Automate Drift Detection in IaC and Terraform Defined Environments

Transform Infrastructure Change Management from Reactive to Proactive with Torque

The concept of “Drift in Infrastructure as Code (IaC)” refers to the phenomenon that occurs when the intended state of the infrastructure diverges from the actual state of the infrastructure. This divergence can be brought about by various factors, including manual alterations made to the infrastructure by a human operator, changes made to the IaC configuration itself, or applications that make the changes. As a result, drift can have significant implications for the availability, security, and performance of the infrastructure.

Organisations that are increasingly reliant on Infrastructure as Code (IaC) to manage their cloud and on-premise infrastructure face the risk of configuration drift, whereby the IaC configuration may gradually deviate from its intended state. To counteract this, it is vital to regularly monitor the state of the IaC configuration to detect drift. One way to achieve this is by using automated tools that can compare the current state of the IaC configuration with the intended state. These tools can examine the IaC configuration in relation to the version control system, such as Git, to identify any differences between the two. Furthermore, such tools can help to identify changes in the underlying infrastructure, such as alterations to security groups, network topology, and server configurations.

In managing IaC, it is important to adhere to best practices, including following version control and change management procedures and conducting regular testing of the IaC configuration. These practices can help to ensure that the IaC configuration remains in its intended state and can facilitate the detection of any drift that may have taken place. It is also crucial to document the IaC configuration thoroughly so that any changes can be tracked and comprehended.

Drift detection must be tightly aligned with the auto-discovery of infrastructure assets, which allows users to detect drift changes at an OS, application, or infrastructure level. This provides seamless transparency into the change. With its control plane capability to auto-discover and identify Infrastructure as Code assets, Quali Torque offers a powerful tool for users who seek to leverage the robust functionality of Terraform while addressing the challenges commensurate with an increasingly complex infrastructure. With Torque, you can automate infrastructure and build applications quickly and consistently, a smart approach to helping your company achieve its digital transformation goals.

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