Top 10 Cloud Management platforms

February 03, 2024 | Editor: Michael Stromann


Cloud Management platforms allow to manage, govern and optimize your IT infrastructure and business applications in cloud environment. Organizations can use cloud management platforms for a private, mutli-cloud public oг hybrid cloud deployments.
1
Flexera Cloud Portfolio Management accelerates application delivery, gives you control over cloud usage and spend, and ensures application SLAs. Cloud computing presents a new set of challenges as well as cloud solutions for IT. RightScale helps you best manage, govern, and optimize your cloud infrastructure and application portfolio.
2
IBM Turbonomic software uses AI to optimize the performance, cost and compliance of hybrid cloud and multicloud environments.
3
The Scalr Cloud Management Platform packages all the cloud best practices in an extensible piece of software, giving your engineers the head start they need to finally focus on creating customer value, not on solving cloud problems. Deploying infrastructure across multiple and largely incompatible cloud platforms? Scalr is a single pane of glass for all your cloud resources. It lets you access them through a single, unified, user interface.
4
Write infrastructure as code using declarative configuration files. HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) allows for concise descriptions of resources using blocks, arguments, and expressions.
5
Apptio's powerful, cloud-based platform provides actionable financial and operational insights that empower digital leaders to make data-driven decisions, realize value, and transform the business.
6
Red Hat CloudForms is an infrastructure management platform that allows IT departments to control users' self-service abilities to provision, manage, and ensure compliance across virtual machines and private clouds.
7
OpenNebula is an Open Source Cloud Computing Platform to build and manage Enterprise Clouds. OpenNebula provides unified management of IT infrastructure and applications, avoiding vendor lock-in and reducing complexity, resource consumption and operational costs.
8
Cloudability lets you monitor, manage and communicate your cloud costs with one easy tool. Give your finance, engineering and management teams the visibility they need into all of your cloud costs and usage. Eliminate surprises in your cloud cost and usage with daily updates and advanced alerts that show you when things change and when you need to dig deeper.
9
CloudCheckr's cloud management platform provides cost management, security, reporting and analytics to help users optimize their AWS and Azure deployments.
10
Morpheus is a leading cloud application management and orchestration platform designed from the ground up for truly agnostic cloud management. Morpheus gives developers, IT managers, and DevOps professionals full control over both VM and container-based systems across any cloud or infrastructure. 100% agnostic multi cloud management for Hybrid IT. Enable self-service provisioning and DevOps automation for VMware, Kubernetes, OpenStack, AWS, Azure, and more.
11
Densify provides visibility into your hybrid cloud and containers, and automates application resource selection—resulting in improved performance, stability, and lower cloud spend.
12
ManageIQ is an open source cloud management platform. Allows to manage containers, virtual machines, networks, and storage from a single platform
13
CloudBolt's hybrid cloud management platform enables enterprise IT departments to efficiently build, deploy, and manage private and public clouds.
14
Ansible is a suite of software tools that enables infrastructure as code. It is open-source and the suite includes software provisioning, configuration management, and application deployment functionality.
15
VMware Aria (formerly vRealize Cloud Management and CloudHealth by VMware Suite) is a unified management solution for cloud native applications and multi-cloud environments.
16
AWS CloudFormation is an infrastructure as code (IaC) service that allows you to easily model, provision, and manage AWS and third-party resources.
17
Jamcracker enables organizations to manage and deliver their own multi-cloud services as well as broker 3rd party providers'. IT organizations and service providers can now unify private, public and hybrid cloud consumption for their employees, customers and through their channels.

Latest news about Cloud Management platforms


2023. IBM acquires Apptio to double down on hybrid cloud services



IBM has announced a significant acquisition that reinforces the hybrid cloud concept: they will invest $4.6 billion in cash to acquire Apptio. Apptio has developed a platform that enables tracking of data location and usage in hybrid environments, specifically focusing on financial and resource costs. As cloud architecture becomes increasingly widespread in organizations, it is evident that many of them are adopting a hybrid approach. They combine the use of Software as a Service (SaaS) in private and public clouds while maintaining certain products on their premises. IBM's intention is to integrate Apptio with their existing IT automation software and AI platform. This integration aims to create and offer solutions to businesses, helping them manage and optimize their IT infrastructure expenses effectively.


2022. Zesty lands $75M for tech that adjusts cloud usage to save money



Zesty, a company specializing in real-time scaling of cloud resources to meet application demands, has successfully concluded a Series B funding round, raising $75 million. Zesty's core technology revolves around an AI model trained on both actual and simulated usage data of cloud resources. This model aims to predict the required amount of cloud resources, such as CPU cores and storage, for an application at any given moment. Leveraging these predictions, the platform takes automated actions, including scaling up or down, adjusting storage volumes, and procuring or releasing public cloud instances. By utilizing AI-driven projections, Zesty optimizes resource allocation and ensures efficient cloud utilization.




2022. Sync Computing rakes in $15.5M to automatically optimize cloud resources



Sync Computing, a startup that offers a unique approach by directly connecting business objectives, such as cost reduction and runtime optimization, to the configuration of low-level cloud infrastructure, has secured $12 million in funding. What sets Sync apart is that it doesn't require extensive historical data to initiate the optimization of data pipelines and provision low-level cloud resources. For instance, using just the data from a single previous run, some customers have experienced up to an 80% acceleration in their Apache Spark jobs. Apache Spark is a widely-used analytics engine for data processing. Sync has recently introduced an API and "autotuner" for Spark on AWS EMR, Amazon's cloud-based big data platform, and Databricks on AWS. Additionally, they are currently working on self-service support for Databricks on Azure.


2021. Upbound nabs $60M to grow its open source Crossplane multi-cloud management project



Crossplane, a company dedicated to developing an open-source multi-cloud management tool, has successfully raised $60 million in a Series B funding round. The project operates entirely within the cloud-native ecosystem and falls under the management of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), which oversees crucial open-source cloud-native technologies such as Kubernetes. Crossplane empowers users to select and utilize their preferred cloud vendors, be it major cloud infrastructure providers like AWS, Microsoft, and Google, or cloud-native tooling options such as Elastic, Confluent, Databricks, and Snowflake. The platform enables centralized management of these diverse cloud resources and services through a single API, streamlining the process for users.


2021. IBM is acquiring cloud app and network management firm Turbonomic for up to $2B



IBM has made the decision to acquire Turbonomic, a company specializing in providing tools for managing application performance, including resource management, Kubernetes, and network performance. This acquisition aligns with IBM's broader strategy of incorporating more artificial intelligence (AI) into IT operations, commonly known as AIOps. Turbonomic's tools are particularly valuable in hybrid cloud architectures, which involve the management of workloads across various cloud environments, as well as on-premise systems. While hybrid cloud architectures offer benefits such as resilience, cost optimization, and flexibility, effectively managing them can be challenging. Turbonomic's solutions automate management processes, analyze performance, and offer suggestions to network operations engineers, enabling them to meet usage demands efficiently.


2021. Cloud automation startup Spacelift raises $6M



Spacelift, a startup specializing in automating cloud infrastructure management, has secured $6 million in Series A funding. This Polish and U.S.-based company capitalizes on the growing complexity of the cloud landscape by offering an "infrastructure-as-code (IaC)" and "policy-as-code" platform. With this solution, teams can automate processes in a highly efficient manner while minimizing the risk of downtime. Spacelift empowers organizations to automate their cloud infrastructure management, providing a streamlined and reliable approach to handle the complexities of cloud environments.


2021. Cloud infrastructure startup CloudNatix gets $4.5M



CloudNatix, a startup specializing in offering infrastructure solutions for businesses managing multiple cloud and on-premise operations, has successfully secured $4.5 million in seed funding. Leveraging open-source software such as Kubernetes and Prometheus, CloudNatix is compatible with major cloud providers as well as on-premise networks. It provides valuable assistance to DevOps teams in configuring and managing infrastructure that supports both legacy and modern cloud-native applications. Additionally, CloudNatix facilitates a smooth transition from on-premise networks to cloud services, allowing businesses to adapt and embrace cloud technology more seamlessly.


2021. Stacklet raises $18M for its cloud governance platform



Stacklet, a startup that brings the Cloud Custodian open-source cloud governance project to the commercial sphere, has announced the successful completion of an $18 million Series A funding round. Stacklet offers enterprises a comprehensive solution for managing data governance across various clouds, accounts, policies, and regions, with a strong focus on security, cost optimization, and regulatory compliance. The service provides users with a range of pre-defined policy packs that embody industry best practices for accessing cloud resources, while also allowing users to customize their own rules. Additionally, Stacklet offers advanced analytics capabilities for evaluating policy health and conducting resource audits. It also provides real-time inventory and change management logs for effective monitoring of a company's cloud assets.


2020. Cloudbolt announces $35M to help manage hybrid clouds



CloudBolt, a startup that aids companies in managing hybrid cloud environments, has announced a $35 million Series B investment today. The migration to cloud and DevOps, intended to simplify processes, has, in fact, introduced new intricacies. CloudBolt offers tools that assist companies in mitigating some of this added complexity. Their solutions enable automation, security, and optimization of workloads, regardless of the infrastructure tools or approach being utilized. Established in 2012, CloudBolt boasts approximately 200 customers.


2020. Stacklet launches cloud governance platform with $4.4M seed investment



Cloud governance platform Stacklet has emerged from stealth mode after securing a $4 million seed investment. While cloud administrators have the option to download and decipher raw open-source solutions, Stacklet aims to simplify the process by offering an administrative layer that manages usage across numerous cloud accounts. It also provides pre-configured sets of common compliance requirements, comprehensive analytics to assess tool performance and issue identification, and a resource database for a holistic view of managed cloud resources. Currently, the company consists of only three employees, including the founders, but plans to expand its team to 10 members by the end of the year. The open-source project has garnered contributions from 270 individuals worldwide.


2020. Jamcracker launches DevOps Framework



JDF Framework, also known as the Jamcracker DevOps framework, introduces a convenient and novel approach to resource provisioning across diverse public and private clouds. Given the wide range of cloud services offered by each provider, it is crucial for Jamcracker to support a framework equipped with scripts. Rather than expanding the platform to accommodate various resources, this framework enables users to execute pre-existing scripts within the platform, swiftly launching essential resources on the provider's infrastructure within seconds. In addition to enhancing the existing IaaS features in JSDN, such as AppStacks created using our Designer Console, this framework eliminates the need to individually onboard resources from different public cloud providers onto the Jamcracker platform.


2019. MontyCloud raises $2.85 million for its cloud management platform



MontyCloud, a company specializing in cloud deployment life cycle management, has successfully secured a seed round of $2.85 million. Alongside this funding, the company has unveiled the introduction of its multi-cloud management platform on the AWS marketplace. This platform incorporates AI capabilities to simplify management and governance of contemporary cloud infrastructure, along with the associated applications. Presently, the service concentrates on AWS, but it plans to expand its support to Azure and other platforms in the near future.


2019. Gravitational nabs $25M to ease cloud deployment with Kubernetes



As we navigate the increasingly complex multi-cloud landscape, a challenge arises when it comes to the portability of applications across different cloud environments. These applications often rely on specific capabilities provided by the cloud provider, along with various middleware software bundled with the infrastructure. Gravitational aims to address this issue and has recently announced a Series A funding round of $25 million. The company advocates for a solution where customers leverage Kubernetes, open-source software, and industry standards to develop their software. Instead of incorporating cloud dependencies from the outset, they encourage building programs that are platform-agnostic. Gravitational offers a couple of open-source cloud deployment tools, namely Gravity and Gravitational Teleport.


2019. HashiCorp expands Terraform free version, adds paid tier for SMBs



HashiCorp has made significant updates to its free tier offering for Terraform, a widely-used product in its portfolio. Previously limited to a single user, the free tier has now been expanded to accommodate up to five users. This expansion is accompanied by an enhanced set of features that can be accessed without requiring a payment. Furthermore, HashiCorp has introduced a new pricing tier tailored specifically for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). This addition fills the gap in their pricing catalog, catering to a larger user base that has outgrown the free version but is not yet ready for the enterprise edition. These updates reflect HashiCorp's commitment to providing more flexible and scalable options for users at various stages of their growth and adoption of Terraform.


2018. Flexera acquires cloud management firm RightScale



Flexera, a company specializing in software asset management, has announced its acquisition of RightScale, a cloud management firm. With this acquisition, Flexera gains a strong foothold in the cloud market and access to a comprehensive management platform to offer its customer base. The companies highlight the compatibility of their technology stacks, which are expected to optimize software and cloud expenditure for organizations. Additionally, RightScale benefits from an expanded sales reach to further grow its business. The integration of cloud and enterprise software management is particularly relevant as companies increasingly leverage a mix of applications and cloud services.


2017. Microsoft acquires cloud management platform Cloudyn



Microsoft is incorporating Israel's Cloudyn and its cloud monitoring and analytics tools into the Azure platform. The acquisition was valued at a price ranging between $50 million and $70 million. Cloudyn's tools assist customers in comprehending their expenses across various multicloud environments, enabling them to track spending and receive recommendations for optimizing resource usage. This move reflects the growing reality of multicloud and hybrid cloud deployments, contrasting with previous assertions by public cloud vendors that all workloads are best suited for a single public cloud. With Cloudyn's products specifically designed for interoperability, Azure now provides its customers with a tool that enhances the efficient utilization of Amazon Web Services as well.


2016. Cisco is buying cloud management platform CliQr



Cisco has revealed its acquisition of CliQr, a leading provider of application management solutions designed for hybrid cloud environments, for a sum of $260 million. Prior to the acquisition, CliQr had already collaborated with Cisco, integrating its solutions into several of Cisco's data center switching and cloud offerings. This purchase aligns with a broader trend observed among enterprise services companies, as they actively strengthen their hybrid cloud services. For instance, IBM recently established a significant partnership with VMWare to expand its hybrid cloud offering, complemented by acquisitions like Cleversafe. RedHat also joined this movement with its acquisition of Ansible in October of last year. Similarly, Microsoft's acquisition of Aorato aimed to enhance its security offerings for hybrid cloud environments. Cisco's acquisition of CliQr strategically positions the company to leverage CliQr's application management solutions and advance its capabilities in the hybrid cloud domain.


2015. Cloud management service Cloudyn raised $11 million



Cloudyn, a cloud monitoring and optimization service that caters to enterprise cloud consumers, has announced a $11 million Series B investment. Cloudyn offers a unique ancillary service by allowing users to monitor their usage across various cloud services and optimize their utilization. This year, the company introduced a new feature on the Cloudyn platform that enables users to scale up their capacity as needed. This shift indicates a change in the purchasing behavior of enterprise cloud consumers. Instead of solely focusing on maximizing or reducing their current services, they are now expanding their usage and actively selecting and managing larger configurations to find the best value. Cloudyn supports multiple infrastructure services, including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and OpenStack.


2014. Cloudyn wants to bring clarity to cloud billing



The cloud optimization service, Cloudyn, has introduced a new tool called Cost Allocation 360, which aims to bring clarity to cloud billing across both data centers and public cloud environments. The primary objective of this tool is to empower CFOs with the ability to allocate costs to specific business units based on their resource usage. It also serves Software as a Service vendors by enabling fair cost allocation according to usage patterns. The tool allows organizations to apply costs in a manner that aligns with their internal terminology and organizational structure. It functions by assigning tags to resources and associating customized cost entities, such as business units, regions, and departments, with the corresponding resource costs.


2014. Cloud management service Scalr brings new insights to developers, IT, and finance departments



A latest release of the cloud management tool, Scalr, introduces a range of new features tailored for developers, IT professionals, and finance departments within organizations leveraging cloud services. Scalr 5.0 offers IT professionals the ability to establish policies that prevent the deployment of workloads to inappropriate cloud resources. For developers, Scalr 5.0 now supports webhooks, enabling the system to send notifications of crucial events to customers' external configuration management databases (CMDBs) or other audit systems. Moreover, for finance personnel, Scalr gathers metadata concerning all cloud resources, providing insights into the instance launcher, launch time, and assigned tasks. Scalr seamlessly integrates with major cloud platforms such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, as well as various OpenStack and private cloud environments. Competitors in this domain include RightScale and Dell's Enstratius.


2014. Cloud optimization service Cloudyn scores $4M



Today, Cloudyn, a cloud administration service that aids companies in monitoring and optimizing cloud usage and costs across various infrastructure providers, announced a successful $4 million Series A funding round. Cloudyn is part of a growing collection of services developed to assist and manage the utilization of cloud resources. It offers comprehensive monitoring of cost, usage, and performance across multiple cloud vendors, whether they are public or private. With Cloudyn, users gain visibility into their diverse cloud instances, regardless of their location, enabling them to achieve a balanced approach. Currently, Cloudyn supports Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and OpenStack. However, with a portion of the newly acquired funding, the company intends to expand its support to include other popular cloud platforms, particularly Microsoft Azure and VMware.


2014. Luminal gets $10M to automate cloud deployments



Luminal, a service dedicated to assisting businesses in managing their cloud deployments, has successfully raised $10 million in a Series B funding round. This latest investment brings the total funding for the company to $13.8 million. The core objective of Luminal's product is to provide businesses with a simplified approach to automating their cloud deployments, offering "declarative control, operational efficiency, and intrinsic security to cloud computing." While the company's self-description is not particularly detailed, it emphasizes the importance of these key aspects. Currently, the service remains in a private beta phase. Initially, Luminal's product will be available on the Amazon Web Services platform. Luminal is not the only player in this field, as other companies like RightScale, Platform9, and even industry giants like VMware, also offer similar services to tackle this challenge.

Editor: Michael Stromann
Michael is an expert in IT Service Management, IT Security and software development. With his extensive experience as a software developer and active involvement in multiple ERP implementation projects, Michael brings a wealth of practical knowledge to his writings. Having previously worked at SAP, he has honed his expertise and gained a deep understanding of software development and implementation processes. Currently, as a freelance developer, Michael continues to contribute to the IT community by sharing his insights through guest articles published on several IT portals. You can contact Michael by email stromann@liventerprise.com