COMPEL Glossary / infrastructure-as-code-iac
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
Infrastructure as Code is the practice of managing and provisioning computing infrastructure through machine-readable configuration files rather than manual setup processes.
What this means in practice
IaC enables automated, repeatable, version-controlled infrastructure deployment -- essential for AI workloads that require consistent environments for training, testing, and production. When infrastructure is defined as code, it can be tested before deployment, rolled back if problems occur, and audited for compliance. In the COMPEL maturity model, IaC adoption appears at Level 4 in the Data Infrastructure domain (Domain 10), representing mature infrastructure management where changes are deployed through automated pipelines with testing and rollback capabilities, rather than through manual configuration that introduces inconsistency and risk.
Related Terms
Other glossary terms mentioned in this entry's definition and context.