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 is a building, a dedicated space within a building, or a group of buildings used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems.
Since IT operations are crucial for busines ...
equipment.
Overview
Continuous configuration automation is marketed for
data center
A data center is a building, a dedicated space within a building, or a group of buildings used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems.
Since IT operations are crucial for busines ...
and application
configuration management
Configuration management (CM) is a management 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. ...
. 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
DevOps is the integration and automation of the software development and information technology operations. DevOps encompasses necessary tasks of software development and can lead to shortening development time and improving the development life ...
, and are often included as part of a
DevOps toolchain
A DevOps toolchain is a set or combination of tools that aid in the delivery, development, and management of software applications throughout the systems development life cycle, as coordinated by an organisation that uses DevOps practices.
Gen ...
. 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
The term ''ansible'' refers to a category of fictional technological devices capable of superluminal
Faster-than-light (superluminal or supercausal) travel and communication are the conjectural propagation of matter or information faster than ...
,
Chef software,
Otter
Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which includes weasels, badgers, mink, and wolverines, among ...
,
Puppet (software),
Rudder (software) 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 management 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. ...
*Security and compliance reporting
See also
*
Agile software development
Agile software development is an umbrella term for approaches to software development, developing software that reflect the values and principles agreed upon by ''The Agile Alliance'', a group of 17 software practitioners, in 2001. As documented ...
*
Continuous delivery
Continuous delivery (CD) is a software engineering approach in which teams produce software in short cycles, ensuring that the software can be reliably released at any time. It aims at building, testing, and releasing software with greater speed ...
*
Continuous integration
Continuous integration (CI) is the practice of integrating source code changes frequently and ensuring that the integrated codebase is in a workable state.
Typically, developers Merge (version control), merge changes to an Branching (revisio ...
*
Software configuration management
References
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Agile software development
Software development process
Configuration management
Systems engineering
Orchestration software