Description: Infrastructure as Code documentation refers to written records that describe the infrastructure code and its usage. This type of documentation is essential to ensure that development and operations teams understand how infrastructure is configured, deployed, and managed in cloud and on-premises environments. Infrastructure as Code (IaC) allows teams to automate the provisioning and management of infrastructure resources through scripts and configuration files, improving efficiency and reducing the likelihood of human errors. Proper documentation of these scripts and configurations is crucial as it provides a reference framework for collaboration between teams, facilitates auditing and regulatory compliance, and ensures that knowledge about the infrastructure is not lost over time. Additionally, good documentation helps new team members onboard more quickly and understand the work environment. In summary, Infrastructure as Code documentation is a vital component that supports the effective implementation of IaC, ensuring that all aspects of the infrastructure are clearly defined and accessible to those who need them.
History: Infrastructure as Code began to gain popularity in the mid-2010s, driven by the need to automate and manage IT environments more efficiently. Tools like Puppet and Chef, launched in 2005 and 2009 respectively, laid the groundwork for IaC by enabling server configuration automation. With the rise of cloud computing and the adoption of agile methodologies, IaC became a standard in the industry, promoting the idea that infrastructure can be treated in the same way as software code. This led to the creation of more advanced tools like Terraform and AWS CloudFormation, which allow developers to define and manage their infrastructure through declarative configuration files.
Uses: Infrastructure as Code documentation is primarily used to facilitate collaboration between development and operations teams, ensuring that all members understand how the infrastructure is configured and managed. It is also used for auditing and regulatory compliance, providing a clear record of configurations and changes made. Additionally, it is useful for training new employees, as it allows them to quickly understand the existing infrastructure environment and how to interact with it. Documentation can also include usage examples, best practice guides, and disaster recovery procedures.
Examples: An example of Infrastructure as Code documentation is a Git repository containing Terraform configuration files to deploy applications in various environments. This repository may include a README explaining how to run the scripts, as well as examples of specific configurations for different environments (development, testing, production). Another example is documentation automatically generated by tools like Ansible, which may include descriptions of roles and tasks, as well as flow diagrams illustrating how the infrastructure is deployed.
