terraform configuration. The use case was to deploy two resources in different AWS accounts but manage their states in the same Terraform state file. Here’s how I achieved this using Terraform’s module feature.

Steps to Use Multiple AWS Accounts in Terraform

Step 1: Create AWS CLI Profiles

First, I created two profiles using the AWS CLI for the different accounts:

aws configure --profile aws-profile-a
aws configure --profile aws-profile-b

These profiles store the credentials and configuration for each AWS account.

Step 2: Update the Main Terraform Configuration

Next, I made changes to my main.tf file to configure the AWS providers and use aliases for each account. Here’s what the configuration looked like:

provider "aws" {
  alias   = "accountA"
  region  = "us-east-1"  # Replace with your region
  profile = "aws-profile-a"
}

provider "aws" {
  alias   = "accountB"
  region  = "us-west-2"  # Replace with your region
  profile = "aws-profile-b"
}

module "some_resource_in_aws_account_A" {
  providers = {
    aws = aws.accountA
  }
  source = "./path-to-module-A"
}

module "some_resource_in_aws_account_B" {
  providers = {
    aws = aws.accountB
  }
  source = "./path-to-module-B"
}

In this configuration:

• I defined two AWS providers with aliases accountA and accountB.
• Each module specifies the provider alias it should use.

Step 3: Update Module Configuration

I also made sure my modules could accept the provider configurations. Here’s an example of how to define the required providers within a module:

terraform {
  required_providers {
    aws = {
      source                = "hashicorp/aws"
      version               = ">= 4.0"
      configuration_aliases = [aws]
    }
  }
}

resource "aws_s3_bucket" "example" {
  bucket = "example-bucket"
  acl    = "private"
}

Full Example of Main Configuration and Module

main.tf:

provider "aws" {
  alias   = "accountA"
  region  = "us-east-1"  # Replace with your region
  profile = "aws-profile-a"
}

provider "aws" {
  alias   = "accountB"
  region  = "us-west-2"  # Replace with your region
  profile = "aws-profile-b"
}

module "resource_in_accountA" {
  providers = {
    aws = aws.accountA
  }
  source = "./moduleA"
}

module "resource_in_accountB" {
  providers = {
    aws = aws.accountB
  }
  source = "./moduleB"
}

moduleA/main.tf:

terraform {
  required_providers {
    aws = {
      source                = "hashicorp/aws"
      version               = ">= 4.0"
      configuration_aliases = [aws]
    }
  }
}

resource "aws_s3_bucket" "example" {
  bucket = "example-bucket-accountA"
  acl    = "private"
}

moduleB/main.tf:

terraform {
  required_providers {
    aws = {
      source                = "hashicorp/aws"
      version               = ">= 4.0"
      configuration_aliases = [aws]
    }
  }
}

resource "aws_s3_bucket" "example" {
  bucket = "example-bucket-accountB"
  acl    = "private"
}

Explanation

1. Provider Configuration: The provider "aws" blocks in main.tf use aliases accountA and accountB to specify different AWS profiles.
2. Module Configuration: Each module (moduleA and moduleB) specifies which provider alias to use through the providers attribute.
3. Required Providers in Modules: The terraform block within each module defines the required provider and ensures it can accept the alias.

Benefits

• Separation of Concerns: Different resources can be managed in different AWS accounts, improving security and management.
• Single State File: By using a single state file, you maintain a consistent view of your infrastructure.
• Modularity: Modules help organize and reuse code, making the Terraform configuration more manageable.

Conclusion

Using multiple AWS accounts in a single Terraform configuration can be achieved by leveraging Terraform's provider aliasing and module features. This approach allows for better separation of concerns, centralized state management, and modularity. By following the steps outlined above, you can deploy resources across different AWS accounts efficiently while maintaining a unified state file.