TF-004 Understand IaC concepts Practice Question

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

• ✗

  Configuration is changed via patches and updates

  Why it's wrong here

  This statement describes a mutable infrastructure approach, where existing servers or resources are modified in-place over their lifecycle. Instead of replacing a server with a new, updated instance, patches, configuration changes, or software updates are applied directly to the running server. This practice often leads to configuration drift and makes it difficult to ensure consistency across environments, directly contradicting the principles of immutable infrastructure.

• ✓

  Servers are never modified after deployment; new ones are created for updates

  Why this is correct

  This statement accurately defines immutable infrastructure, a paradigm where once a server or resource is deployed, it is never modified. Any required changes, such as software updates, configuration adjustments, or security patches, necessitate the creation and deployment of an entirely new server instance with the desired modifications. The old instance is then decommissioned, ensuring consistency and preventing configuration drift across the infrastructure.

• ✗

  Resources are shared across environments

  Why it's wrong here

  Sharing resources across environments, such as using a common database or storage service for development and staging, is a practice often driven by cost efficiency or architectural design patterns. While this approach can be implemented within an immutable infrastructure strategy, it does not inherently describe or define the core principle of immutability itself. Immutable infrastructure focuses on the lifecycle and modification policy of individual instances, not their sharing patterns.

• ✗

  Infrastructure is version-controlled

  Why it's wrong here

  Version control, typically implemented using systems like Git, is a fundamental practice for managing infrastructure as code (IaC) by tracking changes to configuration files and templates. While essential for implementing and maintaining immutable infrastructure effectively, version control itself describes the management of code and configurations, not the operational characteristic of the deployed infrastructure instances. Immutable infrastructure dictates how servers are handled post-deployment, whereas version control manages the blueprints.

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