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:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Initialize IaC Project: Initialize a new IaC project or work with an existing one by running commands like terraform init or ansible-galaxy init to prepare the project's structure and download necessary modules or dependencies.

4. 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_name prefix. 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.