Course Outline
Module 1: Introduction to Infrastructure as Code and Terraform
- IaC concepts and their benefits for on-premises and hybrid environments
- Terraform overview: including providers, resources, state, and lifecycle management
- Installation of Terraform, Azure CLI, and necessary tools
- Initial hands-on activity: writing and applying a simple Terraform configuration locally
Module 2: HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) and Configuration Basics
- HCL syntax, resource definitions, attributes, and expressions
- Use of variables, outputs, locals, and type constraints
- Terraform CLI commands: init, plan, apply, destroy, and fmt
- Hands-on lab: building a parameterized configuration for both an on-prem resource and an Azure resource
Module 3: Providers, Resources, and Azure Provider Fundamentals
- Understanding providers and configuring the AzureRM provider
- Mapping infrastructure elements to Terraform resources (networking, compute, storage)
- Managing Azure authentication and service principals for automated tasks
- Hands-on: provisioning an Azure virtual network and a basic VM using Terraform
Module 4: State Management, Backends, and Collaboration
- Terraform state: its purpose, format, and lifecycle implications
- Utilizing remote backends with Azure Storage Accounts and state locking strategies
- Workspaces, environments, and effective collaboration patterns for teams
- Lab: configuring 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 conventions
- Folder structure, naming standards, and maintaining a clean repository
- Hands-on: developing a reusable module for Azure VM + disk + network and testing it across different environments
Module 6: Managing Azure Virtual Devices and On-Prem Integration
- Controlling Azure Virtual Machines, Virtual Desktop components, and device lifecycles via Terraform
- Strategies for hybrid device management: linking on-prem resources with Azure-managed devices
- Integrating volumetric or device management systems using data sources and external providers
- Lab: deploying an Azure VM fleet to represent operator units and setting up inventory tagging and basic monitoring
Module 7: CI/CD, Automation, and Deployment Pipelines
- Connecting Terraform with CI/CD systems (GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps pipelines)
- Automating plan/apply processes using secured secrets and service principals
- Introduction to Policy as Code (Sentinel or Open Policy Agent patterns) and pre-deployment checks
- Hands-on: creating a simple GitHub Actions workflow to plan and apply Terraform 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 least privilege principles for automation accounts
- Drift detection, state reconciliation, and basic remediation procedures
- Checklist: 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)
- Identifying common error patterns and resolution strategies
- Lab: running validation and linting tools and fixing any discovered issues
Module 10: Capstone Project — Hybrid Deployment Scenario
- Design exercise: planning an on-prem + 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
- Foundational understanding of networking and virtualization concepts
- Experience with Windows or Linux command-line interfaces
- Basic knowledge of cloud or on-premises infrastructure principles
Target Audience
- System administrators and platform engineers
- DevOps practitioners new to Infrastructure as Code
- IT teams overseeing 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
