Eliminating Configuration Drift at Scale Using Declarative Infrastructure Automation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63282/3050-9246.IJETCSIT-V7I2P128Keywords:
Configuration Drift, Infrastructure As Code, Declarative Infrastructure, Gitops, Drift Detection, Cloud Operations, Compliance Automation, Continuous Delivery, Infrastructure Management, Terraform, Kubernetes, DevopsAbstract
In today’s dynamic, multi-cloud environments, managing infrastructure at scale is no small feat. One of the most persistent and dangerous operational challenges is configuration drift the silent divergence between intended and actual infrastructure states. Left unchecked, drift leads to security gaps, compliance violations, failed deployments, and sleepless nights for engineers. This paper explores how organizations are using declarative infrastructure automation via Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC), GitOps, and policy frameworks to detect, prevent, and remediate configuration drift across cloud and on-prem systems. We explore practical architectures, tooling patterns, and cultural shifts that eliminate drift not just once, but continuously, at scale.
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