Course Outline
Module 1: Introduction to Infrastructure as Code and Terraform
- IaC concepts and their advantages for on-premises and hybrid setups.
- Overview of Terraform: providers, resources, state, and lifecycle management.
- Installation of Terraform, Azure CLI, and other required tools.
- Initial practical exercise: writing and applying a simple Terraform configuration locally.
Module 2: HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) and Configuration Basics
- HCL syntax, resources, attributes, and expressions.
- Utilizing variables, outputs, locals, and type constraints.
- Mastering the Terraform CLI: init, plan, apply, destroy, and fmt.
- Practical lab: creating a parameterized configuration for both an on-premises 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.
- Practical exercise: provisioning an Azure virtual network and a basic VM via Terraform.
Module 4: State Management, Backends, and Collaboration
- Terraform state: purpose, structure, and lifecycle considerations.
- Implementing remote backends using Azure Storage Accounts and state locking strategies.
- Workspaces, environments, and collaboration models for teams.
- Lab: setting up remote state in Azure Storage and executing a multi-user workflow.
Module 5: Modularization, Reusability, and Best Practices
- Authoring and utilizing Terraform modules.
- Module inputs/outputs, versioning, and registry patterns.
- Folder structures, naming conventions, and maintaining a clean repository layout.
- Practical exercise: building a reusable module for an Azure VM with disk and network configuration, and testing it across different 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-premises resources with Azure-managed devices.
- Integrating volumetric or device management systems through data sources and external providers.
- Lab: deploying an Azure VM fleet representing operator units, configuring inventory tagging, and setting up 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 with secured secrets and service principals.
- Basics of Policy as Code (Sentinel or Open Policy Agent patterns) and pre-deployment checks.
- Practical exercise: creating a simple GitHub Actions workflow to plan and apply Terraform against a sandbox subscription.
Module 8: Security, Secrets, and Operational Practices
- Managing secrets: Azure Key Vault integration and preventing sensitive data exposure in state files.
- Access control, RBAC, and applying least privilege to automation accounts.
- Drift detection, state reconciliation, and basic remediation procedures.
- Checklist: backup strategies, auditing, and governance for Terraform-managed infrastructure.
Module 9: Testing, Debugging, and Troubleshooting
- Debugging Terraform configurations and interpreting plan diffs effectively.
- Unit and integration testing methods (terraform validate, tflint, kitchen-terraform).
- Identifying common error patterns and applying resolution strategies.
- Lab: running validation and linting tools and rectifying any identified issues.
Module 10: Capstone Project — Hybrid Deployment Scenario
- Design challenge: planning an on-premises and Azure device deployment using learned 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 foundational understanding of networking and virtualization concepts.
- Proficiency with the Windows or Linux command line.
- Basic knowledge of cloud or on-premises infrastructure principles.
Target Audience
- System administrators and platform engineers.
- DevOps practitioners starting their journey with Infrastructure as Code.
- IT teams responsible for managing hybrid (on-premises plus 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
