Adding documentation for AWS Config service

README.md

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 * [Architecture](architecture.md)
 * [External Authentication (httpd)](external_auth.md)
 * [REST API](rest_api.md)
+* [Working with Amazon AWS Config service](providers/amazon_aws_config.md)
 
 ## License
 

providers/amazon_aws_config.md

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+## Amazon AWS Config
+
+The [AWS Config](http://aws.amazon.com/config/) service provides configuration
+information about all catalog items in your AWS environment, including
+configuration changes.
+
+### Setting up the AWS Config service
+
+The instructions for enabling the AWS Config service are provided in [Amazon's
+documentation](http://aws.amazon.com/config/details/#Getting_Started).  An
+overview of those instructions is provided here.
+
+1. Create an AWS SNS Topic called `AWSConfig_topic`.
+  * log into the AWS Console
+  * navigate to the SNS tab
+  * click the "Create and Add" button, and select "Create new topic"
+  * in the dialog, enter "AWSConfig_topic" as the topic name
+  * click "Create topic" to close the dialog
+2. Create an AWS S3 bucket for AWS Config
+  * navigate to the S3 tag in the AWS Console
+  * click the "Actions" button, and select "Create Bucket..."
+  * in the dialog, enter a bucket name in the "Bucket Name" field
+  * select the region appropriate for your AWS account
+  * click "Create" to close the dialog
+3. Enable the AWS Config service
+  * navigate to the Config tab
+  * click the gear icon next to the "Status" link
+  * under the "Amazon SNS Topic" heading, select "Choose a topic from your
+    account" and select the `AWSConfig_topic`
+  * under the "Amazon S3 Bucket" heading, select "Choose a bucket from my
+    account" and select the correct bucket name
+  * enter an optional subdirectory
+  * click "Allow" to allow the AWS Config service read resource configurations
+
+### How ManageIQ Uses AWS Config
+
+ManageIQ supports AWS Config by using the service as the source for events.
+Configuration changes published by AWS Config are consumed by ManageIQ and
+treated as events.  These events are processed by the normal ManageIQ event
+handler mechanisms.
+
+When the ManageIQ AWS Event Catcher starts for the first time, it will create a
+new AWS SQS Queue that subscribes to the AWS SNS Topic used by the AWS Config
+service.  It is important to use the AWS SNS Topic name of `AWSConfig_topic`
+when setting up the AWS Config service so that ManageIQ can find the topic when
+creating the SQS Queue.
+
+The SQS Queue is used to receive AWS resource configuration diffs generated by
+the AWS Config service.  The ManageIQ AWS Event Catcher connects to the SQS
+Queue and receives all of the AWS resource configuration diffs.