[ENG] The Benefits of Infrastructure as Code (IAC) and Its Implementation at Euroclear
Introduction to IAC
Infrastructure as Code (IAC) is a transformative approach that allows organizations to define and manage their infrastructure using code. This method involves writing infrastructure resources like containers, storage, DNS, load balancers, and network configurations as code, which is stored in version control systems and deployed through Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CICD) pipelines. This approach brings numerous benefits, including streamlined provisioning, reduced manual errors, and consistent environments across development, testing, and production stages.
Key Benefits of IAC
Streamlined Provisioning: IAC allows for the automatic provisioning of infrastructure by running code, eliminating the need for manual setup and reducing the risk of human errors. This ensures that all environments are consistent and reliable.
Faster Iterations: By shifting infrastructure definition and provisioning to developers, IAC enables faster iterations and reduces bottlenecks. Developers can write, update, and run code to provision infrastructure, allowing for quick adjustments and improvements.
Reusable Modules: Infrastructure teams at Euroclear define reusable infrastructure modules as code, which encapsulate standards and security requirements. These modules serve as building blocks for creating reference implementations tailored to specific application needs.
Cost and Time Savings: The business benefits from faster solution delivery at a lower cost. The streamlined processes and reduced manual interventions lead to significant time and cost savings.
Enhanced Security: Security is embedded in the IAC solution, providing Euroclear with better predictability and confidence in IT delivery. The use of standardized modules ensures that security requirements are consistently met across all environments.
Euroclear’s vision
With the implementation of IaC aside the application code in Eucorlear’s software delivery lifecycle, they are enabling their vision to manage applications by the version of the code. Which means that the application and its entire infrastructure stack is being versioned in the code repository as a product version. Any updates to the code of the application or infrastructure being reflected into a new version of that product. This implementation is already achieved for their applications running in cloud, and they are going to extend it for applications running in their own datacenters.
Conclusion
The implementation of Infrastructure as Code at Euroclear has revolutionized the way infrastructure is managed and provisioned. By leveraging IAC, Euroclear has achieved greater efficiency, reduced costs, and enhanced security, ultimately leading to faster and more reliable IT delivery. This approach has not only simplified the work of application owners but also brought significant benefits to the entire organization.