Terraform Cloud/Enterprise features - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - Terraform Cloud/Enterprise features

Start Terraform Cloud/Enterprise

↓

User Pushes Code to VCS

↓

Terraform Cloud Detects Change

↓

Run Plan Automatically

↓

User Reviews Plan

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Apply Approved Plan

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State Stored Securely

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Collaboration & Policy Checks

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End

This flow shows how Terraform Cloud/Enterprise automates infrastructure changes from code push to secure state storage with collaboration and policy enforcement.

Execution Sample

Terraform

terraform {
  cloud {
    organization = "my-org"
    workspaces {
      name = "my-workspace"
    }
  }
}

This code configures Terraform to use Terraform Cloud with a specific organization and workspace.

Process Table

Step	Action	Result	Notes
1	User pushes Terraform code to version control	Terraform Cloud detects new code	Triggers run automatically
2	Terraform Cloud starts plan phase	Plan created showing proposed changes	User can review plan
3	User approves plan	Terraform Cloud applies changes	Infrastructure updated
4	Terraform Cloud stores state securely	State file saved in cloud backend	Enables collaboration
5	Policy checks run during plan/apply	Runs Sentinel policies	Blocks changes if policy fails
6	Team members collaborate	Shared workspace and notifications	Improves teamwork
7	Run completes	Outputs available	Infrastructure ready
8	No new code changes	No new runs triggered	Idle state

💡 No new code changes detected, so no further runs triggered.

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 1	After Step 3	Final
Terraform Code	Not present	Pushed to VCS	Used for apply	Stored in VCS
Run Status	Idle	Planning	Applied	Idle
State File	Local or none	Not updated	Updated in cloud	Stored securely
Policy Status	Not checked	Checked during plan	Checked during apply	Passed or blocked

Key Moments - 3 Insights

Why does Terraform Cloud run a plan automatically after code is pushed?

Terraform Cloud detects the code change (see execution_table step 1) and runs a plan to show proposed changes before applying, ensuring safety.

How does Terraform Cloud ensure team collaboration?

By storing state securely in the cloud backend and sharing workspace runs and notifications (execution_table steps 4 and 6), team members can work together safely.

What happens if a policy check fails during apply?

The apply is blocked by Terraform Cloud's Sentinel policy enforcement (execution_table step 5), preventing unsafe changes.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table, what is the run status after step 3?

A Idle

B Planning

C Applied

D Failed

💡 Hint

Check the 'Run Status' variable in variable_tracker after Step 3.

At which step does Terraform Cloud store the state file securely?

A Step 2

B Step 4

C Step 6

D Step 8

💡 Hint

Look at the 'State File' variable changes and execution_table step descriptions.

If no new code is pushed, what happens according to the execution_table?

A No new runs are triggered

B Terraform Cloud runs a plan anyway

C Terraform Cloud applies previous plan

D Policy checks run repeatedly

💡 Hint

See the exit_note and step 8 in execution_table.

Concept Snapshot

Terraform Cloud/Enterprise automates infrastructure changes by detecting code pushes,
running plans for review, applying approved changes, and storing state securely.
It supports team collaboration and enforces policies to keep infrastructure safe.
Use cloud backend configuration to connect Terraform to Terraform Cloud.
Policy checks run automatically during plan and apply phases.
No runs happen without new code changes.

Full Transcript

Terraform Cloud and Enterprise provide a way to automate and manage infrastructure changes safely. When a user pushes Terraform code to version control, Terraform Cloud detects the change and automatically runs a plan. This plan shows what changes will happen, allowing the user to review before applying. Once approved, Terraform Cloud applies the changes and securely stores the state file in the cloud backend. This setup enables team collaboration by sharing state and run information. Additionally, policy checks run during plan and apply phases to enforce rules and prevent unsafe changes. If no new code is pushed, Terraform Cloud does not trigger new runs, keeping the system idle until changes occur.