HostAlias: Customizing /etc/hosts via LCP.json

Released 09/21/2023

Liferay Cloud now supports custom hostname-to-IP mapping for your applications, providing a seamless method to update the /etc/hosts file of your container pods. This enhancement offers users granular control over networking aspects without compromising infrastructure stability or security.

How it Works

1. Configurable LCP.json: Liferay Cloud's LCP.json configuration file has been expanded to include the hostAliases property, which lets users define custom hostname-to-IP mappings.

   {
      "hostAliases":[{
         "ip":"10.XX.XX.XXX",
         "hostnames":["customdomain.example.com"]
      }]
   }

   Dynamic Kubernetes Deployment: During deployment, Liferay Cloud processes the hostAliases configuration from LCP.json and appropriately incorporates it into the Kubernetes deployment. Resultantly, every pod arising from this deployment will have its /etc/hosts file updated with the custom hostname-to-IP mapping.

2. Seamless Integration:

   • For the Customer: This approach allows customers to map internal IPs to specific domain entries, offering flexibility akin to editing an /etc/hosts entry, but at the Kubernetes pod level.

   • For Liferay Cloud: The platform gains more adaptability, enabling users to fine-tune their deployed application's networking facets without risking the foundational security or stability.

Test Scenario & Validation

After implementing this feature, when an application is deployed with the hostAliases property in its LCP.json, users can access the application's container, inspect the /etc/hosts file, and verify the desired mappings.

Conclusion

By introducing this feature, Liferay Cloud offers an efficient solution to customize hostname-to-IP mappings without the need for other methods like public DNS or manual adjustments, ensuring that your applications run smoothly and effectively within the Liferay Cloud environment.