One of the strongest features of CloudBolt is cloud orchestration. Gartner mentioned it in the company’s 2019 Magic Quadrant for Cloud Management Platforms. According to the report, CloudBolt excels in provisioning and orchestration handling under the Challengers category. A vendor falling into this category is financially viable, great at execution, and is a formidable force in the marketplace. It may also be in a position to challenge the bigger players in the industry.
CloudBolt also appears in the Gartner Peer Reviews. This is a source of verified insights and reviews about the real-world performance of IT solutions.
So, what exactly defines a good cloud orchestrator?
The Search for The Perfect Cloud Orchestrator – Is CloudBolt the One?
Let’s start by defining cloud orchestration. Gartner describes it as the ability to automate processes required to manage resources in the cloud. Ideally, you want a cloud orchestration tool that makes it easy to automate processes.
Generally, cloud orchestration tools all work in the same way across all types of clouds – public, private, and hybrid. The specifics of a given use case are what bring about the nuanced differences between providers. For this reason, it can be a bit overwhelming when choosing cloud orchestration tools. There are also several options. You need a set of fundamental, foundational functions and, features to help you evaluate the tools.
Start by carrying out an internal audit to establish what your needs and goals are. Make sure to consider both the present and the future since your needs may change. From there, develop some guidelines to help you avoid getting overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of options available to you.
Here is how the cloud orchestration tool evaluation process works.
1. Integration with Intelligent Automation
The key to a successful orchestration tool is the ability to integrate it with automation. This simply means that the tool is highly functional and robust enough to carry out workflows. Workflows cannot exist without this convenient marriage between automation and orchestration. You can opt for a standalone orchestration tool that will require integration with existing automation tools. Alternatively, you can go for a comprehensive solution that comes with intelligent automation built-in. CloudBolt is the latter.
2. User-Friendly
You want an orchestration solution that you can deploy quickly and efficiently. This is only possible if the tool is user-friendly. If the creation of new workflows takes too much effort and time, then it diminishes the value of the tool. Are you unable to roll out the tool to the whole organization because of the need for extensive training or in-depth knowledge? Then it may not be a worthwhile investment.
3. Workflow Creation with Reusable Components
Workflows need to be effective. For this to happen, they have to be scalable, flexible, and robust. The workflow creating process can be a somewhat labor-intensive task. However, the right tools make the process a bit easier. In addition, the work put in should pay off in the future. The idea is to reuse some parts of the existing workflows. This makes the workflow creation process much easier and more efficient. Consequently, the cloud orchestration tool you choose should allow you to duplicate, reuse, and repurpose the workflow components you create.
This strategy can save time and money. However, you should note that it will come with its fair share of challenges. For example, tying in more complex workflow components, such as automated response and alerts, will not be a seamless affair. The cloud orchestrator will need some degree of built-in intelligence. This will enable it to handle and react to events in real time during a workflow. This includes events-based adjustments or alerts to correct workflow errors based on existing policies. CloudBolt comes with in-built intelligence.
4. Enhanced Reporting
Reporting is one of the less glamorous features of a good orchestration tool. However, it is critical, and you should consider it when weighing your orchestration options. Reports help IT identify what users need to do to improve productivity and output. They also point out problem areas. Reports also help those outside of IT to understand the work they’re doing and its overall value to the organization. For this reason, the reports should be in a format that everyone can consume without too much hand-holding.
Takeaway
When deciding on whether a cloud orchestration tool is ideal for your business, you shouldn’t focus on a single feature. Instead, look at the entire picture. You want a tool will be comprehensive, flexible, and agile. This is the type of tool that will provide value across the board now and in the future. With CloudBolt, you get more than a cloud orchestrator. It is a feature-rich cloud management platform that enables organizations to run their clouds (public, private, and hybrid) seamlessly.