By IT Brew Staff
less than 3 min read
Definition:
Infrastructure as code (IaC) is when infrastructure is managed and provisioned with the help of machine-readable definition files as opposed to manual processes.
Pros. Gone are the days of manually configuring servers and other key infrastructure parts. With IaC, IT pros can repeat configuration settings at scale. This use of automation can also help organizations speed up the provisioning process while saving money on infrastructure management.
Cons. IaC has its baggage. As with regular code, the potential for human error remains a challenge, as a single line of bad code can throw off a system, or lead to even bigger mishaps if code is used at scale.
Another downside to relying on IaC is the learning curve for automating manual processes and leveraging IaC tools like Terraform or Ansible, especially if teams have never worked with such tools before.
A thing or two. Organizations looking to leverage IaC should know there are two main approaches: declarative and imperative IaC. Declarative IaC is when a developer defines the conditions of the end state of a system. Declarative IaC is popular because it can be scaled and it’s easy to use.
With imperative IaC, developers write a list of specific steps for provisioning and to achieve specific configurations. Imperative IaC is harder to write, but gives teams more control over infrastructure.
