Cloud Management Platforms (CMPs) provide central infrastructure and resources control through discovery, template based provisioning and automated monitoring and automation. They also provide solid governance and cost-optimization features that can help your multi-cloud strategy. They also allow you to spot opportunities to improve.
When selecting a CMP be sure to be sure to look for these key capabilities:
Reduce the time it takes to resolve problems by identifying and fixing problems faster using root cause analysis. Enable self-service portals that allow IT teams and end users to request the resources they need which reduces manual work for IT and improving the experience for users.
Cloud management software should be scalable and able to integrate easily with existing IT systems for simple deployment, management, and optimization. It should also be able to support hybrid environments and multiple cloud platforms. The ability to seamlessly manage resources across diverse cloud and on-premises systems decreases costs while increasing performance and productivity.
Find a vendor that provides multiple user interfaces, such as command-line, web and a RESTful API, to allow for flexibility in your cloud operations. It should also be able to support a variety of hypervisors and bare metal configurations to ensure maximum compatibility with cloud environments.
Choose a vendor that has an initial free version of their CMP for small teams to test the software before committing to an expensive version. It is vital that your team has access an established knowledge base and documentation to quickly master the use of this tool. It should include the best practices, troubleshooting guides and FAQs to assist your team in implementing and manages the CMP.