Which of the following is NOT a benefit of using Hiera with Puppet?

The reason the choice indicating hardcoding configuration values is not a benefit of using Hiera with Puppet is that one of the primary advantages of Hiera is its ability to manage and separate configuration data from the Puppet code itself. Hiera allows users to store configuration data in a structured, hierarchical manner, which promotes maintainability and flexibility in managing configurations.

When configuration values are hardcoded directly into Puppet manifests, it diminishes the scalability and adaptability of the Puppet code, making it more challenging to manage changes across different environments or nodes. Hiera's methodology encourages the use of external data sources for configuration, which enhances the overall design by separating concerns and enabling more dynamic content in Puppet.

Furthermore, Hiera supports dynamic variable interpolation and a hierarchical data structure, allowing for flexible configuration management based on the environment, node specifications, and other factors. This capability underscores its role in enhancing Puppet’s functionality, focusing on best practices in configuration management without resorting to hardcoding values, which can lead to code duplication and difficulties in maintenance.