Getting Started with HashiCorp Packer from Pluralsight

Create immutable infrastructure without the headaches! This course will teach you how to create images that are reusable, make scaling architecture easy, and run everywhere with Packer.

Has a developer ever given the excuse of “it works on my machine” for an issue in production? Have you ever struggled with keeping your infrastructure configuration in sync across multiple machines and environments? In this course, Getting Started with HashiCorp Packer, you’ll learn to use Packer to build automated machine images that run in multiple environments with the same configuration, all but eliminating those problems! First, you’ll explore how to build a basic empty image for usage on AWS EC2. Next, you’ll discover how to populate that image with all of the configuration needed for your application, along with encrypted secrets from AWS Secrets Manager. Finally, you’ll learn how to expand this image to work on multiple platforms, including Vagrant for local development. When you’re finished with this course, you’ll have the skills and knowledge of HashiCorp Packer needed to automate the building of your infrastructure, and banish the “works on my machine” curse to the dustbin where it belongs!

What's inside

Syllabus

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Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Core is system administrators and engineers working with cloud computing

Includes hands-on tools and practice

Builds a foundational understanding of Packer's functionality

Taught by an experienced instructor recognized for work with Packer

Reviews summary

Packer fundamentals for infrastructure automation

According to learners, this course serves as an excellent introductory guide to HashiCorp Packer, crucial for anyone interested in immutable infrastructure. Students frequently highlight the clear and concise explanations provided by the knowledgeable instructor, making complex topics digestible. The curriculum excels with its hands-on labs and practical demonstrations, which significantly solidify understanding by showcasing real-world applications with AWS EC2 and Vagrant. While highly praised for its foundational strength, some learners noted a desire for more advanced content or updated tool versions in certain lab exercises.

Pacing suited for some, but too fast for others.

"The pacing was just right."

"I found the explanations a bit too fast-paced at times, and I had to re-watch sections."

"I felt like I needed more context on *why* certain things were done. Needs a bit slower pacing."

Offers real-world examples and immediate applicability.

"I appreciated the practical examples for AWS and Vagrant."

"The 'it works on my machine' problem is real, and this course shows you exactly how Packer solves it."

"I've already applied what I learned to my work projects. Highly practical and well-produced."

Instructor's clarity and practical labs are highly effective.

"The instructor's explanations are clear and concise, and the hands-on labs really solidify the concepts."

"The instructor is knowledgeable and the exercises are well-structured."

"The labs are spot-on, and the instructor's delivery is engaging. Very practical."

Perfect starting point for beginners in infrastructure automation.

"This course is an excellent introduction to Packer."

"Fantastic course! As someone new to Packer, this course broke down complex ideas into digestible chunks."

"Perfect starting point! I had zero experience with Packer and now feel confident."

Occasional issues encountered due to outdated tools in labs.

"Some of the tools and versions used seemed slightly outdated, which caused minor issues when trying to replicate the labs."

"Keeping up with versions of tools is always a challenge, and a small update might be useful for some of the demos."

"As others mentioned, some version discrepancies can be annoying."

Some wished for more advanced topics beyond the basics.

"I felt some topics, especially around advanced configurations or integrating with CI/CD, could have been explored more deeply."

"The examples were a bit too simple, and I struggled to see how to adapt them to a complex enterprise environment."

"I wished there were more challenging exercises or a project to really test understanding."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Getting Started with HashiCorp Packer with these activities:

Seek guidance from experienced professionals

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Connect with experts in the field to gain valuable insights and expand your knowledge.

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Attend industry events and meetups.
Reach out to professionals on LinkedIn.
Ask for referrals from colleagues and friends.

Build your familiarity with AWS EC2

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Familiarize yourself with the basic concepts and services provided by AWS EC2.

Browse courses on AWS EC2

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Read documentation and tutorials
Create a free AWS account.
Set up an Amazon EC2 instance.

Practice building and running images in Packer

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Reinforce your understanding of Packer by building images for various scenarios.

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Obtain sample Packer configuration files.
Set up Packer.
Build and run images using the sample configurations.
Create your own configuration files for different scenarios.

Four other activities

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Develop a side project that utilizes Packer

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Gain hands-on experience and expand your portfolio by working on a personal project.

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Identify a project idea that aligns with your interests and skills.
Create a project plan and timeline.
Use Packer to build and manage images for your project.
Publish your project and showcase your work.

Write a blog post about your experience using Packer

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Solidify your knowledge by sharing what you've learned about Packer with others through a blog post

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Plan the structure and content of your blog post.
Write about the benefits and features of Packer.
Share your tips and tricks for using Packer.
Publish your blog post and share it.

Participate in a Packer-related competition or hackathon

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Challenge yourself in a competitive environment to apply your skills and showcase your abilities.

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Research upcoming Packer-related competitions and hackathons.
Form a team or work individually.
Develop a solution.
Submit your solution and compete.

Build an automated image pipeline for your application

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Apply your knowledge to a practical scenario by creating an automated image pipeline for your application.

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Design the automated image pipeline.
Develop the Packer configuration for the pipeline.
Integrate the pipeline with your DevOps tools.
Test the pipeline and make adjustments as needed.

Career center

Learners who complete Getting Started with HashiCorp Packer will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

DevOps Engineer

DevOps Engineers are responsible for bridging the gap between development and operations teams. They work to ensure that software is developed and deployed in a way that is efficient and reliable. Packer can be a valuable tool for DevOps Engineers, as it allows them to automate the process of building and deploying software images. This can save time and money, and it can help to ensure that software images are consistent and reliable.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer

Virtualization Engineer

Virtualization Engineers are responsible for designing and implementing virtualization solutions. They work with a variety of virtualization technologies, including VMware, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Xen. Packer can be a valuable tool for Virtualization Engineers, as it allows them to automate the process of building and maintaining virtual machine images. This can save time and money, and it can help to ensure that virtual machine images are consistent and reliable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Virtualization Engineer

Infrastructure Engineer

Infrastructure Engineers are responsible for designing, building, and maintaining the physical and virtual infrastructure that supports an organization's IT systems. They work with a variety of technologies, including servers, networks, and storage. Packer can be a valuable tool for Infrastructure Engineers, as it allows them to automate the process of building and maintaining infrastructure images. This can save time and money, and it can help to ensure that infrastructure images are consistent and reliable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Infrastructure Engineer

Systems Administrator

Systems Administrators are responsible for managing and maintaining computer systems. They work with a variety of operating systems and software applications. Packer can be a valuable tool for Systems Administrators, as it allows them to automate the process of building and maintaining system images. This can save time and money, and it can help to ensure that system images are consistent and reliable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Administrator

Technical Architect

Technical Architects are responsible for designing and implementing the technical architecture of an organization's IT systems. They work with a variety of technologies, including hardware, software, and networks. Packer can be a valuable tool for Technical Architects, as it allows them to automate the process of building and maintaining technical architecture images. This can save time and money, and it can help to ensure that technical architecture images are consistent and reliable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Architect

Cloud Security Engineer

Cloud Security Engineers are responsible for securing cloud-based infrastructure and applications. They work with a variety of security technologies, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and access control. Packer can be a valuable tool for Cloud Security Engineers, as it allows them to automate the process of building and maintaining security images. This can save time and money, and it can help to ensure that security images are consistent and reliable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Security Engineer

Cloud Architect

Cloud Architects are responsible for designing, building, and maintaining cloud-based infrastructure. They work with clients to understand their business needs and develop a cloud strategy that aligns with those needs. They then design and implement a cloud architecture that meets the client's requirements. Packer can be a valuable tool for Cloud Architects, as it allows them to automate the process of building and maintaining cloud images. This can save time and money, and it can help to ensure that cloud images are consistent and reliable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Architect

Network Engineer

Network Engineers are responsible for designing, building, and maintaining computer networks. They work with a variety of networking technologies, including routers, switches, and firewalls. Packer can be a valuable tool for Network Engineers, as it allows them to automate the process of building and maintaining network images. This can save time and money, and it can help to ensure that network images are consistent and reliable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Engineer

Storage Engineer

Storage Engineers are responsible for designing, building, and maintaining storage systems. They work with a variety of storage technologies, including hard disk drives, solid state drives, and tape drives. Packer can be a valuable tool for Storage Engineers, as it allows them to automate the process of building and maintaining storage images. This can save time and money, and it can help to ensure that storage images are consistent and reliable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Storage Engineer

Automation Engineer

Automation Engineers are responsible for automating IT tasks. They work with a variety of automation tools and technologies, including Packer. Packer can be a valuable tool for Automation Engineers, as it allows them to automate the process of building and maintaining images. This can save time and money, and it can help to ensure that images are consistent and reliable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Automation Engineer

Software Engineer

Software Engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining software applications. They work with a variety of programming languages and technologies. Packer can be a valuable tool for Software Engineers, as it allows them to automate the process of building and deploying software images. This can save time and money, and it can help to ensure that software images are consistent and reliable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

DevSecOps Engineer

DevSecOps Engineers are responsible for integrating security into the software development lifecycle. They work with a variety of security tools and technologies, including Packer. Packer can be a valuable tool for DevSecOps Engineers, as it allows them to automate the process of building and maintaining secure images. This can save time and money, and it can help to ensure that secure images are consistent and reliable.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevSecOps Engineer

Cybersecurity Analyst

Cybersecurity Analysts are responsible for protecting computer systems and networks from cyberattacks. They work with a variety of security tools and technologies, including Packer. Packer can be a valuable tool for Cybersecurity Analysts, as it allows them to automate the process of building and maintaining security images. This can save time and money, and it can help to ensure that security images are consistent and reliable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Analyst

Information Security Analyst

Information Security Analysts are responsible for protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. They work with a variety of security tools and technologies, including Packer. Packer can be a valuable tool for Information Security Analysts, as it allows them to automate the process of building and maintaining security images. This can save time and money, and it can help to ensure that security images are consistent and reliable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Analyst

Security Engineer

Security Engineers are responsible for designing and implementing security solutions. They work with a variety of security tools and technologies, including Packer. Packer can be a valuable tool for Security Engineers, as it allows them to automate the process of building and maintaining security images. This can save time and money, and it can help to ensure that security images are consistent and reliable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Engineer

Getting Started with HashiCorp Packer

What's inside

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Packer fundamentals for infrastructure automation

Activities

Career center

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