What technological concept is closely associated with consistency in configuring infrastructure?

The concept of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is closely associated with consistency in configuring infrastructure because it allows for the management of infrastructure through code rather than through manual processes. This approach enables the automation of both the deployment and the ongoing configuration of systems, ensuring that environments can be recreated consistently across different stages, such as development, testing, and production.

By using declarative or imperative configurations described in code, IaC facilitates version control, which means that any changes made to the infrastructure can be tracked and reverted if necessary. This leads to fewer inconsistencies that might arise from manual configurations and helps ensure that all environments are set up in the same way. Additionally, IaC tools often integrate with CI/CD pipelines, promoting an efficient workflow that further enforces consistent infrastructure deployment.

The other options touch on related areas but do not focus specifically on the aspect of consistency in infrastructure configuration at the same level as Infrastructure as Code does. Network automation may involve consistency but is a broader category that can include other practices beyond just code. Cloud computing provides flexibility and scalability but does not inherently guarantee consistency in configuration. The Software Development Life Cycle primarily deals with software development processes, which, while important, do not directly address infrastructure configuration consistency.