Clear benefits
The benefits of adopting an infrastructure-as-code (IAC) approach to provisioning and managing resources is widely accepted. The benefits unlocked by using Hashicorp's Terraform for this are also well documented, in short;
- Version Control: Terraform code can be stored in a version control system, making it easy to track changes and collaborate with others.
- Repeatability: Terraform IAC can be executed repeatedly, ensuring consistent and predictable infrastructure deployment.
- Idempotency: Terraform ensures that the desired state of infrastructure is always met, regardless of how many times the workflow is run.
- Automation: Terraform can help automate the provisioning and management of infrastructure, reducing manual effort and the risk of human error.
- Scalability: Terraform can manage multiple AWS resources and scale infrastructure up or down as needed.
- Improved visibility: Terraform provides clear and concise documentation of the infrastructure and its configuration, making it easier to understand and manage.
- Cross-provider support: Terraform can provision and manage infrastructure across multiple cloud providers, including AWS, making it a versatile tool for managing infrastructure.
At what cost and risk?
The challenge to unlocking those benefits though is to find an approach will be cost effective and minimise your risks.