Top 12 Cloud Management Platforms for 2024

The best cloud management platforms (CMPs) make it easy to manage and use multiple clouds from different providers, whether they are public, private, or a mix of both (hybrid). According to a Gartner report, industry-specific cloud platforms are becoming more popular. These platforms not only help with managing complex cloud setups but also make cloud adoption faster. They do this by appealing to a wider range of users, including business professionals, not just the technical teams who originally worked with cloud infrastructure and platform technologies.

1. Azure Management Tools

Microsoft’s Azure offers a set of cloud management services that help users control resources, automate processes, and monitor performance. Azure provides tools like Azure Policy and Azure Advisor for managing cloud resources. These tools ensure that businesses meet compliance standards and efficiently use resources, resulting in optimized cloud spending. However, Azure’s main limitation is its lack of extensive multi-cloud management capabilities. It mainly focuses on managing resources within the Azure ecosystem.

Key Features:

• Centralized resource management with Azure Resource Manager.
• Cost control through Azure Monitor.
• Security integration with Azure Security Center.

2. Flexera Cloud Management Platform

Flexera’s platform is designed for businesses looking to manage complex multi-cloud and hybrid environments. It allows companies to optimize cloud costs by identifying areas for savings, automating resource management, and applying strong governance and security controls. The platform supports public and private clouds, as well as virtual servers, making it a comprehensive solution for companies with diverse cloud needs.

Key Features:

• Automated cost optimization by identifying savings opportunities.
• Multi-cloud management with support for public, private, and hybrid clouds.
• Strong security through governance and compliance tools.

3. Nutanix Cloud Manager

Nutanix Cloud Manager simplifies the management of hybrid and multi-cloud deployments. It offers rapid provisioning, automated lifecycle management, and workload mobility, allowing businesses to move applications easily between cloud environments. Nutanix also integrates cost optimization tools, making it easier to manage cloud spending.

Key Features:

• Easy management of hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
• Automated cost control with AI-powered insights.
• Seamless integration with Nutanix’s ecosystem of services.

4. IBM Apptio Cloudability

IBM Apptio Cloudability focuses on organizing cloud spending data for better decision-making. It helps businesses monitor and optimize their cloud expenses while aligning them with their financial goals. With features like detailed cost breakdowns and chargeback capabilities, businesses can manage cloud expenses more efficiently.

Key Features:

• In-depth cloud cost management and budgeting tools.
• Helps align cloud spending with business objectives.
• Offers tools for managing cloud governance and resource usage.

5. HashiCorp Terraform Enterprise

HashiCorp Terraform Enterprise is an infrastructure-as-code platform that simplifies cloud resource management. It provides centralized control over multi-cloud and hybrid environments using a declarative syntax, making it easy to automate resource provisioning. However, it lacks built-in cost optimization features, so users need to rely on external tools for managing cloud expenses.

Key Features:

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC) for easy resource automation.
• Centralized control for managing cloud deployments.
• Collaboration tools for managing cloud infrastructure with teams.

6. Harness Cloud Cost Management

Harness Cloud Cost Management is a cloud management platform focusing on cost optimization. It uses AI and machine learning to automatically identify savings opportunities and automate actions like rightsizing cloud resources. It integrates with continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) tools, making it ideal for DevOps teams looking to streamline cloud cost management.

Key Features:

• AI-driven cost optimization with automation.
• Seamless integration with CI/CD pipelines.
• Detailed cost analysis and recommendations for optimization.

7. Morpheus Data

Morpheus Data is a vendor-agnostic cloud management platform that supports multi-cloud and hybrid environments. It allows businesses to automate workflows, manage cloud resources, and track spending across various cloud platforms. The platform is easy to use and provides robust automation capabilities for handling diverse cloud assets.

Key Features:

• Supports multi-cloud environments.
• User-friendly interface with extensive automation.
• Cost management tools that optimize cloud spending.

8. Spectro Cloud Palette

Spectro Cloud Palette specializes in managing containerized applications using Kubernetes. It allows businesses to manage multiple Kubernetes clusters and automate workflows related to deploying and scaling microservices. While it excels in Kubernetes management, its functionality is limited outside container-focused environments.

Key Features:

• Simplifies Kubernetes cluster management.
• Automates deployment and scaling of containerized apps.
• GitOps integration for version-controlled deployments.

9. Apache CloudStack

Apache CloudStack is an open-source platform ideal for deploying and managing large virtual machine networks. It supports both private and public cloud solutions and is compatible with leading hypervisors like VMware and KVM. It offers comprehensive management tools for handling cloud infrastructure, making it a good choice for hybrid cloud setups.

Key Features:

• Efficient management of large virtual machine networks.
• Native API for cloud control and automation.
• Hybrid cloud compatibility with AWS and other services.

10. CloudBolt

CloudBolt makes it easy to manage resources across multiple cloud environments. It offers centralized management for public, private, and hybrid cloud infrastructures, enabling businesses to optimize workload placement and automate cloud operations. CloudBolt also provides robust governance and security tools, making it a strong choice for enterprises with complex cloud environments.

Key Features:

• Multi-cloud and hybrid environment support.
• Role-based access control and governance.
• Centralized cloud management for better control over resources.

11. Oracle Enterprise Manager

Oracle Enterprise Manager provides a unified platform for managing both on-premises and cloud resources. It helps businesses streamline cloud migration, monitoring, and automation tasks. Oracle’s platform is particularly useful for companies already using Oracle Cloud, as it allows them to manage everything from a single console.

Key Features:

• Centralized control for on-premises and Oracle Cloud.
• Integrated monitoring and automation tools.
• Configuration management and incident tracking.

12. BMC Software

BMC’s Cloud Management Platform offers full-stack service provisioning across cloud and traditional platforms. It integrates well with compliance and governance policies, ensuring that businesses can innovate in the cloud while minimizing risk. BMC also offers tools for optimizing cloud performance and cost.

Key Features:

• Rapid service deployment and scaling.
• Integration with compliance and change management tools.
• Full-stack provisioning with self-service capabilities.