Course Outline
Module 1: Introduction to Infrastructure as Code and Terraform
- IaC concepts and their advantages for on-premises and hybrid environments
- Terraform overview: covering providers, resources, state, and lifecycle
- Setting up Terraform, Azure CLI, and other necessary tools
- Initial practical exercise: creating and locally applying a simple Terraform configuration
Module 2: HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) and Configuration Basics
- HCL syntax, resources, attributes, and expressions
- Variables, outputs, locals, and type constraints
- Using the Terraform CLI: init, plan, apply, destroy, and fmt
- Practical lab: developing a parameterized configuration for both an on-prem and an Azure resource
Module 3: Providers, Resources, and Azure Provider Fundamentals
- Understanding providers and configuring them (specifically the AzureRM provider)
- Mapping infrastructure components to Terraform resources (networking, compute, storage)
- Handling Azure authentication and service principals for automation purposes
- Practical exercise: provisioning an Azure virtual network and a basic VM using Terraform
Module 4: State Management, Backends, and Collaboration
- Terraform state: its purpose, structure, and lifecycle implications
- Remote backends using Azure Storage Accounts and state locking strategies
- Workspaces, environments, and collaboration workflows for teams
- Lab: setting up remote state in Azure Storage and executing a multi-user workflow
Module 5: Modularization, Reusability, and Best Practices
- Creating and using Terraform modules
- Module inputs/outputs, versioning, and registry patterns
- Folder structure, naming conventions, and maintaining a clean repository layout
- Practical exercise: building a reusable module for an Azure VM with disk and network, then testing it across environments
Module 6: Managing Azure Virtual Devices and On-Prem Integration
- Managing Azure Virtual Machines, Virtual Desktop components, and device lifecycle through Terraform
- Strategies for hybrid device management: linking on-prem resources with Azure-managed devices
- Integrating volumetric or device management systems via data sources and external providers
- Lab: deploying a fleet of Azure VMs representing operator units and setting up inventory tagging and basic monitoring
Module 7: CI/CD, Automation, and Deployment Pipelines
- Connecting Terraform with CI/CD platforms (GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps pipelines)
- Automating plan/apply processes with protected secrets and service principals
- Basics of Policy as Code (Sentinel or Open Policy Agent patterns) and pre-deployment checks
- Practical exercise: building a simple GitHub Actions workflow to plan and apply Terraform changes to a sandbox subscription
Module 8: Security, Secrets, and Operational Practices
- Secrets management: integrating Azure Key Vault and preventing sensitive data in state files
- Access control, RBAC, and applying least privilege to 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
- Unit and integration testing methods (terraform validate, tflint, kitchen-terraform)
- Common error patterns and strategies for resolution
- Lab: running validation and linting tools to identify and fix issues
Module 10: Capstone Project — Hybrid Deployment Scenario
- Design exercise: planning an on-prem plus 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 operations runbook
Summary and Next Steps
Requirements
- A solid grasp of fundamental networking and virtualization concepts
- Experience with Windows or Linux command-line interfaces
- Foundational knowledge of cloud or on-premises infrastructure concepts
Audience
- System administrators and platform engineers
- DevOps specialists 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
