When does class start/end?
Classes begin promptly at 9:00 am, and typically end at 5:00 pm.
Automate Secure Infrastructure with Packer, Vault and Terraform
Transitioning from traditional infrastructure deployment and management processes can be challenging. Implementing infrastructure as code principles and using best practices leads to repeatable...
Read MoreTransitioning from traditional infrastructure deployment and management processes can be challenging. Implementing infrastructure as code principles and using best practices leads to repeatable results, fewer manual errors, and overall quicker application releases for your customers. This class focuses on using automation tools to build, deploy, and manage security-hardened infrastructure. Using Packer, students can automate building a golden base image consisting of company policies and best practices. This image can then be deployed with Terraform, using Vault to manage sensitive passwords and secrets.
Skills Gained
Attendees will understand best practices for automated building of secure infrastructure using code, storing that code in version control, and deployment using Terraform and managing secrets with Vault. They will also use Packer to automate building of "golden images".
Who Can Benefit
This class's audience is Developers, DevOps, Architects, Team Leads, Operations, and any other Engineering personnel interested in learning best practices for automating, deploying, managing, and securing infrastructure and application code.
Prerequisites
Attendees should have a basic understanding of Linux and command-line experience.
Course Details
What you learn:
Configuration Management
- Configuration Drift
- Challenges with Manual Configuration
- Infrastructure as Code
- Introduction to Automation Tools: Packer, Terraform, Vault
- Benefits of Configuration Management
Packer
- Introduction
- Features
- Commands
- Terminology
- Language (HCL)
Packer Builders
- Overview
- Builder types: Cloud, Docker, VMware
Provisioners
- Types: Shell, Ansible, Chef
- Cleanup provisioner
- Template syntax
Post Processors
- Overview
- Use cases
- Best practices
Terraform Introduction
- Overview
- Architecture
- Why Terraform?
- Comparison of tools
- Core components
- Fundamental concepts
Programming Structure
- Providers
- Resources
- Variables
- Data sources
- Outputs
- Cloud integration
Resources
- Types and Arguments
- Behavior
- Dependencies
- Local only resources
Variables
- Inputs
- References
- Outputs and Locals
- Overrides
Terraform CLI
- Features
- Commands
- Managing infrastructure
State management
- Local or Remote?
- Remote storage options: S3, AzureRM, Google File Storage
- Integrating with Git
- Challenges with State file locking
- Importing existing resources
Provisioners
- Types of Provisioners
- Remote execute provisioners
- Local execute provisioners
- Storing provisioners in repository
Modules and Workspaces
- Understanding DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) principle
- Variables and Modules
- Terraform module registry
- Terraform workspace
Security
- The right way to handle Access & Secret keys
- Managing resources in multiple regions
- Terraform and Identity Access Management (IAM)
Vault Introduction
- Overview
- Architecture
- Comparison of tools
- Core components
- Fundamental concepts
- Platforms
Secret Engines
- Static secrets
- Cubbyhole secret engine
- Dynamic secrets
- Encryption
- Authentication
Policies
- Configuration
- Authentication methods
- Syntax
- Constraints
Vault Agent
- Overview
- Auto-Auth
- Methods
- Caching
Putting it all together
- Building images with Packer
- Creating and managing infrastructure with Terraform
- Deploying Vault
- Integration with Kubernetes
- Securely deploying applications
Wrap-up
- Review
- Q&A
- Next steps
