What are Cloud Management Platforms?

If you want to monitor and control the cloud environment, its resources, and services through toolsets then there are no better means than that of Cloud management platforms (CMPs). These solutions manage two or more dynamic cloud environments—private, public, multi, or hybrid cloud. Through CMPs you can get insights into and control over a variety of cloud-related functions, such as optimization, orchestration, security, monitoring, and costs. Using cloud management platforms you can get administrative visibility and capability of

• cloud cost management software, 
• cloud infrastructure monitoring software, 
• cloud infrastructure automation software, and more.

CMPs include open-source software modules that provide a framework to create and manage both public and private cloud infrastructure. CMPs can also integrate with a variety of infrastructure as a service (IaaS).

There are some pre-defined criteria to define a platform as CMP. This includes that the product must -:

• Monitor and optimize cloud computing resources in multi-cloud environments
• Provide self-service capabilities, analytics, and insights into organization consumption patterns within cloud deployments
• Provide managerial capabilities over cloud functions and security

According to Gartner, for a solution to be considered as a Cloud Management Platform, it needs to fulfill certain functions as follows:

1. A self-service user interface.
2. Provision system images.
3. Include metering and billing functionality.
4. Workload balancing and optimization.

Nowadays as cloud computing has become a de-facto methodology to develop and run apps and networks, it is vital to have the tools to manage such systems. Furthermore, CMP is a centralized control that is truly effective to control multiple cloud infrastructures. It increases efficiency as well as security.

While choosing a CMP platform you should also look at the following criteria:

• Security
• Performance management
• Legal and regulatory compliance.
• Task automation 

List Of The Top Cloud Management Software

#1) VMware

It is ideal for medium to large organizations that look for a server virtualization platform and a foundation for their business, apps, and cloud. VMware’s CPM vRealise Suite offers automation, Log Insight, Operations, and Suite, Lifecycle Manager. Besides, it offers agility, control, and efficiency across different types of applications. It provides support for multiple sandbox models, that gives developers and administrators the freedom to choose the tools they want to use.

Features

• Management service
• vCenter Orchestrator
• Database server and inventory service.
• Server linked mode

Website: VMware

#2) IBM Cloud Orchestrator

If you are a medium to large enterprise and looking for a cloud platform that covers AI, IoT, and Blockchain with advanced data and AI tools then this CMP tool is the best for you. The cloud orchestrator feature of this platform is customizable that automates the provisioning of cloud services through several policy-based tools. It provides a user-friendly interface with a low learning curve and a slew of automation and security tools. IBM’s solution can handle public, private, and hybrid clouds.

Features

• App development and testing.
• Cloud configuration automation
• Tasks coordination
• Cloud use reporting
• Cloud services management
• Customizable self-service portal
• Executive cost dashboards
• Change management automation
• SLA compliance

Website: IBM Cloud Orchestrator

#3) Flexera Rightscale

Ideal for small to medium businesses looking for a solution to help them control and manage their software and IT costs. The new evolution of Flexera is Flexera RightScale after it acquired Rightscale. This CPM is also known as the Flexera Cloud Management Platform and can manage both public and private clouds including virtual and bare-metal servers. Flexera’s CPM can also be used to manage several services including AWS and Azure to name but a few.

Features

• Orchestration engine that automates actions across all cloud services and servers.
• Controlled access to clouds, data centers, and tenants.
• Automation of governance of costs, security, compliance, and operations with custom policies.
• Security alerts
• Workload monitoring
• Reporting

Website: Flexera Rightscale

#4) Apache CloudStack

This tool suits small to large businesses that look for open-source software to deploy and manage virtual machines in an environment that is highly scalable and available. Apache CloudStack is one of the most used CPMs available today. Recently acquired by Citrix, CloudStack is an open-source project with both community and enterprise versions available. You can manage a large number of networks through its interface. Also, it is scalable with an offering of RESTful API. So, you are enabled to connect to a large variety of third-party services.

Features

• Compute orchestration
• User and account management, dynamic workload management, etc.
• NaaS
• Full and open native API
• Security, secure cloud deployments, etc.
• Fist-class UI
• Resource provisioning

Website: Apache CloudStack

#5) Scalr

If you are looking for autonomy and operational flexibility as an enterprise, then Scalr if the best platform for you. This operates while maintaining corporate governance. It is a hybrid  cloud management platform that is big on automation and self-service. You can comply with Scalr with a wide range of corporate policies and best practices that help you to stay on top of any business obligations. Using Scalr, you can deploy several applications across multiple cloud environments through automation in a standard and cost-effective way. Scalr also comes with a policy engine. It uses, user roles to monitor and grant access. Creating a service catalog is another feature of Scalr.

Features

• Cost optimization
• Customized self-service
• Security and Compliance
• Cloud policy engine

Website: Scalr

#6) OpenStack

Best for Small businesses to large enterprises looking for a solution to control large amounts of computing, storage, and networking resources. OpenStack is another project by Apache. Of course, it is open-source and is suitable for heterogeneous infrastructures.

Resources can be managed via the dashboard or the OpenStack API with documentation readily available online. Additional components also provide services such as orchestration, and fault & service management.

You may find this article relevant – OpenStack – the open-source cloud computing infrastructure

Features

• Web frontend dashboard
• Clustering, workflow, and compute services.
• Container orchestration engine
• Optimization service
• Bare metal provisioning service.
• Big data processing framework provisioning.
• Key management
• Networking automation for multi-region deployments.
• RCA – Root Cause Analysis service.

Website: OpenStack

#7) RedHat CloudForms

If an enterprise is looking for an infrastructure management platform that allows IT departments to control the users’ ability to provision, manage, and comply with policies across virtual machines and clouds. RedHat is another big name that certainly needs no introduction. Their CloudForms CPM solution provides all of the tools that are needed to manage both private and virtual cloud infrastructures.

The CloudForms platform offers high security and high performance. It works in all environments and can integrate with many providers.

Features

• Physical, virtual and private cloud management.
• Corporate governance policies application and custom automated remediation.
• Automation
• Self-service
• Security and Performance enhancements.
• Full lifecycle management
• Resources monitoring

Website: RedHat CloudForms

#8) Turbonomic

Best for Small businesses to large enterprises looking to optimize performance, cost, and compliance in real-time. Turbonomic is designed from the ground up to manage to compute, network resources, and storage across hybrid and multi-cloud estates. It is available in three editions i.e. Essentials, Advanced, and Premier & Features AI-powered decision engines to analyze application demands and maintain operations in perfect condition.

Features

• Automatic placement
• Unlimited workload
• Cloud-native action
• SLA adherence
• Automatic scaling
• Visibility into all workloads.
• Manual compute action
• Compliance policies
• Self-service and workflows

Website: Turbonomic

#9) Abiquo

Best for Large enterprises looking to build, integrate, and manage public & private clouds.
Abiquo is billed as a hybrid cloud management solution, offering functionality to manage, track, and secure cloud computing resources. It can handle both private & public cloud infrastructures and includes self-service, cloud bursting, and auto-scaling.

With Abiquo you can control cloud resources, secure infrastructure, and manage expenses while keeping productivity high. You can deploy Abiquo in one of two ways i.e. on-premise or SaaS.

Features

• Customizable self-service portal
• Resource allocation
• Pricing and billing engine
• Multi-layered white labeling
• Automation, cloud bursting, auto-scaling, etc.
• Vendor agnostic
• API and scripting control for integration and customization.

Website: Abiquo

#10) CloudHealth

Best for Small businesses to large enterprises looking for a platform to enable users to analyze and manage cloud costs, usage, and performance. CloudHealth is another CMP by VMware with support for many environments including AWS, New Relic, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform among others. It is a cloud management and optimization platform that allows administrators to manage cloud usage, cost, security, and governance.

Here, you can use custom policies and workflows to maintain control over the cloud environment with functionality to monitor costs. It also features security alerts that you experience as a security violation or threat.

Features

• Information hub
• Streamline decision making
• Interactive reporting
• Automated workflows
• Cost tracking with metadata
• Issue tracking and driver identification.

Website: CloudHealth