Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is the practice of provisioning and managing infrastructure resources using code. It is an integral component of DevOps methodology, facilitating the seamless orchestration of applications and their underlying infrastructure such as servers, virtual machines, databases, and networks.
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Semantic Versioning: Adhere to semantic versioning principles for your IaC code to clearly communicate the impact of changes. Versions typically follow the format “X.Y.Z”, where:
X is a major version
Y is a minor version
Z is a patch version
Tags for Releases: Tag releases with version numbers (e.g., "v1.0.0") to make it easy to reference specific releases in the future.
Commit Messages: Write informative and concise commit messages. Describe the purpose of the change, its impact, and any relevant details. Follow a consistent style guide for commit messages.
Pull Request Reviews: Require code reviews for all pull requests. This ensures that changes are thoroughly examined and conform to project standards.
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Setting Up IaC Environment
Establishing a well-configured infrastructure as Code (IaC) environment is the foundational step toward leveraging the full potential of IaC practices.
Pre-requisite Requirements
It’s important to ensure your environment meets certain prerequisites which often include:
Version Control System: Set up a version control system (VCS) to manage your IaC code. The VCS (e.g., Git) will be used for collaboration, versioning, and tracking changes.
IaC Tool: Choose and install an IaC tool that aligns with your infrastructure needs. Popular choices include Terraform and Ansible. Make sure the tool is installed and configured properly.
Cloud or Infrastructure Platform Access: Ensure you have access to your chosen cloud or infrastructure platform. This includes account credentials, access keys, and permissions to provision resources.
Development Environment: Set up a development environment where you will write, test, and maintain your IaC code. This environment may include a code editor, integrated development environment (IDE), or code repositories.
Dependencies and Libraries: Install any required dependencies and libraries related to your IaC tool. This may include specific plugins, extensions, or modules necessary for your project.
Access to Secret Management Tools: If your project involves handling sensitive information, ensure access to secret management tools or mechanisms to securely store and retrieve secrets.
Installation and Configuration
Once you’ve satisfied the pre-requisite requirements, proceed with the installation and configuration of your IaC environment. This typically includes the following steps:
Install IaC Tool: Depending on the tool you’re using, follow the installation instructions provided by the vendor.
See Terraform Installation Guide for instructions on how to install Terraform.
See Ansible Installation Guide for instructions on how to install Ansible.
Configure and Authenticate IaC Tool: Configure your IaC tool to authenticate with your cloud provider or infrastructure platform. This involves setting up access keys, authentication tokens, or certificates as required.
Initialize IaC Project: Initialize a new IaC project or work with an existing one by running commands like
terraform initoransible-galaxy initto prepare the project's structure and download necessary modules or dependencies.Set Up Version Control: Initialize a Git repository for your IaC project and connect it to your version control system. Use Git to track changes, collaborate with team members, and manage version history.
Environment Variables
IaC tools often rely on environment variables for configuration.
Here’s a brief overview of common variables:
AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID / AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: For AWS-based IaC, these variables provide access to AWS services. See Environment variables to configure the AWS for CLI for more information.
TF_VAR_name: Terraform allows you to set variables using the
TF_VAR_nameprefix. For example, "TF_VAR_db_password" sets the "db_password" variable. See Terraform Environment Variables for more information.ANSIBLE_VAULT_PASSWORD_FILE: Used with Ansible for decrypting vault-encrypted files. See Ansible Environment Variables for more information.
Other Tool-specific Variables: Depending on the IaC tool you use, additional tool-specific environment variables may be required. Refer to the tool's documentation for guidance.
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Infrastructure Provisioning
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The core of infrastructure provisioning is defining the resources you need for your project, such as virtual machines, databases, networks, and more. In your IaC code, you describe the desired state of these resources, specifying their attributes, relationships, and configurations.
Dinesh Amatya can you provide high-level instructions on how we provision resources in IT-Conductor that is somehow true for all IaC/migration projects regardless of what we are migrating (if possible)?
Explore the following scenarios illustrating resource provisioning during migrations:
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Managing Configuration Files
Secrets Management
Parameterization and Variables
Setting Up IaC Environment
Possible Sub-pages/topics:
Pre-requisite Requirements
Installation and Configuration
Environment Variables
IaC Tools
Terraform
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In IaC, configuration management involves the systematic handling of configuration files, which are vital in specifying how your infrastructure components should be set up. These configuration files typically define parameters, settings, and options for resources.
Version Control: Configuration files should be stored in version control systems. This not only provides a historical record of changes but also enables you to roll back to previous configurations if issues arise.
Template Usage: Many IaC tools support template engines to dynamically generate configuration files. This allows for the reuse of configuration blocks and simplifies the management of large-scale infrastructure.
Parameterization: Configuration files often incorporate variables, allowing you to customize settings for different environments or scenarios. Parameters can be defined and managed within your IaC code.
Parameterization and Variables
Parameterization is a key feature of configuration management in IaC. It allows you to customize configurations for different environments or deployments without modifying the core code. Variable usage and management are fundamental to this process, enabling you to:
Define Variables: Create variables within your IaC code to represent dynamic values such as instance counts, IP addresses, or endpoint URLs.
Utilize Variables in Configuration Files: Incorporate variables into your configuration files, allowing you to parameterize settings and achieve flexibility.
Centralize Variable Management: Consider centralizing the management of variables to maintain consistency across your infrastructure and ease the process of making global changes.
Secrets Management
Handling sensitive information securely within your Infrastructure as Code (IaC) code is crucial to maintaining the integrity and security of your infrastructure.
Here are some best practices to follow:
Do Not Hard-code Secrets: Avoid hard-coding sensitive information, such as passwords or API keys, directly into your IaC code. Hard-coded secrets are a significant security risk, as they are easily visible in your code.
Store Secrets in Environment Variables: Store sensitive data as environment variables or secret store references. IaC tools usually provide a way to fetch secrets securely from environment variables or secret stores during runtime.
Rotate Secrets Regularly: Implement a secret rotation policy, ensuring that passwords and keys are periodically updated. This minimizes the risk associated with long-lived secrets.
Implement Access Controls: Set strict access controls on who can read and modify secrets. Limit access to only those who need the secrets for their tasks.
Encrypt Sensitive Data: Encrypt secrets when storing them in your version control system. Use encryption mechanisms to protect sensitive files before committing them.
Use Secret Management Tools: Leverage secret management tools such as HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, or dedicated secret management modules in your IaC tool to securely store and access sensitive data. These tools offer encryption, access controls, and rotation policies.