Scenarios
The infrastructure operations team aims to automate the application and modification of cloud resources. By developing a self-managed cloud platform, they can integrate with Alibaba Cloud's openAPI for automated resource management.
This solution offers an integrated demo utilizing the Cloud Architect Design Tools (CADT) API, which facilitates a general application service for requesting and managing Alibaba Cloud resources. It encompasses both frontend and backend services and is available as an open-source code sample for testing and demonstration purposes.
Challenges
High R&D Investment: For instance, integrating with 10 common Alibaba Cloud products involves over 100 APIs. Developers must familiarize themselves with each API and its parameters, which is a considerable effort. Integration cycles are typically monthly.
Poor Platform Stability: Variations in cloud product openAPIs, such as unexpected changes in a product's openAPI field type, can cause deployment failures and internal stability issues.
Cost Management Difficulties: Customers often require resource cost analysis and budget management when procuring resources. This necessitates individual connections to each product's pricing inquiry interface.
Self-built cloud management docking CADT API solution
Unified Resource Management API: For example, in resource creation, CADT's openAPI integration with CADT templates enables the inquiry, verification, and creation of over 200 Alibaba Cloud products.
Code Written Only Once: The CADT API links the self-built cloud management with Alibaba Cloud openAPI. CADT API handles iterations of cloud product openAPI changes, allowing customers to concentrate on enhancing the business support capabilities of their cloud management platform.
Standard and Flexible Template Management: CADT offers visual template management, facilitating quick construction of cloud deployment models, from individual to composite products. It also supports accessing cloud product field property specifications and defining variables.
Core competencies
Separation of Concerns Architecture
This approach allows the developers of the cloud management platform to provide only a general frontend and backend framework, while operations personnel customize Alibaba Cloud product models using CADT. This division of labor enables developers and operations staff to concentrate on their respective specialties, fostering collaboration and enhancing the platform's stability.
Unified Pricing Capability
For cost-focused scenarios, the CADT API provides a unified pricing inquiry interface for various cloud products, delivering comprehensive cost details such as original and discounted prices for the current account.
Pre-validation Capability
Prior to cloud resource deployment, a unified API validates the legality of deployment parameters, inventory, permissions, and configuration compliance for each product. If validation fails, deployment is halted, reducing the likelihood of deployment failure.
Stable Support for 200+ Alibaba Cloud Products
CADT currently supports lifecycle management for over 200 Alibaba Cloud products. For essential products, the availability of the corresponding product API is regularly monitored, with prompt updates to any changes.
Unified CMDB Data Return
The cloud management platform typically maintains CMDB data. After CADT deployment, a unified CMDB metadata return is provided.