When it comes to managing cloud infrastructure, the choice of tools can greatly impact the efficiency and security of operations. Brainboard introduces a novel approach to Infrastructure as Code (IaC) management, offering a suite of features designed to streamline the entire lifecycle of cloud infrastructure deployment. This comparison aims to highlight the distinctions between using Brainboard and traditional IaC management practices, specifically focusing on the areas of security and infrastructure management.
With Brainboard, teams are equipped with advanced tools for collaboration, policy enforcement, and multi-cloud management. Conversely, without Brainboard, teams might face limitations in these critical areas. The following tables provide a side-by-side comparison to showcase how Brainboard’s features can enhance and secure cloud infrastructure management:
Cloud Infrastructure Build
Feature
With Brainboard
Without Brainboard
Code
Auto-generate the Terraform code from the design
Write Terraform code manually
Collaboration
Multiple users can design, edit and review the changes in real time
No or low collaboration between DevOps & Cloud Architects
Design the infrastructure
Create the infrastructure diagram and the IaC code that match 100% the deployed infrastructure
No live diagram view of infrastructures
IaC templates catalog
Have architectures along with their IaC configuration as templates, public or private
Not supported
Import existing infrastructure
Import your existing Terraform code to visualize your resources & convert your legacy infrastructure into Terraform code – within minutes
6-9 months of dedicated work for a cloud architect to manually write everything
Modules
Add, delete, use and manage Terraform modules, public or private. Modules catalog automatically created.
Only public Modules supported
Tooling
Brainboard (Terraform 100% coverage)
Diagramming + IaC + CI/CD Engine + Management Solution
Variables
Terraform variables that can be defined across organization, projects, environments and architectures
Terraform Variables
CICD Engine
Feature
With Brainboard
Without Brainboard
CI/CD Engine
Visually build and run pipelines and also manage dependencies between stages (external system when a condition is met)
YAML or specific DSL Language needed
CI/CD pipelines
Custom runners hosted by Brainboard that will execute the pipeline
Supported
CI/CD templates
Convert any pipeline into template and use it
Supported
Costs estimation
Estimate the cost of the infrastructure (based on code) using infracost
External tool
Webhooks
The possibility to call an external system when a condition is met
Supported
Security
Feature
With Brainboard
Without Brainboard
Approval
Approve or reject the execution of any task with maximum granularity per task
Not supported
Authentication SSO
OIDC & SAML, Different IDP providers (Okta, Azure AD…) with federation
Not supported
Policy as code
Define/codify policies used to manage the infrastructure with: OPA, AWS config rules
Not supported
RBAC
Role Based Access Control supported
Not supported
Remote backend
Supports all types of backends: AWS S3, Azure blob storage, Google GCS, Terraform HTTP, GitLab, Brainboard backend, cloud endpoints, Brainboard remote backend
Limited & depending to local environment & hosted services
Security plugins supported
Scan the IaC code for security with: tfsec, OPA, Checkov, Terrascan
Not supported
Infrastructure Management
Feature
With Brainboard
Without Brainboard
Cloud providers supported
AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI, Azure stack, Azure DevOps, Scaleway and more planned for 2024. Multicloud is supported.
Limited to one cloud provider or 2 major.
Documentation
Unified Readme documentation, diagram, and code for everyone.
Potential drift between the design and the code.
Drift detection
Detect changes that either doesn’t match the code or doesn’t match the deployed infrastructure. The possibility to prevent drift between environments.
Not supported
Git providers supported
Support GitLab, GitHub, Bitbucket, Azure DevOps
Git supported
Inventory view of cloud environments
Unified view of infrastructure projects, environments and architectures
Requires a dedicated management tool.
Synchronize environments
Native mechanism to synchronize environments (e.g., staging, QA and production (Terragrunt like))
Not supported
Terraform registry
Use modules from Terraform registry
Not supported
Versioning
Keep track of every modification you do on design / code and or go to any specific point-in-time. Native versioning or Git supported.
Not supported
Next Steps
In the rapidly evolving landscape of cloud infrastructure, Brainboard stands out as a comprehensive solution that not only simplifies the complexities of IaC management but also provides robust security features and efficient multi-cloud support. As our comparison has shown, Brainboard’s innovative tools offer a significant advantage over traditional methods, enabling teams to collaborate effectively, enforce policies seamlessly, and manage their cloud environments with greater ease and confidence.
If you’re looking to enhance your cloud management capabilities, reduce operational risks, and embrace a future-proof platform for your IaC needs, consider giving Brainboard a try. Ready to transform the way you build, deploy, and manage your cloud infrastructure?
Sign up for Brainboard today and take the first step towards streamlined and secure cloud infrastructure management.
