What is Infrastructure as Code? How Does It Work?

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) automates infrastructure management using code. It ensures consistency, reduces errors, and speeds up deployments to make your infrastructure efficient.

Are you new to Infrastructure to Code and not sure where to begin? Our guide will decode Infrastructure as Code meanings and give you a breakdown of key IaC workflows and technologies. If you've been setting up your infrastructure manually and tired of repeated reconfigurations, then you'll have a great time learning about the benefits of Infrastructure as Code.

So, we explain the Infrastructure as Code definition. We will also be walking you through good Infrastructure as code examples and give you a starting point. You'll also learn why SentinelOne is great for Infrastructure as Code scanning and Infrastructure as Code security. You’ll get an idea about the different types of Infrastructure as Code and their templates. Let's begin!

What Is Infrastructure as Code (IaC)?

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) manages and provisions your entire infrastructure as code instead of using manual processes to build components, manage, and provision them.

Here’s how it works and why we use it:

• Imagine you were building a city with LEGOs. You'd have to take blocks and build up different structures one by one.
• Now imagine you had a system that could take any command like "Build a city for me", and it'd end up following your orders and do everything for you.
• No need to manage configurations and settings manually. You write down what you want in a file and Terraform can do the rest for you.

That's what Infrastructure as Code is in the computing world. Infrastructure as Code will let you track changes in real time and it allows version control as well.

The purpose of Infrastructure as Code is to standardize infrastructure management for enterprises. It brings speed, consistency, and greater efficiency to the software development lifecycle for modern cloud and DevOps environments.

Need of Infrastructure as Code

Traditional methods of configuring and managing infrastructure encompass manually configuring servers, tweaking networking settings, installing operating systems and so on.  This approach is time-consuming. It's prone to inefficiencies that can slow down everything from project timelines to routine maintenance.

Here’s why IaC is essential in modern IT environments:

1. Consistency Across Environments

Have you ever had your development and production environments out of sync? That's what we call "configuration drift," and it's a common headache with manual setups. IaC technology ensures uniformity by defining infrastructure through code to replicate across all environments.

2. Faster Provisioning

Manually setting up infrastructure takes time and resources.  For instance, let’s say a skilled technician is setting up a new server the old-fashioned way. It might take them about 4 to 6 hours to get everything up and running. That includes handling everything from provisioning the server—whether it’s physical or virtual—to installing the operating system and setting up the network configurations.

Now, switch that scenario to using Infrastructure as a Code (IaC). With IaC, assuming your scripts are ready and tested, you could have that same setup done in just under 10 minutes. IaC automates resource provisioning helping you quickly set up, deploy, and scale infrastructure.

3. Workflow Automation

IaC seamlessly integrates with continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines to provide automated infrastructure testing, deployment, and scaling.

Suppose a software development team has the task of upgrading the functionality of a certain web application. Whenever a developer commits a new piece of code, the CI/CD pipeline (continuous integration/continuous delivery ) automatically initiates a series of actions: 1) Builds the application, 2) Run tests, and—if the tests pass—deploy the latest version to a testing or production environment.

With IaC, this particular process also accommodates the reconfiguration of the infrastructure automatically. If the new updates to code require additional processing resources the IaC can provision additional servers or adjust configurations on the fly. This adjusts the development environment, without manual intervention, reducing downtime and human errors.

4. Cost Efficiency

Managing infrastructure manually can be costly and time-consuming. For example, the estimated pay for a DevOps engineer in the U.S. is $1,07,377 annually. These costs can quickly add up for organizations relying on manual processes for infrastructure management. Through automation, IaC reduces operational costs and allows teams to focus on more strategic, value-driven activities.

5. Reusability of Configurations

Traditional methods often require repetitive efforts to set up similar environments. IaC promotes reusability by allowing the same code to be applied across different projects.

Declarative vs. Imperative Approaches in IaC

There are two primary approaches to IaC: declarative and imperative approaches.  While declarative tools are ideal for maintaining consistent, compliant environments, imperative approaches are appealing for situations that require complex, detailed setups. Choosing the right IaC approach can streamline your deployment processes, ensure higher stability, and reduce manual errors significantly.

Declarative Approach

In the declarative approach, you specify what the final configuration should look like without detailing the steps to achieve it. The IaC tool then determines and executes the necessary actions to reach the specified configuration.

For example, imagine you're setting up a big Lego project. In the declarative approach, you don't worry about each individual brick placement. Instead, you describe what you want the final model to look like. The IaC tool figures out how to put it all together for you.  In this way, one can abstract the complexity of underlying processes for infrastructure management.

It's ideal for environments where sustaining a certain state, such as compliance-focused settings is crucial. Suppose you want to ensure that your infrastructure aligns closely with predefined policies. Then a declarative approach is useful.

Advantages

• The declarative approach simplifies management by focusing on the desired outcome rather than the process.
• It reduces the likelihood of errors since the tool handles the execution.
• It is easier to maintain and update, as changes are made by altering the desired state.

Examples

The use of Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, or Kubernetes YAML files defines a declarative approach. This is because users are required to specify only the end state of the infrastructure without stating the steps to attain it.

For example, with Terraform, you write configuration files that describe your infrastructure, and over time Terraform figures out what needs to be done in order to achieve the state your configuration files define.

Also, in the context of Kubernetes YAML, the files specify the desired state of the clusters and the applications that are deployed in them. They are the resource definitions that configure pods, services, and other entities.

Similarly, in AWS, CloudFormation lets you use YAML or JSON to define what AWS resources you want to run and how they should be configured. You provide a template that outlines your AWS environment, and CloudFormation takes care of provisioning and managing those resources as specified.

Imperative Approach

The imperative approach involves specifying how to achieve the desired infrastructure state by detailing the exact commands or steps to be executed.

It’s especially effective in complex deployments where specific, sequential steps are required for correct setup.

This approach grants you more control over each step of the process and is useful for scenarios where customization and fine-grained control are necessary.

Advantages:

• The imperative approach provides granular control over the execution process.
• It is useful for complex scenarios where specific, ordered steps are necessary.
• It can be more intuitive for users familiar with scripting and command-line interfaces.

Examples:

Tools like Ansible and shell scripts for configuration management are often associated with the imperative approach to Infrastructure as Code. In Ansible, you write playbooks that detail the steps the system should take, such as installing a package, writing files, or configuring services. These playbooks outline the commands or tasks in a specific order, which gives you granular control over the deployment process.

Similarly, when you are creating a shell script for configuring the system, you are writing the sequence of all the commands that have to be carried out, specifying the order in which they are to be executed. For example, one can create a script that updates the operating system, installs certain applications, and changes files in the system - as a number of separate commands in a specified sequence.

Key Components of IaC

IaC encompasses several tools such as version control, configuration files, and orchestration tools. Developers and IT teams use these tools to automate and refine the deployment process. Understanding these components keeps your setups consistent and ramps up developer efficiency.

Let's explore these elements:

1. Version Control

The version control assembles the histories of configurations and alterations made to the conversations. This tool enables developers to collaborate better by helping them understand what changes were made over time. Version control also helps them roll back configurations in case incorrect configurations are made, or if accidental deletions occur.

2. Configuration Files

IaC is based on a set of files containing configuration where the final infrastructure is described. Such files are usually in formats containing configurations like JSON, YAML, or HCL in which templates are created containing scripts used in setting up and managing resources, including servers, databases, and networks. Configuration files act as a single source of truth for developers and IT teams and ensure consistency across environments. Using these files, developers can easily replicate their infrastructure setups without having to manually make configurations every time they want to set up their infrastructure.

3. Orchestration Tools

Orchestration tools such as Terraform and AWS CloudFormation automate various aspects of the deployment process:  resource provisioning, configuration, compliance, disaster recovery, and so on. Developers can set up infrastructure using IaC specifications in the form of scripts. This allows developers to define more reliable infrastructure setups and save time.

4. Provisioning Tools

Provisioning tools like Chef, Puppet, and SaltStack actually create and configure infrastructure resources. These provisioning tools ensure that the physical or virtual infrastructure is configured according to the resource allocation mentioned in the provisioning configuration files. By automating this, developers can maintain uniform configurations across multiple environments.

5. Automated Testing and Validation

Automated testing is also an aspect of IaC, where infrastructure is verified to be functioning as desired. Validation includes Testinfra and Serverspec facilitate tests that can be used to check that the configurations of the infrastructure code before and after deployment are the correct ones. These tools help detect potential issues early before they impact the project in the production environment.

6. Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) Pipelines

The value of incorporating IaC with CI/CD pipelines can be seen in continuous testing, deployment, and updates of the infrastructure. This integration helps ensure that changes are tested and rolled out to production to reduce the number of times the system goes offline. This tool accelerates feedback loops and enables developers to replicate the setup of similar infrastructure environments in a reliable manner.

How Does Infrastructure as Code Work?

IaC involves writing code to define the desired state of infrastructure components such as servers, databases, networks, and other resources. Here’s a breakdown of how IaC works:

• Definition: Infrastructure is defined using code, typically in a descriptive model: a structured format that clearly outlines which resources are needed—like servers, networks, and storage— and how they should be configured. This code specifies the desired state of the infrastructure, including the resources needed and their configurations.
• Automation: Automation tools execute the code to provision and configure the infrastructure. This avoids having to carry out the work manually and also has the advantage of cutting down on errors while increasing the deployment rate.
• Version control: The infrastructure code is stored in a version control system such as Git to check for changes made and roll back to the previous version in case and for collaboration.
• Deployment: The infrastructure is implemented systematically in different environments so that there is consistency in the setup.

Benefits of IaC

IaC transforms how organizations manage and scale their infrastructure, moving from manual processes to automated, code-based workflows. With IaC, teams can define, provision, and eliminate common challenges like configuration drift. It ensures that teams respond quickly to market demands while maintaining control over their infrastructure. Here are a few more advantages that businesses benefit from IaC:

1. Improved Deployment Speed

IaC makes it easy to provision and deploy infrastructure, so it takes less time to have new environments live. This helps drive up the development and testing cycles, helping to deliver applications and updates much quicker.

2. Enhanced Environment Reproducibility

Infrastructure-as-code ensures that environments are easily reproducible to the maximum level of resemblance between them and other environments such as development, staging, and production. This makes it easier to upgrade and downgrade between environments and reduces the problems of migrating an application between environments.

3. Infrastructure Documentation

With IaC, the infrastructure is documented in the code itself. This automatically provides up-to-date documentation of the infrastructure setup. New team members can understand the environment easily.

4. Facilitates DevOps Practices

IaC is an important step in DevOps that helps set up CI/CD pipelines. This integration helps decrease the time when the infrastructure changes are tested and deployed, enabling infrastructure management to rapidly scale or change configurations with minimal delay and effort.  infrastructure management more agile.

5. Reduced Risk of Human Error

Automating infrastructure with IaC also has the advantage of minimizing the chance of human errors that often occur during deployments. This results in greater stability and less likelihood of a failure or an outage occurring unexpectedly.

6. Disaster Recovery Planning

The use of IaC allows organizations to develop disaster recovery plans that are effective and easy to implement. Through the application of infrastructure configurations in a version control system, organizations minimize the time to create environments.

7. Scalability of Operations

IaC makes it easier to scale operations as the organization grows. The same code can be used to expand infrastructure, ensuring that scaling is done consistently and efficiently without the need for manual intervention.

Challenges and Limitations with IaC

The Infrastructure as Code model automates and streamlines infrastructure management but also comes with challenges. For organizations unfamiliar with coding-based infrastructure management, this can prove challenging for the following reasons:

#1. Complexity in Initial Setup

It demands intensive knowledge of structures total and of the tools used in IaC. The first setup can be complicated and resource-intensive, particularly for organizations new to IaC. To make the onboarding process smoother, organizations can start by implementing IaC in smaller, non-critical environments.

This will help you gain familiarity without overwhelming the teams. Additionally, standardized templates and modules should be developed to simplify the initial setup for consistency across infrastructure.

#2. Management of Large Codebases

As infrastructure grows, the IaC codebase can become large and difficult to manage. Maintaining and updating these large codebases requires rigorous version control practices and can lead to difficulties in tracking changes.

SentinelOne recommends breaking configurations into smaller, reusable modules, which simplifies maintenance. Implementing strong version control practices like Git ensures tracking and rollback of changes while integrating with CI/CD pipelines. This will automate testing and deployments to keep the infrastructure scalable and consistent.

#3. Debugging and Error Handling

An IaC bug can be hard to solve, especially when complex arrangements are involved or when bugs appear at the time of automated deployment. Tracking down the root cause of a problem is considered quite complex and may demand knowledge of the code and infrastructure.

#4. Tooling and Compatibility Issues

This is because there are many IaC tools in existence, and part of the challenge involves ensuring that they work together. It can arise when organizations have a combination of on-premise and cloud IaC.

#5. Security Concerns

As seen from the infrastructure as code definition, this kind of automation brings security concerns with it. It has been identified that IaC scripts are equally prone to security flaws, but there exists an additional probability that configuration errors may eventually lead to the exposure of 'keys' or passwords.

Best Practices for Infrastructure as Code

Whether it’s keeping your code in check with version control, automating deployments to reduce errors, or ensuring your setups are secure and compliant, IaC has a toolbox full of strategies. Without learning about these practices, you may end up making inconsistent configurations such as over-provisioning or under-provisioning, and version discrepancies, among others. Follow these best practices to stay in control of your development environment.

#1. Version Control and Collaboration

Ideally, you should store all the infrastructural codes in a version-control system, such as Git, for tracking changes. It allows multiple team members to collaborate on the same codebase and even helps with rollbacks in case of errors.

#2. Automation and Testing

Use tools like Terratest and Kitchen-Terraform to automate tests, ensuring configurations work as expected before deployment. Integrate IaC with CI/CD pipelines to streamline testing, validation, and deployment to speed up the process while reducing errors.

#3. Modularity and Reusability

Organize your IaC code into modular, reusable components for ease of maintenance and consistency across environments. Implementing immutable infrastructure practices, where servers are replaced rather than modified, helps maintain a stable and consistent infrastructure.

#4. Security and Compliance

Regularly scan your infrastructure code for vulnerabilities and misconfigurations to catch issues early. Manage sensitive information securely with tools like HashiCorp Vault to keep the info out of version control.

#5. Monitor and Log Changes

Tools like Prometheus, Grafana, and ELK Stack can help monitor infrastructure health and provide insights into any issues that arise. It allows for quick resolution and maintains the integrity of your infrastructure.

#6. Efficiency and Optimization

Optimize your infrastructure by right-sizing deployments and removing unused resources, which helps control costs. Use ephemeral environments for testing to reduce the need for long-term resources.

#7. Documentation and Governance

Treat infrastructure documentation as code, keeping it updated and stored alongside your infrastructure code. This ensures that documentation is always up-to-date and easy to manage. Also, automate governance with policies and checks to maintain compliance and reduce manual errors.

Use Cases of IaC

Here is a list of the different Infrastructure as Code use cases:

1. Web App Deployment

You can use IaC to simplify web app deployment. It has servers, databases, networks, and reusable templates. You can replicate your infrastructure for testing, development, and production, which helps reduce human errors, ensure better consistency, and minimizes deployment risks.

2. Cloud Setup

You can use IaC tools to define compute power and fix network configurations. You can apply the best security settings and storage requirements for your config files. IaC takes out the guesswork involved with manual setups and ensures you allocate your resources good. You can also scale your ops as a business while maintaining your organizational standards and compliance.

3. Manage Multi-cloud Deployments

IaC tools can make managing multi-cloud deployments so much easier. You can avoid vendor lock-ins and support consistent configurations across different platforms. You can adopt multi-cloud strategies powered by Infrastructure as Code workflows to eliminate redundancy and ensure scalability. These tools also help optimize costs and meet changing and dynamic enterprise needs.

4. CI/CD Pipelines

Another use case for IaC is automating CI/CD pipelines and eliminating bottlenecks. You can enhance collaboration with developers and test code in settings that can lead to mirroring production and facilitating quicker deployments. You end up with higher-quality releases as a result and improve team efficiency.

5. Disaster Recovery

IaC supports disaster recovery planning and help you quickly and consistently roll back changes during event failures. You can go back to previous states, automate provisioning, and use pre-defined scripts to quickly recreate your entire infrastructure. It includes your app dependencies and network settings, and can also address critical business challenges using the power of automation.

Protect Your Cloud with SentinelOne’s IaC Scanning

SentinelOne Singularity™ Cloud Security offers security features that can help protect your IaC environments. You can scan common IaC templates, including CloudFormation, Terraform, and Kubernetes, to identify and address key IaC misconfigurations and vulnerabilities.

SentinelOne's agentless CNAPP directly integrates with your CI/CD pipelines and features Snyk integration as well. The platform can automatically scan code commits and catch issues early on before they even reach production.

You can conduct agentless vulnerability management and perform assessments. SentinelOne can scan secrets and prevent leakage of credentials across code repos like GitLab, GitHub, and Bitbucket. It can identify more than 750+ types of secrets and prevent cloud credentials leaks as well.

SentinelOne's unique Offensive Security Engine™ can identity vulnerabilities and potential exploit paths from an attacker's POV. It helps you enforce shift-left security and the best DevSecOps practices with Verified Paths™. You also have a Graph Explorer for effective asset inventory management.

SentinelOne provides IaC scanning features but it also offers runtime protection to continuously detect and respond to threats in live cloud environments. You can prevent IaC configuration drifts and help conform to the best security standards for compliance such as CIS, MITRE, and NIST. SentinelOne can help you implement the principle of least privilege access and avoid overly permissive IAM roles. It can tighten permissions and manage cloud entitlements. You can use its 1000+ out-of-the-box rules and custom rules and scan repos, container registries, images, and IaC templates. It will also help you track and correlate alerts across different sources and reduce the blast radius and impact of threats.

SentinelOne can also do container and Kubernetes security posture management and its protection goes beyond CSPM. You can do external attack surface management  and also get full forensic telemetry. You get assistance with incident response by experts and SentinelOne's CNAPP includes its CWPP which is great for real-time AI-powered cloud workload protection. It supports containers, Kubernetes, virtual machines, physical servers, and serverless It also works with public, private, hybrid, and on-prem environments.

Conclusion

IaC management is not a one-time effort or a one-size-fits-all solution. You need to carefully write and deploy your infrastructure as code. Any misses can lead to your entire infrastructure falling apart and reviewing changes manually can be a hassle. Using the right Infrastructure as Code tools and technologies are a must for that reason.

If you need help with Infrastructure as Code management or any advice, feel free to reach out to the SentinelOne team. We are happy to help.

FAQs

What are the advantages of IaC in DevOps?

Infrastructure as code enhances DevOps by automating infrastructure management, ensuring consistency across environments, enabling faster deployments, and reducing manual errors. It integrates with CI/CD pipelines, fostering collaboration and accelerating software delivery.

What is IaC scanning?

IaC Scanning involves analyzing infrastructure code for vulnerabilities and misconfigurations before deployment for secure and compliant cloud environments. It identifies potential risks early in the development process to prevent security breaches.

Which IaC tools are currently available in the market?

Popular IaC tools include Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, Ansible, and Pulumi. These tools help automate and manage infrastructure by defining it as code, allowing for consistency and scalability across environments.

What features should be considered in IaC tools?

Key features include support for multiple cloud platforms, robust version control, automated testing, and ease of integration with CI/CD pipelines. Additionally, it should have strong security and compliance capabilities.