Day 60 & 61 - Terraform

Terraform is an open-source Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tool developed by HashiCorp. It enables users to define and provision infrastructure using a declarative configuration language. Terraform automates the creation, modification, and management of infrastructure resources across various cloud providers and on-premises environments.

Task 1:

Install Terraform on your system

Create an EC2 instance

SSH into your Ubuntu EC2 instance

• Go to the official Terraform website at terraform.io/downloads.html.

• Choose Linux as your operating system and Ubuntu as your package manager.

• 

  Copy and paste the following three commands into your terminal.

Verify that Terraform is installed correctly by running the following command:
terraform --version

Task 2: Answer below questions

1. Why we use Terraform?

   • Terraform provides a consistent and scalable way to manage infrastructure.

   • It enables version-controlled infrastructure, facilitating collaboration and code review.

   • Automation reduces the risk of errors in manual provisioning and ensures repeatability.

2. What is Infrastructure as Code (IaC)?

   • IaC is a concept where infrastructure configurations are defined and managed as code.

   • It allows for versioning, collaboration, and automation in infrastructure provisioning.

   • Changes to infrastructure can be tracked, tested, and deployed in a controlled manner.

3. What is Resource?

   • In Terraform, a resource is a declarative representation of an infrastructure component, such as a virtual machine, network, or database.

   • Resources are defined in Terraform configuration files and managed by Terraform during the provisioning process.

4. What is Provider?

   • A provider in Terraform is a plugin that defines and manages resources in a specific infrastructure platform.

   • Examples include AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and many others. Providers allow Terraform to interact with and manage resources on the chosen platform.

5. What is State file in Terraform? What’s the importance of it?

   • The state file in Terraform is a JSON file that keeps track of the resources managed by Terraform and their current state.

   • It records the mapping between the declared configuration and the real-world infrastructure.

   • The state file is crucial for Terraform to understand what changes need to be applied during subsequent runs.

6. What is Desired and Current State?

   • Desired State: The state in which you declare the desired configuration of your infrastructure using Terraform code. It defines how you want your infrastructure to be.

   • Current State: The actual state of your infrastructure as tracked by Terraform. It reflects the real-world status of resources after applying the Terraform configuration.

Understanding the difference between desired and current states allows Terraform to determine the necessary changes required to align the infrastructure with the declared configuration.

In summary, Terraform simplifies and automates infrastructure management through IaC, enabling efficient collaboration, version control, and consistent provisioning across various cloud platforms.

Task : The basic Terraform commands and their purposes:

1. terraform init

   • Purpose: Initializes a new or existing Terraform configuration.

   • Common Usage: Run this command in the directory containing your Terraform configuration files. It downloads provider plugins and sets up the backend.

2. terraform init -upgrade

   • Purpose: Upgrades provider plugins to the latest versions if available.

   • Common Usage: Use this command with the -upgrade flag to update to the latest provider plugin versions.

3. terraform plan

   • Purpose: Generates an execution plan describing what Terraform will do.

   • Common Usage: Before making changes, run this command to see a preview of the changes Terraform intends to apply.

4. terraform apply

   • Purpose: Applies the changes required to reach the desired state defined in the configuration.

   • Common Usage: After reviewing the plan, use this command to execute and apply the changes to your infrastructure.

5. terraform validate

   • Purpose: Checks whether a configuration is syntactically and semantically valid.

   • Common Usage: Use this command to catch syntax errors and validate the structure of your Terraform code.

6. terraform fmt

   • Purpose: Rewrites Terraform configuration files to a consistent format.

   • Common Usage: Enforces a consistent style across your codebase, making it easier to read and maintain.

7. terraform destroy

   • Purpose: Destroys the Terraform-managed infrastructure.

   • Common Usage: Use this command to tear down the infrastructure created by Terraform, useful for cleanup or when you no longer need resources.

General Information:

• Terraform's Main Competitors:

  • AWS CloudFormation: Provides similar infrastructure as code capabilities specifically for AWS.

  • Azure Resource Manager (ARM) Templates: Microsoft Azure's counterpart for infrastructure provisioning.

  • Google Cloud Deployment Manager: Google Cloud's infrastructure deployment and management tool.

  • Ansible: While not directly comparable, Ansible is often used for configuration management and can handle some infrastructure provisioning tasks.

Terraform's declarative syntax, support for multi-cloud environments, and a large community contribute to its popularity despite competition from these alternatives. It excels in managing infrastructure across different cloud providers and on-premises environments.