Analysis of Software Tools for Automation of Configuration and Management Functions in It Infrastructures

Abstract

The work by the authors, using a systematic approach, analyzes a group of software tools that are functionally oriented towards the automated implementation of configuration and management processes in IT infrastructures. The research profile focuses on a methodology known in the professional environment as “Infrastructure as Code” (IaC) and is one of the foundational methodologies implemented in a systemic combination within the DevOps methodology. This methodology is actively used in processes of dynamic formation, deployment, and maintenance of corporate IT infrastructures in many modern successful high-tech companies to achieve the best business performance, efficiency, guaranteed success, and security. The article discusses two basic approaches to building software tools that implement the IaC methodology, namely the declarative and imperative approaches. The main emphasis is placed on the formation of a set of advantages and disadvantages inherent in software tools such as Terraform, ARM, Ansible, and CloudFormation. The focus of researchers on these four software tools is explained by their leading positions in a fairly extensive lineup of possible alternative software products that allow for a comprehensive implementation of the IaC methodology in the context of full and functional systemic deployment of the DevOps methodology in specific implementations of corporate IT infrastructures. The authors' generalized conclusion of original scientific research is that there is currently no single clearly distinguished universal software tool among others that fully satisfies the entire spectrum of requirements and needs. Potential users in this context are communities of DevOps professionals and clients – owners and managers of modern dynamic high- tech and successful companies, firms, and businesses that rely on modern information systems and technologies.