Cloud Programmability Concepts
1. Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is a practice that involves managing and provisioning cloud infrastructure through code and automation, rather than manual processes. This approach ensures consistency, reduces errors, and allows for version control of infrastructure configurations.
Example: Using Terraform, a network engineer can define the entire network infrastructure, including VPCs, subnets, and security groups, in a configuration file. This file can be versioned, tested, and deployed automatically, ensuring that the network environment is always in the desired state.
2. API-Driven Automation
API-Driven Automation involves using APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to interact with cloud services programmatically. This allows for the automation of tasks such as provisioning resources, managing configurations, and monitoring performance.
Example: A network automation tool can use the AWS EC2 API to programmatically launch and configure virtual machines. By sending HTTP requests to the API, the tool can automate the deployment of new instances, apply security groups, and attach storage volumes, all without manual intervention.