The Value of Infrastructure as Code

How many times have you done a repetitive server task that could have been automated using code? Manually completing repetitive tasks has probably increased delivery time, as well as potential errors. However, infrastructure as code (IaC) can eliminate these and other problems.

Infrastructure as code is a means of managing and provisioning infrastructure (such as virtual machines, networks, or load balancers) using machine-readable definition files. This enables developers to automatically manage and provision the infrastructure applications needed, using software instead of manual processes when configuring operating systems and hardware. It uses the same versioning that DevOps teams often use in source code. Because just as source code always creates the same binary, IaC creates the same environment every time it’s used and can manage physical equipment as well as virtual machines. Here’s how it works, and how it can benefit your firm.

What is Infrastructure as Code?

IaC is a type of IT setup. Conceptually, it’s a lot like programming scripts that are used to automate various processes. Another way of providing automation using IaC is with templates, such as CloudFormation templates provided for a variety of applications by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Terraform, an open-source IaC tool created by HashiCorp and used to build, update, and version AWS infrastructure. An AWS managed services and consulting partner can help you deploy a specific tool, resource, or integration into your infrastructure with a reusable collection of Terraform templates. These pre-established modules can make it easier for your firm to deliver services to your customers.

Terraform’s configuration and state are version-controlled, which leaves a convenient history of all changes. Version control allows you to manage infrastructure changes and deployments in the same way you might deploy software. Deployments can be automated using existing continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) systems.

Furthermore, with Terraform, you can define and group a set of AWS resources as a module and reuse that module as needed. By choosing a managed services provider that develops your IaC code using Terraform, you can obtain all the benefits of a fast, efficient deployment as well as all of Terraform’s visibility.

Why Use Infrastructure as Code?

IaC automates both your recovery and deployment processes. It improves monitoring and testability, reduces the cost of innovation and experimentation, and makes deployments go more smoothly. When you do have problems, IaC can reduce the time needed to resolve issues. It saves you from needing to write documentation because with IaC, your code is the documentation! It’s why developers and admins love IaC.

IaC is consistent, secure, and is its own documented reference. It provides DevOps practices that your business can benefit from, no matter how large or small your firm may be. If you’re migrating to the AWS cloud, engage a managed services partner that makes codifying your infrastructure a top priority.

Getting Started

Mission, an expert AWS partner, can optimize your IaC infrastructure so you can have efficient, predictable deployments, improved quality control and testing, and faster recovery times. Partner with Mission and get more benefits out of IaC and your AWS investment.