What is configuration drift?

Configuration drift is a phenomenon where differences accumulate in the configuration of systems over time, leading to inconsistencies between environments. It can cause instability or even total service outages and is often the root cause of deployment failures. Common causes include poor communication, hotfixes, critical package updates, lack of automation, and convenience changes. The costs of configuration drift include lost productivity, downtime, and security breaches. To manage configuration drift, focus on a three-part strategy that attempts to reduce its frequency, detect when it occurs, and remediate the issues caused by it. Automation is key in reducing the occurrence of drift as well as detecting and correcting it.