IaC

Infrastructure as Code

IaC is an approach to managing and provisioning computing infrastructure through machine-readable code and automation, rather than manual processes. In IaC, infrastructure is defined, configured, and managed using code, which can be version-controlled and treated like any other software application.

IaC involves:

• Code Definition: Writing code (typically in a domain-specific language like HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) or a configuration management tool) to define and describe the desired state of infrastructure components, such as servers, networks, storage, and security settings.
• Automation: Using automation tools and scripts to provision, configure, and manage infrastructure resources based on the code specifications.
• Version Control: Treating infrastructure code as software code, allowing it to be stored in version control systems (like Git) to track changes, collaborate with others, and roll back to previous versions when needed.
• Consistency: Ensuring that infrastructure deployments are consistent and reproducible across different environments (development, testing, production) by using the same codebase.
• Scalability and Agility: Enabling rapid and scalable provisioning of resources, which is particularly valuable in cloud computing environments.

IaC provides several benefits, including improved efficiency, reduced manual errors, enhanced collaboration among teams, and greater control over infrastructure changes. Popular IaC tools and frameworks include Terraform/OpenTofu, Ansible, Puppet, and Chef, which allow organizations to manage their infrastructure as code across on-premises, hybrid, or cloud environments.