Infrastructure as code (IaC) is the management of infrastructure (networks, virtual machines, load balancers, and connection topology) in a descriptive model, using the same versioning software used in software development. In simplest terms, it means writing code to manage configurations and automate provisioning of infrastructure in addition to deployments.
Defining an IaC strategy can be critical for effective DevOps practices. The strategy can vary depending on the organization’s needs, but common elements include source control, testing, and automation of testing and deployment.
Source Control – The First Step in IaC
The first step of any IaC strategy is to put all of your infrastructure code into a source control system, such as Azure Repos or GitHub. Source Control ensures that all changes to the code are tracked and can be rolled back if necessary. It also allows several developers to collaborate on the same codebase without risk of overwriting each other’s changes.
For instance, in a typical setup, you could track your changes by using Git. Just initialize a new repository in your project’s directory, add your files, commit your changes, and push them to Azure Repos.
git init
git add .
git commit -m “Initial commit”
git remote add origin
git push -u origin master
Test, Test, and Test!
An important part of any IaC strategy is testing. Testing ensures that the infrastructure code is doing what it is intended to do. Tools like Test Kitchen can be used for testing your infrastructure code. Test Kitchen is a test harness tool to execute your configured code on one or more platforms in isolation.
The various types of tests that should be performed on Infrastructure as Code include:
- Static code analysis: Tools like RuboCop can be used when the infrastructure code is written in Ruby.
- Unit tests: Tools like ChefSpec can be used when using Chef for infrastructure management.
- Integration tests: Tools like Serverspec or Inspec can be used for performing Integration tests.
Automating the Deployment
Automation of deployment is an essential aspect of the IaC concept. Tools like Jenkins, Azure DevOps, and many others allow automatic provisioning and configuration of infrastructure whenever code is pushed to source control. They provide a seamless way to deploy infrastructure along with your application.
With Azure DevOps, for instance, you could create a YAML pipeline to deploy your infrastructure:
trigger:
– master
pool:
vmImage: ‘ubuntu-latest’
steps:
– task: AzureResourceGroupDeployment@2
inputs:
azureSubscription: ‘<Your-Azure-Subscription>’
action: ‘Create Or Update Resource Group’
resourceGroupName: ‘myResourceGroup’
location: ‘West Europe’
templateLocation: ‘Linked artifact’
csmFile: ‘templates/azuredeploy.json’
csmParametersFile: ‘templates/azuredeploy.parameters.json’
deploymentMode: ‘Incremental’
In this script, an Azure Resource Group is being deployed using a template file (azuredeploy.json) and a parameters file (azuredeploy.parameters.json).
Conclusion
In conclusion, an ideal IaC strategy, particularly with respect to the AZ-400 exam, entails effective use of source control systems, rigorous testing of infrastructure code, and automation of testing and deployment. These practices play a crucial role in helping organizations deliver software faster and more reliably. A good grasp of these strategies is key to passing exams like AZ-400 Designing and Implementing Microsoft DevOps Solutions and becoming a successful DevOps professional.
Practice Test
True or False: Infrastructure as Code (IaC) refers to the process of managing and provisioning computing infrastructure with machine-readable definition files.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: IaC is a key DevOps practice and is used in conjunction with continuous delivery.
Which of the following are typical components of an Infrastructure as Code (IaC) strategy?
- a) Source Control
- b) Automated Testing
- c) Manual Deployment
- d) Automated Deployment
Answer: a, b, d
Explanation: An IaC strategy usually includes Source Control, Automated Testing, and Automated Deployment.
True or False: When using an IaC strategy, you do not need to keep your code and configuration in a source control system.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Source control is a critical component of any IaC strategy because it allows to track and review changes to the code and configuration.
In a well-defined IaC strategy, is automation of testing and deployment required?
- a) Yes
- b) No
Answer: a) Yes
Explanation: Automation of testing and deployment is key to any IaC strategy in order to ensure consistency and speed up delivery.
True or False: Azure Pipelines is a cloud service that you can use to automatically build, test, and deploy your applications.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure Pipelines is Microsoft’s cloud service for CI/CD that works with any language, platform, and cloud.
Which of the following is considered as benefits of implementing an IaC strategy?
- a) Increased Efficiency
- b) Reduced Risk
- c) Decreased Deployment Speed
- d) Improved Scalability
Answer: a, b, d
Explanation: The benefits of implementing an IaC strategy include increased efficiency, reduced risk, and improved scalability.
True or False: With an IaC strategy, individual developers should have unfettered access to update production environments.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Granting developers full access to production environments can create a higher risk of errors and instability.
When defining an IaC strategy, which of the following should be taken into account?
- a) Security
- b) Governance
- c) Skill Level of the team
- d) All of the Above
Answer: d) All of the Above
Explanation: When defining an IaC strategy, security, governance, and the skill level of the team are all important considerations.
True or False: IaC is best practice for deploying code and infrastructure changes manually.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: IaC promotes automation. Manual tasks are prone to errors and lead to slower operations.
True or False: Azure Repos is a set of version control tools that can be used as part of an IaC Strategy.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure Repos provides unlimited, cloud-hosted private Git repos for the team and is part of Azure DevOps service.
Interview Questions
What is Infrastructure as Code (IaC)?
IaC is the management of infrastructure (networks, virtual machines, load balancers, and connection topology) in a descriptive model, using the same versioning as DevOps team uses for source code.
What advantages does Infrastructure as Code (IaC) provide?
IaC provides several advantages like speed in deploying infrastructure, reducing the risk of human error, consistency across deployments and environments, and the ability to version control and review the infrastructure code.
What are the key components of an IaC strategy?
The key elements of an IaC strategy include source control, automation of testing, and automation of deployment.
Can you explain what source control is in the context of IaC?
Source control in the context of IaC is a system to track changes to your infrastructure code. It allows you to see what has been changed, when, and by whom, and to revert changes if necessary. It also helps in managing and handling code versions or branches and merging changes from multiple contributors.
How does automation of testing fit into an IaC strategy?
Automated testing provides stability and assurance that the infrastructure does exactly what it is configured to do, while continuously monitoring for any drifts from the required configuration. This helps to improve the reliability of the deployment and reduce the chance of errors.
What is meant by automation of deployment in an IaC strategy?
Automation of deployment refers to the process of automatically managing, provisioning and configuring the technology stack for an application. It promotes consistency and repeatability, while saving time and reducing errors.
What tools can be used for Infrastructure as Code (IaC) in Azure?
Tools like Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates, Terraform, and Azure Automation can be used for implementing Infrastructure as Code (IaC) in Azure.
How does version control fit into the IaC strategy?
A version control system is a key component of an IaC strategy. It allows tracking changes to the infrastructure code, making it easy to revert to a previous version if an issue arises, it enables collaboration among team members, and supports continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) workflows.
Can Azure Policy be used in an IaC strategy?
Yes, Azure Policy helps in enforcing organizational standards and to assess compliance at scale. It can be used in an IaC strategy to enforce rules and effects over resources, thus reducing the error margin.
What is meant by “idempotency” in the context of an IaC strategy?
In the IaC context, idempotency means the ability to run the same code multiple times without changing the result beyond the initial application. In other words, once the desired state is achieved, subsequent applications of the same code/configuration will not result in any changes.
What role does Azure DevOps play in an IaC strategy?
Azure DevOps provides a set of developer services for support of teams to plan work, collaborate on code development, and build and deploy applications, including IaC. It easily integrates with other popular DevOps tools, enabling a seamless workflow for IaC deployment.
How does Azure Pipelines support IaC strategy?
Azure Pipelines provides a way to automate the build and deployment of applications, including the infrastructure those applications rely on. It can deploy Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates, calling Azure CLI commands, or running scripts, as part of the deployment pipeline, thus supporting an effective IaC strategy.
What is the purpose of using IaC for Azure resources?
Using IaC for Azure resources helps in automating the setup and deployment of resources, ensuring environment consistency, reducing the risk of manual errors, and providing an efficient, reliable, and repeatable process to manage and deploy infrastructure configurations.
What is Azure Resource Manager (ARM)?
Azure Resource Manager (ARM) is a service in Azure that is used for deploying, managing, and monitoring resources. You can use it to create, organize and manage resources within Azure using templates, which are JSON files that define the resources you need.
How can IaC prevent configuration drift?
IaC can prevent configuration drift by enforcing consistency across multiple deployments. By defining and managing infrastructure as code, we ensure that all configurations are version-controlled and tested, mitigating the risk of drift. If the drift occurs, IaC practices allow the quick reapplication of the correct configurations.
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