HCL Language - 46 - HCL for Azure Resources

Leveraging HCL to Define Azure Resources

The HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) is a powerful tool for defining and provisioning Azure resources using Terraform. With HCL, you can create infrastructure as code (IaC) that specifies Azure resources and their configurations. In this discussion, we’ll explore how HCL is used to define Azure resources, its significance, and provide examples of defining common Azure resources.

The Significance of HCL for Azure Resources

HCL for Azure resources has several key advantages:

Infrastructure as Code (IaC): HCL allows you to define your Azure infrastructure as code, which means you can version, share, and collaborate on infrastructure configurations.
Consistency: It ensures consistency in resource creation and management, reducing the risk of misconfigurations and errors.
Scalability: HCL lets you efficiently scale Azure resources by defining their attributes and relationships in a structured manner.
Version Control: Using HCL with Azure resources, you can apply version control, enabling you to track changes over time and revert if needed.

Defining Azure Resources in HCL

To define Azure resources in HCL, you need to use the Terraform AzureRM Provider, which offers a wide range of Azure resource types that can be created and managed. Here’s a basic structure of how Azure resources are defined in HCL:

HCL Example Structure


resource "azurerm_resource_type" "resource_name" {
  attribute1 = "value1"
  attribute2 = "value2"
  # ... additional attributes
}

In the example above:

“azurerm_resource_type”: This specifies the Azure resource type you want to create (e.g., “azurerm_virtual_machine” for VMs).
“resource_name”: You can choose a name to represent your resource (e.g., “web_vm”).
“attribute1,” “attribute2,” etc.: These are specific attributes and their corresponding values for the Azure resource (e.g., “location” for the Azure region).

Defining Azure Virtual Machines (VMs)

Let’s delve into an example of defining Azure Virtual Machines (VMs) using HCL. VMs are fundamental Azure resources for running applications and services. Here’s how you can define a VM in HCL:

Defining an Azure VM


resource "azurerm_virtual_machine" "web_vm" {
  name                  = "my-vm"
  location              = "East US"
  resource_group_name   = "my-resource-group"
  vm_size               = "Standard_DS2_v2"
  network_interface_ids = [azurerm_network_interface.web_nic.id]
  delete_os_disk_on_termination = true

  os_profile {
    computer_name  = "myvm"
    admin_username = "adminuser"
    admin_password = "AdminPassword12345!"
  }

  os_profile_linux_config {
    disable_password_authentication = false
  }

  tags = {
    environment = "dev"
  }
}

In this example, we’re creating an Azure Virtual Machine named “web_vm” with specific attributes, including the VM name, location, resource group, VM size, network interfaces, OS profile, and tags.

Defining Azure Storage Accounts

Azure Storage Accounts are used for various storage solutions. You can define them using HCL as well. Here’s an example:

Defining an Azure Storage Account


resource "azurerm_storage_account" "my_storage" {
  name                     = "mystorageaccount"
  resource_group_name      = "my-resource-group"
  location                 = "East US"
  account_tier             = "Standard"
  account_replication_type = "LRS"

  tags = {
    environment = "dev"
  }
}

In this example, we define an Azure Storage Account named “my_storage” with specific attributes, including the account name, resource group, location, tier, replication type, and tags.

Managing Azure Resources with HCL

Once you’ve defined Azure resources using HCL, you can manage them using Terraform commands. The typical workflow includes:

Initialization: Run terraform init to initialize your Terraform environment and download the necessary providers.
Planning: Use terraform plan to review the proposed changes and ensure they align with your desired infrastructure state.
Application: Execute terraform apply to create or update Azure resources based on your HCL configuration.

Conclusion

Leveraging HCL to define Azure resources offers a structured and efficient approach to managing your cloud infrastructure on the Azure platform. Whether you’re creating Virtual Machines, Storage Accounts, or other Azure resources, HCL ensures consistency, scalability, and the ability to version and control your infrastructure as code.

HCL Language – 46 – HCL for Azure Resources