Cloud SDKs like those for AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure are often deeply embedded in application code, simplifying direct interactions but creating significant friction between development and operations teams. These SDKs provide runtime functionality for specific resources within your application code. Unfortunately, in an effort to offer more convenience to developers, they also require provisioning details to be supplied within the application code itself. This creates a tight coupling between the application and the infrastructure needed to run it.
Abstraction From Cloud SDKs
The tight coupling of cloud SDKs with application code stems from the flexibility these SDKs offer, supporting all paths to the cloud, including manual configuration, direct in-code configuration, and Infrastructure as Code tools. This flexibility, while beneficial in some ways, introduces significant challenges. Developers, once they import these SDKs, become enmeshed in cloud infrastructure concerns, from managing services to handling configurations. This focus shift detracts from solving core business problems. Additionally, this complexity extends to operations teams, necessitating detailed documentation and often resulting in time-consuming meetings to understand application provisioning needs.
Automating Infrastructure Specifications
To solve the problem of coupling and reduce complexity, introduce an abstraction layer above the cloud SDKs. This layer abstracts resources like APIs, databases, storage buckets, queues, and more. By describing what they want to achieve without specifying the underlying technology, developers can focus on application logic. Operations teams, in turn, can choose and configure the best underlying technology without impacting the application code. For instance, abstract storage bucket usage focuses on the intent to store data rather than specifying the implementation details.
Enter Reusable IaC Modules
Generating a specification from application code standardizes the communication of resource requirements. By scanning application code, you can produce a specification that details required resources and their relationships. This specification bridges the communication gap between developers and operations. It provides clear, living documentation updated with application changes, reducing the need for extensive meetings and manual requirement gathering. For example, a specification might document a storage bucket, a messaging topic, and daily tasks, outlining necessary policies and services.
Conclusion
Cloud SDKs such as those for AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure are often deeply integrated into application code. This integration simplifies direct interactions but also introduces significant friction between development and operations teams. These SDKs provide essential runtime functionality for various resources within your application code, making development easier. However, the convenience comes at a cost. These SDKs require provisioning details to be embedded within the application code itself. This requirement leads to a tight coupling between the application and the infrastructure necessary to run it, making it less flexible and more difficult to manage changes independently. Consequently, developers and operations teams often find themselves at odds, as the tightly coupled setup complicates deployment, scaling, and maintenance processes. While cloud SDKs aim to streamline development, the embedded provisioning details can limit the ability to adapt to changing infrastructure needs, thus creating a significant challenge in balancing ease of use with operational efficiency.
