Infrastructure as Code
Infrastructure as Code describes infrastructure in files that can be versioned and reviewed. Managed resources only change when those changes are actually applied.
What does Infrastructure as Code mean?
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) means managing infrastructure through machine-readable definitions. These files can be versioned and reviewed together. HashiCorp explains this for Terraform through configuration, a change plan and execution. The configuration describes the desired state; the tool determines the necessary changes.
Example: an additional portal environment
In this fictional example, a team describes a customer portal’s compute instances and network in configuration files. It adjusts these definitions for a test environment. Before execution, the change plan shows which resources would be created, changed or removed. This lets the team discuss a planned infrastructure change in advance.
Pay particular attention to planned deletions, access rights and dependencies. A reviewed file alone does not change a running environment. That requires an established execution process with suitable permissions.
The infrastructure definition does not replace a backup of application data. Being able to rebuild a database does not mean its previous contents have been restored. Changes made outside the files also need to be identified and compared with the desired configuration.
Sources
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