Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is the process of managing and provisioning infrastructure through code instead of manual configuration. With IaC, the same model generates the same environment each and every time, reducing the chance of human error and ensuring consistent results.
Azure DevOps
Azure DevOps is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) collection of services that supports the full application lifecycle, including IaC:
- Azure Boards – an agile project management suite.
- Azure Pipelines – a Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) automation tool.
- Azure Repos – a central code repository for collaboration and version control.
- Azure Artifacts – a library for sharing artifacts such as compiled code, used in pipeline steps.
- Azure Test Plans – quality assurance testing within a CI/CD pipeline.
Azure DevOps is highly customizable, enterprise-focused, includes planning and project management tools, and supports fine-grained access control through role-based access control (RBAC).
Why Infrastructure as Code Matters
With IaC:
- The same environment can be generated consistently, every time.
- Instead of changing the environment directly, you change the code and regenerate the environment.
- It enables continuous delivery, automating build, test, configuration, and deployment.
- Applications can be tested early in development in multiple production-like environments.
The alternative is manual setup, which is slower and prone to mistakes.
IaC in Azure
In Azure, the IaC approach defines the components and configurations needed, while Azure determines how to implement them. This lowers the technical barrier to managing complex environments.
- IaC can be expressed in YAML, JSON, or XML, depending on the platform.
- In Azure specifically, you can use ARM templates (#53#) to define resources and configurations.
Related Governance and Management
IaC complements other governance features:
- Azure Policy enforces compliance in deployed resources.
- Resource locks prevent accidental changes to critical resources.
- Tags help track and organize resources deployed via IaC.
Next Steps
More details are available at the Azure DevOps service page.
For the AZ-900 exam, focus on understanding that IaC ensures consistent, automated deployments using code (e.g., ARM templates), and that tools like Azure DevOps support the DevOps lifecycle.
Want to go deeper into Microsoft Azure services? Check out my full AZ-900 video course on Udemy – your guided pathway to mastering Azure Fundamentals. Or go back to the topics in the AZ-900 exam.
Please click here to find out more about Microsoft’s AZ-900 exam.
