This blog lets us understand what Infrastructure as Code and Configuration Management are. Also, we will look at the differences.
Regarding the cloud and automation, Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and Configuration Management (CM) are inseparable.
With IaC, a descriptive model is used for infrastructure management. To name a few examples of infrastructure: networks, virtual computers, and load balancers. Using an IaC model always results in the same setting.
Throughout the lifecycle of a product, Configuration Management (CM) ensures that the performance, functional and physical inputs, requirements, design, and operations of that product remain consistent.
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
According to redhat.com, Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is the managing and provisioning of infrastructure through code instead of through manual processes.
The infrastructure can be networks, virtual machines, load balancers, and connection topologies.
This code is typically written in declarative language, such as YAML or JSON.
There are many benefits to using IaC, including:
Increased efficiency: IaC can help to automate the provisioning of infrastructure, which can save time and resources.
Improved reliability: IaC can help to ensure that infrastructure is provisioned in a consistent and repeatable manner, which can help to improve reliability.
Reduced risk: IaC can help to reduce the risk of human error in infrastructure provisioning.
Improved documentation: IaC can help to improve the documentation of infrastructure, which can make it easier to understand and manage.
Common tools used for IaC are Terraform, Pulumi, AWS CloudFormation, Azure Resource Manager (ARM), and Google Cloud Deployment Manager.
Some common applications are:
With IaC, you can define the entire infrastructure setup, including server configurations, networking, and security rules, using tools like Terraform or AWS CloudFormation.
You can use IaC to create isolated testing environments, deploy the application, run tests, and tear down the resources after testing is complete.
You can define scaling policies and load balancers, which will automatically adjust the infrastructure based on traffic patterns.
You can use tools like Helm (Kubernetes package manager) to define the entire application stack, including deployments, services, and ingress rules, in a single configuration file.
IaC can be used to define network infrastructure, such as virtual private clouds (VPCs), subnets, security groups, and route tables. This allows you to create and manage complex network topologies, ensuring secure and reliable communication between different components of your application.
In disaster recovery scenarios, IaC can be used to quickly recreate the entire infrastructure stack in a different region or cloud provider if the primary infrastructure becomes unavailable. This allows for better resilience and ensures minimal downtime in case of a disaster.
Configuration Management
According to redhat.com, Configuration management is maintaining computer systems, servers, applications, network devices, and other IT components in a desired state.
Here are some of the benefits of using configuration management:
Increased reliability: CM helps to ensure that systems are configured correctly and that changes are made in a controlled manner. This can help to prevent errors and outages.
Increased security: CM can help to identify and track security vulnerabilities. This can help to prevent unauthorized access to systems and data.
Increased compliance: CM can help organizations to comply with regulatory requirements. This can help to avoid fines and penalties.
Reduced costs: CM can help to reduce costs by automating tasks and preventing errors.
Common tools used for Configuration Management are Ansible, Chef, and Puppet.
Some common applications are:
Configuration management tools like Puppet, Chef, and Ansible are commonly used to manage the configuration of servers. These tools allow you to define the desired state of servers, including software packages, users, firewall rules, and other settings.
Configuration management tools can help in managing application configuration files, environment-specific settings, and application parameters.
Configuration management tools can automate the provisioning and configuration of databases, ensuring that databases are set up consistently across different environments.
Tools like Ansible can be used to define and apply network configurations, such as VLANs, access control lists (ACLs), and routing protocols, across the entire network infrastructure.
IaC vs Configuration Management
| Feature | IaC | Configuration Management |
| Scope | Infrastructure | IT systems |
| Deals With | Servers, networks, databases, load balancers, etc. | Configuration of software packages, services, settings, etc. |
| Goals | Automate infrastructure provisioning | Ensure reliability, security, and compliance |
| Benefits | Consistency, repeatability, automation | Reliability, security, compliance |
| Examples | Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, Pulumi | Puppet, Chef, Ansible |
| Best for | Organizations that want to automate infrastructure provisioning | Organizations that want to improve reliability, security, and compliance |
| Granularity | IaC operates at a higher level of abstraction. It provides a holistic view of the infrastructure. | Configuration management operates at a more granular level. It deals with specific configuration files and parameters. |
| Use Cases | Use cases for IaC include provisioning cloud resources, managing virtual machines, creating networks, setting up container orchestration platforms, etc. | Use cases for configuration management include managing server configurations, application settings, database configurations, network devices, etc. It is commonly used for server configuration and application deployment. |
Which one should you choose?
The choice of whether to use Infrastructure as Code (IaC) or Configuration Management (CM) depends on the specific needs and requirements of your project and infrastructure management practices. The best approach for your project will depend on several factors, including the size and complexity of your infrastructure, the specific requirements of your project, and your current infrastructure management practices.
IaC is a good option if you need to automate the provisioning of infrastructure and improve the consistency and repeatability of your infrastructure.
CM is a good option if you need to improve the reliability, security, and compliance of your IT systems.
A small tabular form to choose which one of the above two:
Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.
| Aspect | Choose IaC | Choose Configuration Management |
| Scope | Managing and provisioning the entire infrastructure. | Configuration and maintenance of individual systems, applications, and services within the infrastructure. |
| Cloud Provider Dependency | For working extensively with multiple cloud providers or needing portability between providers. | For on-premises environments or when heavily tied to a specific cloud provider. |
| Team Familiarity and Skill Set | When the team is more familiar with infrastructure concepts, cloud computing, and provisioning practices. | When the team has expertise in managing software configurations and settings. |
| Integration with CI/CD Pipelines | Can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines to achieve continuous deployment and consistent infrastructure provisioning. | Can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines to ensure consistent application configuration and deployment. |
| Complexity of Infrastructure | For managing complex infrastructures involving multiple components, cloud services, and networking setups. | For simpler infrastructures with limited configurations to manage. |
In this blog, I have discussed IaC vs Configuration Management. I haven't been consistent with the blogs from the past month, and I am trying to get back on track. Thank you for always supporting and reading my blogs.
If you have any questions or want to share your experiences, please comment below. Don't forget to read my blogs and connect with me on LinkedIn and let's have a conversation.
To help me improve my blog and correct my mistakes, I am available on LinkedIn as Sneha K S. Do reach me, and I am open to suggestions and corrections.
#Day54 #90daysofdevops