Automate and Simplify AWS Deployments Using Terraform Modules in MontyCloud DAY2

The Imperative of Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Just as blueprints are vital for constructing resilient physical infrastructure, Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is indispensable for building cloud-based infrastructure. Terraform is an incredibly versatile IaC tool. Leveraging Terraform requires deep skills in designing the underlying Terraform deployment infrastructure setup with best practices, state management, and post-deployment infrastructure tear-down. Customers and Managed Service Provider partners are demanding a simpler approach to embracing IaC without writing the code or doing the undifferentiated heavy lifting required to adopt Terraform. Well-architected blueprints amplify agility, minimize errors, and streamline compliance.

In this blog, I share the challenges of using Terraform and the benefits of using MontyCloud DAY2 for organizations that want to innovate more and operate less.

Challenges of Using Terraform

Adopting Terraform deployments as a standard requires deep skills, undifferentiated toolchain setup, and demands continued operational overheads.

Ongoing costs are involved in maintaining consistency in the tool chain required to continuously leverage Terraform deployments. Dealing with the complexity of these systems consumes financial resources, time and attention that could otherwise be focused on innovation.

Additionally, when teams are required to maintain their own toolchain for deployments, compliance and security overheads are inevitable. This leads to the painstakingly detailed and often repetitive tasks that must be managed meticulously, increasing the risk of human error and security vulnerabilities.

Our customers and partners tell us that these are complex and undifferentiated work they would rather not spend their time on. Instead, they would like to innovate more on high value solutions. This is where MontyCloud helps.

MontyCloud DAY2 Simplifies Terraform Deployments

MontyCloud’s end-to-end integration enables Terraform adoption through a simple, intuitive and consistent solution that provisions AWS infrastructure with the rest of the day-2 operational lifecycle. MontyCloud’s features such as continuous inventory, cost optimization, well-architected reviews, security and compliance assessments, and routine maintenance automations work seamlessly for resources deployed with this integration.

Key Benefits 

1. No need to build or maintain the deployment Infrastructure: MontyCloud DAY2 eliminates the complexity and cost of setting up and managing the deployment infrastructure, transforming a once cumbersome process into a streamlined, push-button operation.

2. Intuitive reusability of customer templates: Leverage the collective intelligence of your organization with MontyCloud DAY2, which simplifies the reuse of proven Terraform templates, boosting efficiency and reducing the chance of errors.

3. Consistent and Advanced Template Management: Gain peace of mind with MontyCloud's consistent template management, ensuring deployments are not just fast, but also uniform and error-free across customers. Enhanced with support for nested Terraform templates, MontyCloud DAY2 adeptly handles complex infrastructure scenarios and multi-environment deployments, simplifying the management of sophisticated, layered configurations.

4. Native integration with MontyCloud’s services: After deployment, MontyCloud DAY2 offers seamless integration that allows full visibility, continuous well-architected assessments, and proactive cost optimization.

5. Scale across Customers: Managed Services Provider Partners can scale their service offerings across all their customers without the complexity typically involved in Terraform deployments.

Customer Example Scenarios

1. Dedicated Environments: The Cloud IT team at a Tech startup spins up dedicated data analytics environments for its customers.. Traditionally, the team would spend considerable time setting up the necessary infrastructure to run Terraform templates. With MontyCloud DAY2, this overhead is removed. With just a click MontyCloud DAY2 sets up and tears down the deployment infrastructure on-demand, freeing the team to focus on delivering value to the business.
   

2. Compliance Requirements: A security architect at a healthcare organization, a role where compliance is law, is tasked with implementing HIPAA-compliant IAM policies across various departments. Missteps aren't an option. When deploying this template across multiple departments, DAY2 ensures your compliance approved Terraform template becomes a reusable item in your IT Service Catalog. This standardizes the deployment process and minimizes the risk of non-compliance.

3. Governance: A Cloud Center of Excellence is responsible for dealing with the complexities of governance in cloud environments. This is where DAY2 adds another layer of finesse to your act. With just a few clicks, DAY2 establishes customizable governance guardrails that preemptively catch any potential misconfigurations or security lapses.

Summary

MontyCloud DAY2 enhances your ability to manage cloud resources with Terraform by offering a balanced blend of simplicity, governance, and agility. Keep an eye out for our upcoming guide, which will provide a step-by-step walkthrough for deploying your Terraform Service Catalog with DAY2.