Infrastructure As Code simplifies IT infrastructure administration. Processing no longer relies on manual processes that are difficult to follow and error-prone. This key DevOps practice makes infrastructure changes easier, faster, more reliable and repeatable.
Silos are counter-productive! Even with the cloud, IT teams can end up with silos. This is the case with IaaS.
Basically, each deployed application has its own dedicated infrastructure. As a result, each application is managed uniquely. The result is an accumulation of silos, as in many cases operational staff forget to share the servers they borrow from time to time...
What is infrastructure as a code?
To solve this problem, some companies are turning to IaC (Infrastructure as a Code). Also known as "programmable infrastructure", IaC can be likened to the programming scripts used to automate important IT processes.
The difference is that these scripts are essentially designed to automate a series of static steps that need to be repeated many times on several servers.
IaC relies on a descriptive language (DSL - Domain-Specific-Language) to code deployment and provisioning processes that are adaptive and more versatile.
In a nutshell, it involves writing code to provision and manage a server, as well as automating processes. This concept therefore goes beyond simple infrastructure automation.
Referring to DevOps practices, teams need to ensure that automation scripts are indeed error-free. And that they can be redeployed across multiple servers and engaged by both operations and development teams.
The benefits of Infrastructure as Code
Teams implementing infrastructure as code can deliver stable environments quickly and on a large scale. A deployment command always defines the target environment with the same configuration, whatever the initial state of the environment. This is the principle of idempotence.
For the development team, this unified environment enables the IT operations team to manage the continuous lifecycle of new applications.
The second advantage is that computing. Storage and networking are treated as fluid, disaggregated resource pools: as soon as a resource is no longer needed, it is returned to the pool, where it can be allocated to another application.
Day-to-day management and updating are also simplified. IaC automatically performs routine tasks such as updating firmware, adding storage or modifying network connectivity. Hardware configurations are maintained in the form of software templates, stored in the same repositories as the application code.
IaC is winning over more and more teams as tools emerge to facilitate the entire process. (Ansible, Jenkins, Testinfra, Puppet...)
For example, Ansible models your IT infrastructure. By describing how all your systems are linked together, rather than managing just one system at a time. What's more, environments can be modified not only during the launch of an instance, but also when an instance is already running.
In particular, Puppet can install an Apache server, check that it's running correctly, create a user account and password, configure it on a specific port and set up new virtual hosts. All via code.
Accessibility & Simplicity
These solutions make IaC environments accessible to anyone with a basic knowledge of modern coding techniques and structures. This is perhaps IaC's weakest point.
This methodology should be used sparingly and under supervision by beginners. The ease with which it is possible to run a hundred instances in a few minutes can also lead to malfunctions...
Another recommendation: specify the environment as strictly as possible, leaving little to chance...
IaC represents a real opportunity for teams to move faster and better. But you have to be careful. As the saying goes, "don't confuse speed with haste".
