Course Outline
Module 1: Foundations of Infrastructure as Code and Terraform for Government Operations
- Core principles and operational advantages of IaC in on-premises and hybrid public sector environments
- Terraform architectural overview: provider architecture, resource definitions, state management, and lifecycle governance
- Deployment of Terraform, Azure CLI, and requisite administrative tools for secure government environments
- Practical exercise: Developing and executing a foundational Terraform configuration locally to establish baseline proficiency
Module 2: HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) and Fundamental Configuration Standards
- HCL syntax structure, resource declaration, attribute management, and expression logic
- Configuration control mechanisms: variables, outputs, local definitions, and type safety constraints
- Terraform CLI administration: initialization, planning, application, destruction, and formatting protocols
- Practical exercise: Constructing a parameterized configuration for integrated on-premises and Azure resources
Module 3: Provider Architecture, Resource Mapping, and Azure Integration Essentials
- Provider framework analysis and specific configuration of the AzureRM provider for government cloud services
- Translation of physical infrastructure into Terraform resources: networking, compute, and storage alignment
- Azure identity management and service principal configuration for secure, automated government workflows
- Practical exercise: Provisioning an Azure virtual network and a virtual machine instance via Terraform
Module 4: State Administration, Remote Backends, and Multi-User Collaboration
- Terraform state mechanics: functional purpose, data formatting, and lifecycle integrity considerations
- Implementation of remote state management via Azure Storage Accounts and state locking mechanisms for concurrent access
- Workspace management, environmental isolation, and collaborative workflows for government IT teams
- Practical exercise: Configuring remote state in Azure Storage and executing a multi-user administrative workflow
Module 5: Modular Architecture, Reusability, and Industry Best Practices
- Development and consumption of standardized Terraform modules for consistent infrastructure deployment
- Module interface design: input/output parameters, version control, and registry integration patterns
- Directory structure standards, naming conventions, and repository organization for long-term maintainability
- Practical exercise: Creating a reusable module for Azure virtual machines, storage, and networking, and validating it across multiple environments
Module 6: Management of Azure Virtual Devices and Hybrid On-Premises Integration
- Administration of Azure Virtual Machines, Virtual Desktop components, and device lifecycle management via Terraform
- Hybrid integration patterns: Synchronizing on-premises assets with Azure-managed endpoints for cohesive governance
- Incorporation of external device management systems and data sources through provider extensions
- Practical exercise: Deploying a fleet of Azure virtual machines simulating operator units, with configuration of inventory tagging and baseline monitoring
Module 7: Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery, Automation, and Deployment Pipelines
- Integration of Terraform with CI/CD platforms (GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps) for streamlined release management
- Automation of planning and application processes with secured secret management and service principal authentication
- Implementation of Policy as Code (Sentinel or Open Policy Agent) for pre-deployment compliance and verification
- Practical exercise: Establishing a GitHub Actions workflow to plan and apply Terraform configurations within a isolated sandbox subscription
Module 8: Security Protocols, Secret Management, and Operational Standards
- Secure secret management: Azure Key Vault integration and prevention of sensitive data exposure in state files
- Access control frameworks: Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and least privilege principles for automation identities
- Drift detection protocols, state reconciliation procedures, and remediation strategies for infrastructure integrity
- Compliance checklist: Backup, audit logging, and governance controls for Terraform-managed government infrastructure
Module 9: Testing, Diagnostic Procedures, and Troubleshooting Methodologies
- Diagnostic techniques for Terraform configurations and effective interpretation of plan differences
- Quality assurance frameworks: Unit and integration testing using terraform validate, tflint, and kitchen-terraform
- Identification and resolution of common error patterns and operational failures
- Practical exercise: Executing validation and linting tools to identify and remediate configuration issues
Module 10: Capstone Project — Hybrid Deployment Scenario Implementation
- Design challenge: Planning a hybrid on-premises and Azure device deployment utilizing established patterns for government use
- Implementation of core components using modules, remote state, and CI/CD pipeline integrations
- Professional presentation of the solution, analysis of architectural trade-offs, and review of operational runbooks
Summary and Future Recommendations
Requirements
- Working knowledge of fundamental networking and virtualization principles
- Proficiency with Windows or Linux command-line interfaces
- Basic understanding of cloud and on-premises infrastructure architectures
Target Audience
- System administrators and platform engineers
- DevOps practitioners initiating Infrastructure as Code practices
- IT teams responsible for hybrid (on-premises + Azure) infrastructure management
Testimonials (4)
How easily is to see everything as a resource
Ilie Danut - Mihai - DB Technology
Course - Terraform : Fundamentals
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
