Continuous configuration automation (CCA) is the methodology or process of automating the deployment and configuration of settings and software for both physical and virtual
data center
A data center (American English) or data centre (British English)See spelling differences. is a building, a dedicated space within a building, or a group of buildings used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunic ...
equipment.
Overview
Continuous configuration automation is marketed for
data center
A data center (American English) or data centre (British English)See spelling differences. is a building, a dedicated space within a building, or a group of buildings used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunic ...
and application
configuration management
Configuration management (CM) is a process for establishing and maintaining consistency of a product's performance, functional, and physical attributes with its requirements, design, and operational information throughout its life. The CM proc ...
. CCA tools use a programmable framework for configuration and orchestration through coding, planning, and incrementally adopting policies.
Relationship to DevOps
CCA tools are used for what is called
DevOps, and are often included as part of a
DevOps toolchain. CCA grew out of a push to develop more reliable software faster.
Gartner describes CCA as “Embodying
lean,
agile and collaborative concepts core to DevOps initiatives, CCA tools bring a newly found level of precision, efficiency and flexibility to the challenges of infrastructure and application configuration management.”
Tools
CCA tools support administrators and developers to automate the configuration and Orchestration of physical and virtual infrastructure in a systematic way that give visibility to state of infrastructure within an enterprise. Generally thought of as an extension of
infrastructure as code (IaC) frameworks.
CCA tools include
Ansible
An ansible is a category of fictional devices or technology capable of near-instantaneous or faster-than-light communication. It can send and receive messages to and from a corresponding device over any distance or obstacle whatsoever with no de ...
,
Chef software,
Otter
Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes wea ...
,
Puppet (software),
Rudder (software)
Rudder is an open source audit and configuration management utility to help automate system configuration across large IT infrastructures. Rudder relies on a lightweight local agent installed on each managed machine.
Rudder is produced by Norm ...
and
SaltStack.
Each tool has a different method of interacting with the system some are agent-based, push or pull, through an interactive UI. Similar to adopting any DevOps tools, there are barriers to bring on CCA tools and factors that hinder and accelerate adoption.
Notable CCA tools include:
Evaluation factors
Evaluations of CCA tools may consider the following:
*Skills, training, and cost required to implement and maintain tool
*Content and support of the Platform and Infrastructure – tool specified for Windows or Linux etc.
*Delivery method and likening flexibility – important for scalability
*Method of interacting with managing system
*Support and training availability and cost
*Incorporation of orchestration with
configuration management
Configuration management (CM) is a process for establishing and maintaining consistency of a product's performance, functional, and physical attributes with its requirements, design, and operational information throughout its life. The CM proc ...
*Security and compliance reporting
See also
*
Agile software development
In software development, agile (sometimes written Agile) practices include requirements discovery and solutions improvement through the collaborative effort of self-organizing and cross-functional teams with their customer(s)/ end user(s), ad ...
*
Continuous delivery
*
Continuous integration
*
Software configuration management
*
WinOps
References
{{Reflist, 30em
Agile software development
Software development process
Configuration management
Systems engineering
Orchestration software