How to Monitor Infrastructure as Code Changes on Linux

How to Monitor Infrastructure as Code Changes on Linux

Need to monitor infrastructure as code changes on your Linux server? Want to track Terraform changes, detect drift, and monitor deployments? This guide shows you how to monitor Infrastructure as Code changes using Terraform commands and set up automated monitoring with Zuzia.app.

For comprehensive Infrastructure as Code monitoring strategies, see Infrastructure as Code Monitoring Guide. For troubleshooting IaC issues, see Infrastructure as Code Drift Failures.

Why Monitoring Infrastructure as Code Changes Matters

Infrastructure as Code change monitoring helps you track infrastructure modifications, detect configuration drift, ensure infrastructure consistency, monitor deployment status, and maintain infrastructure reliability. Regular change monitoring prevents infrastructure inconsistencies and deployment failures.

Method 1: Monitor Terraform Plans

Track proposed infrastructure changes:

Check Terraform Plan Output

# Run Terraform plan (dry-run)
cd /path/to/terraform && terraform plan -out=tfplan

# Check plan output for changes
terraform plan -out=tfplan 2>&1 | grep -E "No changes|will be created|will be destroyed|will be updated"

# Count planned changes
terraform plan -out=tfplan 2>&1 | grep -c "will be"

# Save plan for analysis
terraform plan -out=tfplan
terraform show -json tfplan > /tmp/terraform-plan.json

Terraform plan monitoring shows proposed infrastructure changes.

Method 2: Monitor Terraform State

Track Terraform state file changes:

Check State File Status

# Check state file exists
if [ -f terraform.tfstate ]; then
  echo "State file found: terraform.tfstate"
  ls -lh terraform.tfstate
else
  echo "State file not found"
fi

# Check state file size
if [ -f terraform.tfstate ]; then
  STATE_SIZE=$(stat -f%z terraform.tfstate 2>/dev/null || stat -c%s terraform.tfstate)
  echo "State file size: ${STATE_SIZE} bytes"
fi

# Check state file backup
if [ -f terraform.tfstate.backup ]; then
  echo "State backup found"
  ls -lh terraform.tfstate.backup
fi

State file monitoring shows Terraform state health.

Check State Consistency

# Validate Terraform configuration
terraform validate

# Check state consistency
terraform state list

# Verify state matches infrastructure
terraform plan -detailed-exitcode
EXIT_CODE=$?
if [ $EXIT_CODE -eq 0 ]; then
  echo "State matches infrastructure"
elif [ $EXIT_CODE -eq 2 ]; then
  echo "Drift detected - state differs from infrastructure"
else
  echo "Terraform plan failed"
fi

State consistency validation detects configuration drift.

Method 3: Detect Infrastructure Drift

Identify discrepancies between code and actual infrastructure:

Run Drift Detection

# Check for drift (plan should show no changes if no drift)
terraform plan -detailed-exitcode
DRIFT_EXIT_CODE=$?

if [ $DRIFT_EXIT_CODE -eq 0 ]; then
  echo "No drift detected"
  echo "$(date +%s),drift-detection,no-drift" >> /var/log/terraform-drift.log
elif [ $DRIFT_EXIT_CODE -eq 2 ]; then
  echo "Drift detected"
  echo "$(date +%s),drift-detection,drift-detected" >> /var/log/terraform-drift.log
  terraform plan > /var/log/terraform-drift-details.log
fi

# Count drifted resources
DRIFTED_COUNT=$(terraform plan 2>&1 | grep -c "must be replaced\|must be recreated")
echo "Drifted resources: $DRIFTED_COUNT"

Drift detection identifies infrastructure inconsistencies.

Method 4: Track Resource Changes

Monitor infrastructure modifications:

Track Resource Changes

# Track resource creation
CREATED=$(terraform plan 2>&1 | grep -c "will be created")
echo "Resources to be created: $CREATED"

# Track resource updates
UPDATED=$(terraform plan 2>&1 | grep -c "will be updated")
echo "Resources to be updated: $UPDATED"

# Track resource destruction
DESTROYED=$(terraform plan 2>&1 | grep -c "will be destroyed")
echo "Resources to be destroyed: $DESTROYED"

# Log resource changes
echo "$(date +%s),resource-changes,created:$CREATED,updated:$UPDATED,destroyed:$DESTROYED" >> /var/log/terraform-changes.log

Resource change tracking shows infrastructure modifications.

Method 5: Automated Infrastructure as Code Change Monitoring with Zuzia.app

Manually checking Infrastructure as Code changes works for small environments, but for production infrastructure, you need automated IaC change monitoring that alerts you when drift or deployment issues are detected.

Setting Up Automated Infrastructure as Code Change Monitoring

1. Add Scheduled Task in Zuzia.app Dashboard

   • Navigate to your server in Zuzia.app
   • Click "Add Scheduled Task"
   • Choose "Command Execution" as the task type

2. Configure Terraform Change Check Command

   • Enter command: terraform plan -detailed-exitcode
   • Set execution frequency: Every 15-30 minutes
   • Configure alert conditions: Alert when drift detected or plan shows changes
   • Set up comparison with previous runs to detect changes

3. Set Up Notifications

   • Choose notification channels (email, webhook, Slack, etc.)
   • Configure alert thresholds (e.g., alert if drift detected, plan shows changes)
   • Set up escalation rules for critical infrastructure issues
   • Configure different alert levels for different environments

Monitor Specific Infrastructure as Code Changes

For critical infrastructure, create dedicated monitoring tasks:

# Check for drift
terraform plan -detailed-exitcode

# Validate configuration
terraform validate

# Check state
terraform state list

# Monitor Terraform executions
tail -20 /var/log/terraform-executions.log

Zuzia.app stores all command outputs in its database, allowing you to track Infrastructure as Code changes over time, identify drift early, and detect deployment issues before they cause problems.

Best Practices for Monitoring Infrastructure as Code Changes

1. Monitor Infrastructure as Code Changes Continuously

Monitor Infrastructure as Code changes every 15-30 minutes. Infrastructure drift can occur at any time, so regular monitoring helps detect issues early. Use Zuzia.app automated monitoring to monitor Infrastructure as Code changes continuously without manual intervention.

2. Monitor Both Code and State

Monitor at multiple levels: Terraform code changes, state file changes, and actual infrastructure changes. Code monitoring shows planned changes, state monitoring shows state consistency, and infrastructure monitoring detects drift.

3. Track Drift Detection

Monitor drift detection results regularly. Drift indicates infrastructure inconsistencies that need attention. Set up alerts for drift detection to ensure prompt resolution.

4. Document Expected Changes

Maintain documentation about expected infrastructure changes. Document which changes are planned and which are unexpected. Update documentation when infrastructure changes occur.

5. Plan Infrastructure Updates

Use Infrastructure as Code change monitoring data for planning infrastructure updates. Analyze change trends, plan updates proactively, and optimize infrastructure configuration.

Troubleshooting Common Infrastructure as Code Change Issues

Drift Detected

If drift is detected:

# Review drift details
terraform plan > /var/log/terraform-drift-details.log
cat /var/log/terraform-drift-details.log

# Identify drifted resources
terraform plan | grep -E "must be replaced\|must be recreated"

# Plan drift resolution

Drift requires investigation and resolution.

State Inconsistent

If state is inconsistent:

# Check state consistency
terraform plan -detailed-exitcode

# Review state file
terraform state list

# Validate configuration
terraform validate

# Plan state repair

State inconsistencies require correction.

FAQ: Common Questions About Monitoring Infrastructure as Code Changes

How often should I monitor infrastructure as code changes on my Linux server?

We recommend monitoring Infrastructure as Code changes every 15-30 minutes. Infrastructure drift can occur at any time, so regular monitoring helps detect issues early. For critical infrastructure, monitor more frequently. Use Zuzia.app automated monitoring to monitor Infrastructure as Code changes continuously without manual intervention.

What should I do when infrastructure drift is detected?

When infrastructure drift is detected, first review drift details to identify which resources have drifted. Investigate the cause of drift (manual changes, configuration errors, etc.). Plan drift resolution by applying Terraform changes or fixing manual modifications. Resolve drift during maintenance windows.

Can I monitor infrastructure as code changes without affecting infrastructure?

Yes, monitoring Infrastructure as Code changes is read-only and doesn't affect infrastructure. Commands like terraform plan only show proposed changes without making modifications. However, terraform apply performs actual changes.

How do I identify which infrastructure resources have changed?

Use terraform plan to see proposed changes. Resources showing changes indicate modifications. Review plan output to see which resources will be created, updated, or destroyed. Zuzia.app tracks infrastructure changes and can help identify modified resources.

Why is monitoring infrastructure as code changes important?

Monitoring Infrastructure as Code changes helps track infrastructure modifications, detect configuration drift, ensure infrastructure consistency, monitor deployment status, and maintain infrastructure reliability. Infrastructure drift can cause inconsistencies, so tracking Infrastructure as Code changes is essential for maintaining infrastructure reliability.

How do I compare infrastructure as code changes across multiple environments?

Use Zuzia.app to monitor Infrastructure as Code changes across multiple environments simultaneously. Each environment executes Terraform checks independently, and all results are stored in Zuzia.app's database for centralized comparison and analysis. You can view Infrastructure as Code changes for all environments in a single dashboard.

Does Zuzia.app track infrastructure as code changes over time?

Yes, Zuzia.app stores all command outputs in its database, allowing you to track Infrastructure as Code changes over time and identify when drift or infrastructure modifications occur. You can view historical data to see change patterns, identify drift trends, and verify that infrastructure updates were successful.

Related guides, recipes, and problems

• Related guides

  • Infrastructure as Code Monitoring Guide
  • Cloud Resources Monitoring Guide
  • Data Retention Lifecycle Policies Monitoring Guide

• Related recipes

  • Monitor Cloud Resource Usage Costs
  • Check Data Retention Compliance
  • Monitor Metrics Aggregation Status

• Related problems

  • Infrastructure as Code Drift Failures
  • Data Retention Policy Violations