4.2.2. Key Concepts Review: Configuration Management & IaC

First Principle: Treating infrastructure like application code (versionable, testable, and deployable through automated processes) enables programmatic definition, deployment, and management of infrastructure.

Configuration Management and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) are foundational to DevOps.

Core Concepts & AWS Services for Configuration Management & IaC:

• IaC Tools: AWS CloudFormation (declarative, native), AWS CDK (imperative, code-first), AWS SAM (serverless applications).
• Configuration Management: Maintaining desired state of instances and applications (e.g., AWS Systems Manager State Manager, AWS OpsWorks).
• Automated Provisioning: Using IaC to provision and update resources consistently.
• Change Management: Implementing controlled processes for infrastructure changes, often integrated with CI/CD.
• Governance: Enforcing policies and standards through IaC (e.g., AWS Config, AWS Service Catalog).

Scenario: You need to explain to a new DevOps engineer how to manage infrastructure in a consistent, repeatable, and auditable way, moving beyond manual server configuration.

Reflection Question: How does treating infrastructure "as code" (using CloudFormation or CDK) and leveraging configuration management services like Systems Manager enable repeatability, reduce "configuration drift," and support rapid, reliable infrastructure deployments?

💡 Tip: Understand the strengths and weaknesses of CloudFormation vs. CDK. Focus on how IaC enables repeatability, reduces drift, and supports rapid, reliable deployments.