You need tools to manage your cloud deployment. Public cloud vendors usually have highly specialized tools that help users monitor, orchestrate, and manage costs, among other tasks. For example, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has a command-line interface (CLI) tool that runs scripts and user commands. Google Cloud Platform’s cloud also has a tool called Stackdriver.
The problem with these public cloud tools is that you can only use them for reporting and basic workload tasks. Third-party tools offer much more. And the best part is that they work across many public cloud provider platforms and have a ton of features.
Here are some of the cloud management tool capabilities for enterprises:
1. Simplify Complexity
The reason the cloud has been so popular is the flexibility it gives enterprises. The cloud gives users the ability to choose instance sizes, databases, operating systems, and other attributes. They can alter configurations, cron jobs, and boot sequences. All these customization options often make the cloud more complicated than the legacy systems the enterprise was getting away from. Effective cloud management software gives IT the tools to simplify the cloud.
2. Manage Multiple Clouds
Interoperability in the cloud is almost nonexistent. Applications built for one cloud often do not work on another without fiddling with the code or configuration. This is a very cumbersome process. Interoperability in the cloud involves more than building APIs. Virtual environments do not behave the same way across clouds. It is the same for snapshots and storage volumes. The only way to get true interoperability is via a cloud management platform.
3. Build for the Future
Cloud providers are in a race to outdo each other. They are constantly releasing updates and coming up with new services. There is also an ever-increasing list of new players. This trend will not stop. The vendors’ offerings may look very different in a year.
Cloud management software can help you take advantage of this innovation. After all, you can move seamlessly from one provider to the other.
4. Automation
The management of applications in the cloud involves plenty of repetitive tasks. Instead of managing these tasks manually, the cloud allows users to provision servers and push code automatically via APIs. Cloud management tools can deliver even more value providing capacity management, resource orchestration, supporting continuous integration, and reducing operational burdens.
5. Manage and Control Costs
Often, enterprises find that they consume more resources on the cloud than they should. Billing for cloud resources is by the hour, so the costs can add up fast. The complex nature of cloud pricing does not make this any easier. Instead of struggling to rein in costs manually, you can always get a cloud management tool to handle it for you. Get a tool that provides cost reporting, forecasting, and show back.
Conclusion
The cloud is becoming more complex by the day. Cloud management software can help to manage a multi-cloud or hybrid cloud deployment without all the unpredictability and complexity.
