What is Infrastructure as Code (IaC) in SaaS?

IaC is the practice of provision and management of the IT infrastructure using code to ensure that the server, network and all other resources are provisioned and configured automatically. This is important for SaaS vendors as it impacts their ability to execute cloud framework systems which results in quick deployments, scalability, and dependability.

Here is an example of IaC (Infrastructure as a Code).

Imagine being able to code something in Terraform that will describe all the new cloud environment background, including the amount and type of servers required, networks, and even the software that should be installed on the servers.

As you execute this code, Terraform will provision your infrastructure to the cloud based on how you have described it.

Think of it like this: DevOps is a big idea, and IaC (Infrastructure as Code) is one of the ways to make it happen. DevOps is a culture and a set of practices that aims to integrate development, operations, and other functions in the software development cycle. IaC enables the attainment of DevOps objectives through the automation of infrastructure.

AWS provides various services that can be used to manage infrastructure as code.

• AWS CloudFormation: The primary resource for creating and deploying AWS services with the help of templates.
• AWS CDK: Comprises a number of programming languages to express the required context of the cloud.
• AWS OpsWorks: Applied in the automation of processes whereby servers are created, deployed and managed.
• AWS Elastic Beanstalk: Employed mainly in deploying and installing web based applications and services.

CloudFormation is a service natively tied to templates and is commonly used for managing Infrastructure as Code (IaC) on AWS, especially by those new to the platform.

• Speed and Agility: Adapt promptly to the fast-paced SaaS environment executing infrastructure changes.
• Consistency and Reliability: Make sure that configurations across different environments are consistent and eliminate manual errors.
• Scalability: Resources are adjusted based on demand. 
• Collaboration: Ensure developers and operations teams share a common language to work together on infrastructure.
• Cost Savings: Utilize resources efficiently and don’t spend money on unnecessary infrastructure.

• Learning Curve: Use of IaC may require employee training or acquisition of employees with higher skill in the process.
• Complexity: It is often challenging to manage large and complex infrastructure deployments.
• Security: Vulnerabilities in Infrastructure as Code (IaC) influences infrastructure security.
• Tool Selection: Choosing the right IaC tools and understanding how to integrate them into existing workflows is not easy.

IaC is an approach of procuring and implementing computing network resources by using configuration languages rather than installing hardware and operating system interfaces or graphical user interfaces. 

This approach defines and replicates infrastructure so that it can be automated and managed. It also addresses issues of variability in resource demand without involving any action from the management.