Benefits of Using Cloud Resource Plans
Cloud Resource Plans provide a structured way for platform engineers to manage cloud resources, while also enabling developers to easily integrate these resources into their applications. These plans offer clear advantages for both roles, balancing control and flexibility to improve the development and deployment process.
Platform Engineers
Cloud Resource Plans provide platform engineers with the tools to standardise and control cloud infrastructure, ensuring consistency across environments while maintaining flexibility where needed. Below are some benefits for platform engineers:
- Control Over Cloud Resources: Platform engineers can define the configuration and constraints for cloud resources, ensuring that developers adhere to organisational standards.
- Consistent, Reusable Templates: With Cloud Resource Plans, platform engineers can create pre-approved Terraform modules that streamline resource provisioning, reducing the need for manual oversight on what development teams create in their workspaces.
- Granular Configuration: Platform engineers can control which Terraform input values developers are allowed to override, reducing the risk of misconfigurations while maintaining flexibility for specific needs.
- Versioning for Updates: Versioning allows platform engineers to make updates to Cloud Resource Plans without disrupting existing services. They can roll out improvements or security fixes in a controlled manner, ensuring smooth transitions between versions.
- Operational Efficiency: Pre-configured cloud resource plans reduce repetitive work, freeing up platform engineers to focus on higher-priority tasks like system optimisation and infrastructure scaling.
Developers
Cloud Resource Plans offer developers a straightforward way to integrate cloud services into their applications, allowing them to focus on development while relying on pre-configured infrastructure. Below are some benefits for developers:
- Simplified Cloud Resource Management: Developers can quickly provision cloud services like databases without having to understand complex infrastructure details, allowing them to focus on building applications.
- Self-Service Flexibility: Developers can select from predefined cloud resources that meet their project needs, with enough customisable options to ensure that the solution fits their application's requirements.
- Reduced Setup Time: By using Cloud Resource Plans, developers avoid the need to manually configure cloud services or write Terraform modules, speeding up application deployment.
- Alignment with Best Practices: Since Cloud Resource Plans are created by platform engineers, developers can trust that the resources they use are compliant with security, operational, and performance best practices.
- Version Control for Stability: With versioned cloud resourece plans, developers can confidently build their applications knowing they are using a stable, tested version of cloud resources, while still having access to updated versions when necessary.