HashiCorp HashiCorp Certifications TERRAFORM-ASSOCIATE-003 Questions & Answers

• Question 121:

  You are working on some new application features and you want to spin up a copy of your production deployment to perform some quick tests. In order to avoid having to configure a new state backend, what open source Terraform feature would allow you create multiple states but still be associated with your current code?

  A. Terraform data sources

  B. Terraform local values

  C. Terraform modules

  D. Terraform workspaces

  E. None of the above

  Correct Answer: D

  Terraform workspaces allow you to create multiple states but still be associated with your current code. Workspaces are like "environments" (e.g. staging, production) for the same configuration. You can use workspaces to spin up a copy of your production deployment for testing purposes without having to configure a new state backend. Terraform data sources, local values, and modules are not features that allow you to create multiple states. References = Workspaces and How to Use Terraform Workspaces

• Question 122:

  You decide to move a Terraform state file to Amazon S3 from another location. You write the code below into a file called backend.tf.

  

  Which command will migrate your current state file to the new S3 remote backend?

  A. terraform state

  B. terraform init

  C. terraform push

  D. terraform refresh

  Correct Answer: B

  This command will initialize the new backend and prompt you to migrate the existing state file to the new location3. The other commands are not relevant for this task.

• Question 123:

  Which are forbidden actions when the terraform state file is locked? Choose three correct answers.

  A. Terraform state list

  B. Terraform destroy

  C. Terraform validate

  D. Terraform validate

  E. Terraform for

  F. Terraform apply

  Correct Answer: BCF

  The terraform state file is locked when a Terraform operation that could write state is in progress. This prevents concurrent state operations that could corrupt the state. The forbidden actions when the state file is locked are those that could write state, such as terraform apply, terraform destroy, terraform refresh, terraform taint, terraform untaint, terraform import, and terraform state *. The terraform validate command is also forbidden, because it requires an initialized working directory with the state file. The allowed actions when the state file is locked are those that only read state, such as terraform plan, terraform show, terraform output, and terraform console. References = [State Locking] and [Command: validate]

• Question 124:

  You've used Terraform to deploy a virtual machine and a database. You want to replace this virtual machine instance with an identical one without affecting the database. What is the best way to achieve this using Terraform?

  A. Use the terraform state rm command to remove the VM from state file

  B. Use the terraform taint command targeting the VMs then run terraform plan and terraform apply

  C. Use the terraform apply command targeting the VM resources only

  D. Delete the Terraform VM resources from your Terraform code then run terraform plan and terraform apply

  Correct Answer: B

  The terraform taint command marks a resource as tainted, which means it will be destroyed and recreated on the next apply. This way, you can replace the VM instance without affecting the database or other resources. References = [Terraform Taint]

• Question 125:

  Which backend does the Terraform CU use by default?

  A. Depends on the cloud provider configured

  B. HTTP

  C. Remote

  D. Terraform Cloud

  E. Local

  Correct Answer: E

  This is the backend that the Terraform CLI uses by default, unless you specify a different backend in your configuration. The local backend stores the state file in a local file named terraform.tfstate, which can be used to track and manage the state of your infrastructure.

• Question 126:

  When should you use the force-unlock command?

  A. You have a high priority change

  B. Automatic unlocking failed

  C. apply failed due to a state lock

  D. You see a status message that you cannot acquire the lock

  Correct Answer: B

  You should use the force-unlock command when automatic unlocking failed. Terraform will lock your state for all operations that could write state, such as plan, apply, or destroy. This prevents others from acquiring the lock and potentially corrupting your state. State locking happens automatically on all operations that could write state and you won't see any message that it is happening. If state locking fails, Terraform will not continue. You can disable state locking for most commands with the -lock flag but it is not recommended. If acquiring the lock is taking longer than expected, Terraform will output a status message. If Terraform doesn't output a message, state locking is still occurring if your backend supports it. Terraform has a force-unlock command to manually unlock the state if unlocking failed. Be very careful with this command. If you unlock the state when someone else is holding the lock it could cause multiple writers. Force unlock should only be used to unlock your own lock in the situation where automatic unlocking failed. To protect you, the force-unlock command requires a unique lock ID. Terraform will output this lock ID if unlocking fails. This lock ID acts as a nonce, ensuring that locks and unlocks target the correct lock. The other situations are not valid reasons to use the force-unlock command. You should not use the force-unlock command if you have a high priority change, if apply failed due to a state lock, or if you see a status message that you cannot acquire the lock. These situations indicate that someone else is holding the lock and you should wait for them to finish their operation or contact them to resolve the issue. Using the force-unlock command in these cases could result in data loss or inconsistency. References = [State Locking], [Command: force-unlock]

• Question 127:

  You can develop a custom provider to manage its resources using Terraform.

  A. True

  B. False

  Correct Answer: A

  You can develop a custom provider to manage its resources using Terraform, as Terraform is an extensible tool that allows you to write your own plugins in Go language. You can also publish your custom provider to the Terraform Registry or use it privately.

• Question 128:

  Once you configure a new Terraform backend with a terraform code block, which command(s) should you use to migrate the state file?

  A. terraform destroy, then terraform apply

  B. terraform init

  C. terraform push

  D. terraform apply

  Correct Answer: A

  This command will initialize the new backend and prompt you to migrate the existing state file to the new location4. The other commands are not relevant for this task.

• Question 129:

  Which are examples of infrastructure as code? Choose two correct answers.

  A. Cloned virtual machine images

  B. Versioned configuration files

  C. Change management database records

  D. Doctor files

  Correct Answer: B

  These are examples of infrastructure as code (IaC), which is a practice of managing and provisioning infrastructure through machine-readable definition files, rather than physical hardware configuration or interactive configuration tools.

• Question 130:

  How can you trigger a run in a Terraform Cloud workspace that is connected to a Version Control System (VCS) repository?

  A. Only Terraform Cloud organization owners can set workspace variables on VCS connected workspaces

  B. Commit a change to the VCS working directory and branch that the Terraform Cloud workspace is connected to

  C. Only Terraform Cloud organization owners can approve plans in VCS connected workspaces

  D. Only members of a VCS organization can open a pull request against repositories that are connected to Terraform Cloud workspaces

  Correct Answer: B

  This will trigger a run in the Terraform Cloud workspace, which will perform a plan and apply operation on the infrastructure defined by the Terraform configuration files in the VCS repository.