The Infrastructure as Code is just the replacement of traditional manual provisioning of infrastructure which uses admin consoles or GUI with a programming-based approach. In order words, infrastructure as Code (IaC) is the provisioning and management of infrastructure through the use of codes instead of using the manual process of configuring devices or systems.

This means that instead of clicking buttons and going through various displays to deploy or enable infrastructure, you only need to use a codified approach. The infrastructure as a Code is used majorly in an advanced infrastructure environment such as public cloud platforms due to its ability to provide a large number of resources through APIs. The Infrastructure as a Code (IAC), is not a new concept. Its something which analysts have done over the years through chaining commands together and scripting.

How does infrastructure as code work?

Currently, Infrastructure as Code takes advantage of the programming and traditional scripting approach of the past. However, declarative programming is easy to get into as you would be simply be telling the computer what to do by filling out values that are needed in a parameter. The computer would then figure out the rest.

Traditional scripting or imperative scripting as it is popularly called is associated with general programming. In such programming, you are simply telling the computer system how to do something through programming logic. This approach tends to be very challenging for those that lack programming background.

Nevertheless, there are various alternative tools today which can be used, which are either declarative or imperative. Tools act as an absorption layer for the infrastructure. Instead of writing the logic for an API that calls for various infrastructure actions, users can simply focus on creating templates that will define their desired infrastructure state and recourses. During its runtime, the tool will evaluate the templates thereby executing the respective API which will call the corresponding infrastructure specified to action.

Pros of the Infrastructure as Code

The pros of IaC far outweigh its cons. At high levels, it introduces the following benefits;

• Speed and efficiency
• Automation
• One can manage infrastructure through source control
• Team collaboration
• It is repeatable and reduces technical debt.
• Reduction of mistakes made by human and it can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines.

Its real benefit is seen in a large environment or when a large number of infrastructure resources need to be deployed. The time it would take to do so would be substantial depending on the number of unique resources. The ability to work as a team is a great benefit because by leveraging a version control system, various teams can work on a separate piece of the infrastructure, rolling out their changes in a controlled manner.

Another benefit is the ability to create automation and integration with continuous pipelines. Generally, most teams deploy infrastructure in the last stage of their pipeline when all code scans and tests are completed. This is to avoid leaving idle resources which will increase the cost.

Nevertheless, to truly benefit from the infrastructure as code we need to change our behavior in treating infrastructure.

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Cons of Infrastructure as Code

Like everything in life, some challenges can be associated with IaC.  To effectively use the IaC, one has to adopt a common software, engineering practices, and development tools. This could be a major challenge for infrastructure analysts who have no prior knowledge of scripting or programming experience.

It also takes time and practice to master the writing of the infrastructure as code which will adhere to basic software principles. In addition to this, an instructor would be needed to give instructions to guide and direct the user. The challenges faced by software developers are quite different from one encountered by infrastructure analysts.

Software developers are now required to learn and understand various infrastructure pieces that are required in hosting an application architecture which includes networking, disaster recovery, security and so on. Networking piece tends to be a pain in the neck to development teams as it is rare to find an individual who is knowledgeable in networking or in integrating existing network infrastructure.

Time allocation for practice and the need for learning becomes a challenge that makes IaC a challenge at first.

Another challenge that is experienced in the infrastructure as code is in the transition from manual infrastructure provisioning to the infrastructure as code. Trying to mix both manual provisioning and theIaC will bring up issues that can be time-consuming.

Each IaC tool always keeps tracks of infrastructure which is deployed. When trying to modify the infrastructure which the tool deployed, oftentimes, an IaCtool error and stop the nest time when you execute its deploy command. The reason being that the infrastructure deployed is different from the state the infrastructure as code is expecting it to be in.

Most times, the IaC tools would be able to adjust the differences in the state of the infrastructure and self-heal. Other times, the changes would be too large resulting in errors.

Other cons of the infrastructure as code include the following:

• Lack of example code
• Structuring of the IaC state
• Integrating it with the CI/CD pipeline
• Working collaboratively (for remote state file)

Conclusion

Companies that use the IaC at the forefront of their activities can deliver results consistently. Manual configurations and setup can easily be avoided while the legacy tools can easily give way to new generations of tools and technologies.

 The benefits of infrastructure as code are numerous but it also comes with various challenges. Nevertheless, the pros greatly outweigh the cons making it an investment worth embarking on. In spite of the IaC tool you or your team decide to use, just make sure it is the right one and fits the skill level of your team. If the team lacks programming knowledge or experience, a declarative infrastructure as code would be your best bet at this stage.

Finally, the IaC could be seen as an investment that will continue to pay dividends to you, your team and the organization.

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