Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Services

Why infrastructure as code

Infrastructure as code (IaC) means describing servers, networks, databases, permissions and other cloud resources in configuration files that are stored in version control and applied automatically. Instead of building environments by hand in a web console, teams review infrastructure changes like code, test them and deploy them through pipelines.

The benefits are significant: new environments can be created in minutes, staging truly matches production, changes are traceable, and disaster recovery becomes a matter of re-running code rather than reconstructing from memory.

Problems we solve

• Cloud resources created by hand that nobody fully understands
• Staging and production configured differently
• No record of who changed what in the cloud console
• Weeks to set up a new environment or region
• Fear of touching infrastructure in case something breaks

What’s included

Tools we use

Bringing existing infrastructure under control

Most companies already have infrastructure created by hand. We do not tear it down. Instead we inventory what exists, import resources into code one area at a time, verify that the code matches reality, and then switch to making all changes through pipelines. Within weeks, the team has a full, reviewed description of its cloud — and the confidence to change it safely.

Structuring infrastructure code

Infrastructure code grows quickly, and a single huge configuration becomes slow and risky to change. We split it into layers that change at different speeds — organisation and networking, shared services, then application stacks — with separate state for each environment.

• Reusable modules with clear inputs and outputs
• Separate state per environment and per layer to limit blast radius
• Remote, locked and encrypted state storage
• Pinned provider and module versions
• Naming and tagging conventions enforced in code

A safe change workflow

1. Pull request

   Every infrastructure change is proposed as code and reviewed.

2. Automated plan

   The pipeline shows exactly what will be created, changed or destroyed.

3. Policy checks

   Tools such as Checkov, tfsec or OPA block insecure or non-compliant changes.

4. Apply

   Changes are applied by the pipeline, not from a laptop, with an audit trail.

5. Drift detectionScheduled

   Regular plans flag manual changes made outside of code.

Terraform, OpenTofu, Pulumi or Bicep?

Terraform and its open-source fork OpenTofu are the most widely used multi-cloud options. Pulumi lets teams write infrastructure in TypeScript, Python or Go, which suits developer-heavy teams. Bicep and CloudFormation are native to Azure and AWS respectively. We recommend based on your clouds, team skills and existing code rather than personal preference.

What infrastructure as code covers

Infrastructure as code (IaC) is often associated only with servers and networks, but almost every part of a cloud environment can and should be defined in code.

Typical repository layout

A clear structure makes infrastructure code easy to review and safe to change. A common pattern separates reusable building blocks from the environments that use them:

• modules/ — reusable components such as a network, a database or a container service, each with documented inputs and outputs
• environments/dev, staging, prod — small configurations that combine modules with environment-specific values
• global/ — shared resources such as DNS zones, identity and organisation policies
• policies/ — rules checked automatically in CI, for example “no public storage buckets”

Each environment keeps its own state, so a mistake in development cannot affect production.

Testing infrastructure code

• Formatting and validation on every commit
• Static analysis for security misconfigurations with tools such as Checkov, tfsec or Trivy
• Policy checks with Open Policy Agent or Sentinel for organisation rules
• A plan generated and posted to every pull request for review
• Automated tests of modules in a disposable environment for critical components
• Scheduled drift detection comparing real resources with the code

These checks catch most problems before anything changes in the cloud — the cheapest place to find them.

Adoption roadmap

1. Foundations1–2 weeks

   Choose the tool, set up remote state with locking, define the repository structure and CI pipeline.

2. Import critical resources2–4 weeks

   Bring production networking, databases and identity under management without recreating them.

3. Build reusable modules2–4 weeks

   Extract common patterns into tested modules your teams can reuse.

4. Lock down manual changesOngoing

   Restrict console write access, enable drift alerts and make code the only route to change.

Durations are typical for a small to mid-sized cloud estate; larger estates are imported in waves.

Signs your IaC needs attention

• Engineers are afraid to run apply because the plan shows unexpected changes
• State files are stored locally or shared by copying
• Modules are copied and pasted between environments with small edits
• Secrets appear in variable files or state without encryption
• Nobody has run the code for the oldest environment in months

We regularly review and repair existing infrastructure code. It often pairs with CI/CD implementation and Kubernetes consulting.

Managing state safely

Tools such as Terraform and OpenTofu keep a state file that records which real resources the code manages. That file is critical: lose it or corrupt it and the tool no longer knows what exists. We store state remotely in an encrypted bucket or managed backend, enable locking so two people cannot apply at once, restrict who can read it because it may contain sensitive values, and keep versioned history so a bad change can be recovered.

• Remote, encrypted state with versioning
• State locking enabled
• Separate state per environment and per major component
• Access limited to the pipeline and a small group of administrators

IaC for teams of different sizes

Starting simple and adding structure as the team grows is far easier than untangling an over-engineered setup.

Infrastructure code reviews

Every change to infrastructure code is reviewed like application code. Reviewers read the generated plan as well as the diff, because a one-line change can replace a database. We flag destructive actions automatically, require approval for production and keep the review focused on intent, blast radius and rollback.

Related services

IaC is central to DevOps consulting and CI/CD, and to migrations such as cloud migration.

This page is part of Cloud & DevOps Services — see the full overview for related services, approach and pricing.