Course Outline
Module 1: Introduction to Infrastructure as Code and Terraform
- IaC concepts and their advantages for on-premises and hybrid environments.
- Overview of Terraform: covering providers, resources, state, and the resource lifecycle.
- Installation of Terraform, Azure CLI, and necessary tools.
- Initial practical exercise: creating and applying a simple Terraform configuration locally.
Module 2: HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) and Configuration Basics
- HCL syntax, including resources, attributes, and expressions.
- Working with variables, outputs, locals, and type constraints.
- Utilizing the Terraform CLI commands: init, plan, apply, destroy, and fmt.
- Practical lab: constructing a parameterized configuration for an on-prem resource and an Azure resource.
Module 3: Providers, Resources, and Azure Provider Fundamentals
- Understanding providers and configuring the AzureRM provider.
- Mapping infrastructure components to Terraform resources (networking, compute, storage).
- Managing Azure authentication and service principals for automation purposes.
- Practical exercise: provisioning an Azure virtual network and a basic VM via Terraform.
Module 4: State Management, Backends, and Collaboration
- Terraform state: understanding its purpose, format, and lifecycle implications.
- Implementing remote backends with Azure Storage Accounts and state locking strategies.
- Managing workspaces, environments, and team collaboration patterns.
- Lab: setting up remote state in Azure Storage and executing a multi-user workflow.
Module 5: Modularization, Reusability, and Best Practices
- Creating and utilizing Terraform modules.
- Defining module inputs/outputs, versioning, and registry patterns.
- Structuring folders, naming conventions, and maintaining repository organization.
- Practical exercise: developing a reusable module for an Azure VM with disk and network, and testing it across environments.
Module 6: Managing Azure Virtual Devices and On-Prem Integration
- Managing Azure Virtual Machines, Virtual Desktop components, and device lifecycles via Terraform.
- Strategies for hybrid device management: linking on-prem resources with Azure-managed devices.
- Integrating volumetric or device management systems using data sources and external providers.
- Lab: deploying an Azure VM fleet representing operator units, and configuring inventory tagging and basic monitoring.
Module 7: CI/CD, Automation, and Deployment Pipelines
- Integrating Terraform with CI/CD systems (GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps pipelines).
- Automating plan/apply processes using secured secrets and service principals.
- Basics of Policy as Code (Sentinel or Open Policy Agent patterns) and pre-deployment checks.
- Practical exercise: developing a simple GitHub Actions workflow to plan and apply Terraform against a sandbox subscription.
Module 8: Security, Secrets, and Operational Practices
- Managing secrets via Azure Key Vault integration and preventing sensitive data exposure in state files.
- Implementing access control, RBAC, and least privilege for automation accounts.
- Drift detection, state reconciliation, and basic remediation techniques.
- Checklist: covering backup, auditing, and governance for Terraform-managed infrastructure.
Module 9: Testing, Debugging, and Troubleshooting
- Debugging Terraform configurations and interpreting plan diffs effectively.
- Approaches to unit and integration testing (terraform validate, tflint, kitchen-terraform).
- Identifying common error patterns and strategies for resolution.
- Lab: executing validation and linting tools to identify and fix issues.
Module 10: Capstone Project — Hybrid Deployment Scenario
- Design exercise: planning an on-prem + Azure device deployment using acquired patterns.
- Implementing core components using modules, remote state, and CI/CD pipeline snippets.
- Presenting the solution, discussing trade-offs, and reviewing the operational runbook.
Summary and Next Steps
Requirements
- A solid grasp of fundamental networking and virtualization concepts.
- Proficiency with Windows or Linux command-line interfaces.
- Foundational knowledge of cloud or on-premises infrastructure principles.
Target Audience
- System administrators and platform engineers.
- DevOps professionals starting their journey with Infrastructure as Code.
- IT teams responsible for managing hybrid (on-prem + Azure) infrastructure.
Testimonials (3)
pacing for the most part was fantastic. Michal was very good at ensuring the audience were engaged and ensured everyone was following along for the most part
Asif Shaikh - Carpmaels & Ransford
Course - Terraform on Microsoft Azure
Checking all the details in practice - by writing real code
Michal Pipala - EY
Course - Advanced Terraform: Efficient Infrastructure as Code
the instructor was very well prepared
