Best Container Management Software for Terraform

While many Kubernetes platforms enable users to create and oversee Kubernetes clusters, Loft takes a different approach. Rather than being a standalone solution for managing clusters, Loft serves as an advanced control plane that enhances your current Kubernetes environments by introducing multi-tenancy and self-service functionalities, maximizing the benefits of Kubernetes beyond mere cluster oversight. It boasts an intuitive user interface and command-line interface, yet operates entirely on the Kubernetes framework, allowing seamless management through kubectl and the Kubernetes API, which ensures exceptional compatibility with pre-existing cloud-native tools. The commitment to developing open-source solutions is integral to our mission, as Loft Labs proudly holds membership with both the CNCF and the Linux Foundation. By utilizing Loft, organizations can enable their teams to create economical and efficient Kubernetes environments tailored for diverse applications, fostering innovation and agility in their workflows. This unique capability empowers businesses to harness the true potential of Kubernetes without the complexity often associated with cluster management.

Platform9 Private Cloud Director turns existing servers and storage into a fully featured private cloud. It provides a fast and efficient method for organizations to migrate away from VMware, with minimal disruption. Enterprise IT teams get a familiar virtualization management experience and a true drop-in replacement for VMware vSphere features, offering all critical enterprise features out of the box: Virtual Machine (VM) High Availability, live migration (vMotion equivalent), Dynamic Resource Rebalancing (VMware DRS equivalent), VM cloning, snapshots, templates, software-defined networking, and secure multi-tenancy. Unlike other solutions that may require proprietary hyperconverged infrastructure or re-platforming to Kubernetes, Private Cloud Director works with existing environments—including servers from Dell, HPE, Lenovo, and storage systems from NetApp, Tintri, Pure Storage, and more. Private Cloud Director can be deployed as a fully self-managed solution, a SaaS-managed service, or in air-gapped environments, giving IT teams complete control over their operating model. With Platform9’s free vJailbreak tool, enterprises can perform automated migrations of entire VMware vSphere clusters to Private Cloud Director—including complex VM configurations, multiple datastores, and advanced network policies—at a fraction of the time and cost of traditional approaches. Private Cloud Director supports both VMs and container workloads on a single unified platform, enabling a gradual transition to cloud-native architecture without disrupting current operations. Private Cloud Director can be deployed flexibly as a fully self-managed solution, a SaaS-managed service, or in air-gapped environments.

Doctor Droid is an innovative AI-powered platform aimed at transforming how engineering teams monitor and resolve issues. It streamlines intricate investigations by adhering to established procedures, analyzing data from various integrations, pinpointing root causes, and implementing standardized runbooks for automated recovery. By actively monitoring alerts, Doctor Droid equips teams with pertinent data and insights, thereby cutting down on-call time by as much as 80% and enabling quick responses from engineers. Additionally, it enhances the onboarding experience for new engineers by automating document searches, familiarizing them with new tools, and helping them understand data, which allows them to take on primary on-call responsibilities right from the start. Furthermore, Doctor Droid is capable of conducting spontaneous investigations, such as scrutinizing Kubernetes clusters or reviewing recent deployments, while also adapting to create new strategies based on user recommendations and existing documentation. It boasts seamless integration with over 40 different tools throughout the technology stack, which significantly enhances its functionality and versatility. As a result, engineering teams can operate more efficiently and effectively in a rapidly evolving environment.

Plural is an advanced Kubernetes management platform driven by AI that streamlines intricate operations, making upgrades, compliance oversight, visibility, and troubleshooting in Kubernetes environments much simpler. It serves as a cohesive application deployment solution, enabling the seamless launch of both open-source applications and proprietary services on Kubernetes through established standards such as Helm and Terraform. Among its standout features is a fleet-scale GitOps engine that supports secure and scalable deployment practices, along with extensive visibility provided by a secure Auth Proxy. Additionally, it integrates with various tools like Podman to enhance local development and deployment workflows. Tailored specifically for DevOps and platform engineering teams, Plural significantly boosts operational efficiency by automating repetitive tasks and fine-tuning processes, ultimately empowering teams to focus on more strategic initiatives. By adopting Plural, organizations can improve their Kubernetes management while reducing the time spent on manual operations.

KPT is a toolchain focused on packages that offers a WYSIWYG configuration authoring, automation, and delivery experience, thereby streamlining the management of Kubernetes platforms and KRM-based infrastructure at scale by treating declarative configurations as independent data, distinct from the code that processes them. Many users of Kubernetes typically rely on traditional imperative graphical user interfaces, command-line utilities like kubectl, or automation methods such as operators that directly interact with Kubernetes APIs, while others opt for declarative configuration tools including Helm, Terraform, cdk8s, among numerous other options. At smaller scales, the choice of tools often comes down to personal preference and what users are accustomed to. However, as organizations grow the number of their Kubernetes development and production clusters, it becomes increasingly challenging to create and enforce uniform configurations and security policies across a wider environment, leading to potential inconsistencies. Consequently, KPT addresses these challenges by providing a more structured and efficient approach to managing configurations within Kubernetes ecosystems.

Manage and orchestrate applications seamlessly on a Kubernetes platform that is fully managed, utilizing a centralized SaaS approach for overseeing distributed applications through a unified interface and advanced observability features. Streamline operations by handling deployments uniformly across on-premises, cloud, and edge environments. Experience effortless management and scaling of applications across various Kubernetes clusters, whether at customer locations or within the F5 Distributed Cloud Regional Edge, all through a single Kubernetes-compatible API that simplifies multi-cluster oversight. You can deploy, deliver, and secure applications across different sites as if they were all part of one cohesive "virtual" location. Furthermore, ensure that distributed applications operate with consistent, production-grade Kubernetes, regardless of their deployment sites, which can range from private and public clouds to edge environments. Enhance security with a zero trust approach at the Kubernetes Gateway, extending ingress services backed by WAAP, service policy management, and comprehensive network and application firewall protections. This approach not only secures your applications but also fosters a more resilient and adaptable infrastructure.