October 2021 Summaries

Pulumi has been actively developing its Cloud Engineering Platform with significant updates and events, including the successful hosting of its second annual Cloud Engineering Summit, which featured industry leaders discussing cloud engineering advancements. Major releases include the Pulumi Registry, a centralized hub for discovering and utilizing cloud resources with Pulumi, and the 1.0 release of the Pulumi Kubernetes Operator, enabling management of cloud infrastructure directly from Kubernetes clusters. Updates to the AWS and Azure Native providers have expanded available resources, while new features in the Pulumi CLI and core technologies enhance functionality, such as resource methods for Pulumi Packages and new capabilities in the Automation API for .NET. Additionally, Pulumi has introduced automated audit log exports to facilitate integration with Security Information and Event Management systems, aiding companies in managing security risks.

Pulumi has launched the Pulumi Registry, a comprehensive platform that centralizes resources for building, deploying, and managing cloud infrastructure and applications using Pulumi, an infrastructure as code (IaC) tool. This registry acts as a central hub where developers can discover and share Pulumi Packages, which include Providers and Components that facilitate cloud deployments. Providers offer access to cloud resources from various providers, while Components provide pre-configured, higher-level building blocks for common cloud configurations. The Registry supports multiple programming languages and provides extensive documentation to assist users. Pulumi Registry includes packages for 64 leading cloud services such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, and integrates with the Terraform ecosystem. It encourages community contributions and plans to introduce self-service publishing to further expand its ecosystem.

The Pulumi Kubernetes Operator 1.0 release introduces significant enhancements and improvements in scalability, performance, and quality, building on its initial launch as a cloud-native tool for managing and deploying cloud infrastructure within Kubernetes environments. This operator defines a Kubernetes Custom Resource called pulumi.com/v1/Stack, which allows users to deploy and manage cloud resources in various supported clouds using languages like TypeScript, Python, Go, and .NET. The 1.0 version supports GitOps workflows with branch tracking, private Git repositories, and integrates with the Pulumi Automation API, which simplifies operator implementation and enhances compatibility with numerous projects. Furthermore, the operator offers support for diverse state and secrets management backends, including S3 and Azure Blob for state storage and KMS and Vault for secrets management. To ensure minimal disruption during upgrades, features such as Leader Election and Graceful Shutdown have been added, alongside Prometheus-compatible metrics for better operational insights. Enhanced documentation and guides are also available to facilitate easier adoption and deployment of the Pulumi Kubernetes Operator.

Containers have become a crucial standard for running software, significantly enhancing the development lifecycle and bridging local development with cloud deployment. Microsoft's Azure offers a variety of container services, including Azure Container Instances (ACI), Azure App Service, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Azure Red Hat OpenShift, Azure Service Fabric, Azure Batch, and Azure Functions, each catering to different needs. ACI is a simplified, serverless option ideal for quick deployment with minimal configuration but lacks horizontal scaling. Azure App Service, with its strong integrations and scaling capabilities, suits web applications with fluctuating traffic but can be complex to start with. AKS provides extensive flexibility and is suitable for various workloads but requires a deep understanding of Kubernetes. Azure Red Hat OpenShift offers enterprise-grade Kubernetes with strong support and integrations. Azure Service Fabric targets complex distributed systems, while Azure Batch is designed for high-performance computing workloads. Azure Functions is well-suited for short-lived, event-driven tasks. As Azure continues to evolve, selecting the right service depends on specific workload requirements and the desired level of management and customization.

Pulumi has introduced the ability to provide resource methods from Pulumi Packages, allowing for a more object-oriented approach where operations performed by a resource can be exposed as methods on a resource class. This enables these methods to be implemented once in a chosen programming language and then made available across all Pulumi languages, enhancing the versatility of component resources. For instance, the eks package's Cluster component now includes a getKubeconfig method, previously available only in JavaScript/TypeScript, but now accessible in all supported languages due to the new feature. Resource methods are declared in a package's schema and implemented similarly to functions, with methods using the Call RPC. The update supports a streamlined multi-language component authoring process, excluding .NET, and includes a new Message component example that customizes messages for recipients, demonstrating the implementation and usage of resource methods across different languages. The change encourages creating scalable components with consistent functionality across various programming environments.

Cloud engineering is transforming how startups develop and manage modern cloud infrastructure, enabling rapid deployment and innovation with greater confidence. By integrating standard software engineering languages, practices, and tools into cloud infrastructure management, startups can effectively leverage contemporary cloud architectures such as containers and serverless systems. The text highlights three case studies—Panther Labs, WhyLabs, and Fauna—that illustrate the benefits of migrating to Pulumi's Cloud Engineering Platform, which facilitates faster deployment, improved scalability, and the adoption of cloud engineering best practices. Pulumi's platform supports multiple programming languages and integrates seamlessly with existing development workflows, reducing barriers for developers and enhancing the speed and reliability of infrastructure management.

Pulumi has recently introduced several updates and new features, enhancing its cloud provider support and core technologies. The AWS Native Provider, powered by the AWS Cloud Control API, is now available in preview, offering same-day support for new AWS features and enabling migration from CloudFormation templates. Additionally, Pulumi supports the use of AWS Graviton2 processors in AWS Lambda functions, improving price performance. The Azure Native provider has also been updated with 14 new resources, and Pulumi's CLI has added new configuration options, including automatic stack refresh before write operations to detect infrastructure drift. Improvements to the Output property type have been made to enhance operation parallelism and error message clarity, thanks to community contributions.

The Cloud Engineering Summit, a significant industry event, continues to attract a diverse range of sponsors and participants, featuring major players like Amazon Web Services, Apple, Google Cloud, Microsoft, NGINX, Bridgecrew, CircleCI, GitHub, Honeycomb, and NS1. The summit offers a comprehensive program with sessions covering various aspects of cloud engineering, including cost optimization, software development lifecycle reconsiderations, infrastructure management, CI/CD tooling, Kubernetes deployments, and cloud platform onboarding. Key highlights include notable speakers such as Emily Freeman from AWS, Kelsey Hightower from Google Cloud, and Adora Nwodo from Microsoft, along with workshops and hands-on training provided by experts to help attendees enhance their cloud engineering skills. The event underscores the collaborative efforts of industry leaders in advancing cloud technology and infrastructure, providing an invaluable platform for knowledge sharing and professional growth.