🧩 IAC Module Library for Azure: Accelerate Your Cloud Journey with Reusable Terraform Modules

Building Azure infrastructure with consistency, security, and scalability is challenging—especially when every project seems to start from scratch. That’s why I created the IAC Module Library for Azure—a comprehensive collection of reusable Terraform modules that significantly accelerate cloud deployments while enforcing best practices.

The Infrastructure Challenge

Organizations working with Azure often face several common challenges:

• Inconsistent infrastructure deployments across teams and projects
• Repeated effort implementing the same components with slight variations
• Security vulnerabilities from misconfigured resources
• Difficulty maintaining compliance with organizational standards
• Steep learning curves for teams new to Terraform and Azure

Rather than reinventing the wheel for every project, a modular approach with reusable components can dramatically improve productivity, consistency, and security.

What’s in the Library?

The IAC Module Library offers production-ready Terraform modules for common Azure resources, each designed with flexibility, security, and best practices in mind:

Core Modules

1. Virtual Network (VNet) Module

   • Customizable address spaces and subnets
   • Service endpoints and network security groups
   • DNS configuration and network peering
   • Support for network isolation patterns

2. Storage Account Module

   • Blob, file, table, and queue storage
   • Network security rules and private endpoints
   • Data protection features (soft delete, versioning)
   • Advanced security configurations

3. Log Analytics Module

   • Centralized logging workspace
   • Solutions integration (Container Insights, Security Insights)
   • Custom retention policies
   • Cost management controls

4. App Service Module

   • Windows and Linux app hosting
   • Deployment slots for blue-green deployments
   • Connection strings and app settings management
   • Advanced monitoring configurations

5. AKS (Azure Kubernetes Service) Module

   • Node pool management and auto-scaling
   • Advanced networking options
   • Azure AD integration
   • Monitoring and logging integration

Module Architecture Principles

Each module follows consistent design principles:

• Composable: Modules can be used independently or together
• Configurable: Sensible defaults with extensive customization options
• Secure by Default: Security best practices built-in
• Well-Documented: Clear examples, inputs, outputs, and best practices
• Tested: Automated validation ensures quality and reliability
• Maintainable: Consistent structure and naming conventions

The standard module structure follows this pattern:

modules/
├── module-name/
│   ├── main.tf          # Core resource definitions
│   ├── variables.tf     # Input parameters
│   ├── outputs.tf       # Return values
│   ├── versions.tf      # Provider requirements
│   ├── README.md        # Documentation
│   └── examples/        # Usage examples
│       └── basic/
│           ├── main.tf
│           └── README.md

Real-World Examples

Basic Virtual Network Deployment

module "vnet" {
  source              = "github.com/arnabdey73/iac-module-library-azure//modules/vnet"
  resource_group_name = "my-resource-group"
  vnet_name           = "my-vnet"
  address_space       = ["10.0.0.0/16"]
  location            = "westeurope"
  
  subnets = [
    {
      name           = "web-tier"
      address_prefix = "10.0.1.0/24"
      service_endpoints = ["Microsoft.Web"]
    },
    {
      name           = "app-tier"
      address_prefix = "10.0.2.0/24"
      service_endpoints = ["Microsoft.Sql"]
    }
  ]
  
  tags = {
    Environment = "Production"
    Owner       = "Infrastructure Team"
  }
}

Secure Storage Account with Advanced Features

module "storage_account" {
  source              = "github.com/arnabdey73/iac-module-library-azure//modules/storage-account"
  resource_group_name = "my-resource-group"
  location            = "eastus"
  name                = "securestorage001"
  
  account_tier        = "Standard"
  account_replication = "GRS"
  enable_https_traffic_only = true
  min_tls_version     = "TLS1_2"
  
  containers = [
    {
      name        = "documents"
      access_type = "private"
    },
    {
      name        = "public-assets"
      access_type = "blob"
    }
  ]
  
  network_rules = {
    default_action = "Deny"
    ip_rules       = ["203.0.113.0/24"]
    bypass         = ["AzureServices"]
    subnet_ids     = []
  }
  
  tags = {
    Environment = "Production"
    DataSensitivity = "Confidential"
  }
}

Key Benefits

For Developers

• Reduced Development Time: No more starting from scratch with each project
• Best Practices Built-in: Security, tagging, and naming conventions embedded
• Learning Resource: Well-documented examples demonstrate Azure best practices
• Flexibility: Configure only what you need, defaults handle the rest

For Organizations

• Consistency: Standardized infrastructure across all projects and teams
• Governance: Built-in compliance with organizational standards
• Knowledge Sharing: Common reference implementation across teams
• Onboarding: Faster ramp-up for new team members and projects

For Operations Teams

• Security: Hardened configurations reduce attack surface
• Maintainability: Consistent implementations across environments
• Visibility: Standardized tagging and monitoring configurations
• Efficiency: Focus on business value rather than boilerplate code

Implementation Strategy

For teams looking to adopt this module library, I recommend the following approach:

1. Start Small

Begin with a single module for a non-critical workload. The Virtual Network or Storage Account modules are excellent starting points, as they demonstrate the benefits quickly without significant risk.

2. Customize to Your Needs

While the modules work out of the box, consider forking the repository and customizing it to your organization’s specific requirements, including:

• Organizational tagging standards
• Naming conventions
• Default locations and SKUs
• Security requirements

3. Create Reference Architectures

Combine modules to create reference architectures for common patterns in your organization:

• Three-tier web applications
• Data processing pipelines
• Microservice platforms

4. Integrate with CI/CD

Incorporate the modules into your deployment pipelines:

• Validate configurations using terraform validate
• Run security scans with tools like tfsec or checkov
• Automate deployments across environments

Future Roadmap

The module library will continue to grow with new modules and features:

• Azure SQL Database: Managed database services with security configurations
• Key Vault: Secrets management with access policies
• Event Hub/Service Bus: Messaging infrastructure
• Azure Functions: Serverless application deployments
• API Management: API gateway and developer portal

Conclusion

Infrastructure automation shouldn’t require reinventing the wheel for every project. The IAC Module Library for Azure provides a solid foundation of reusable components that accelerate development while enforcing best practices.

By standardizing on these modules, teams can focus on delivering business value rather than wrestling with infrastructure basics. The library grows with your needs and can be extended to support your specific requirements.

Ready to accelerate your Azure infrastructure deployments? Check out the GitHub repository and start building with confidence today.

Do you have suggestions for new modules or features that would be valuable additions to the IAC Module Library? Let me know in the comments below!