Powerpipe Tool Enhances Cloud Infrastructure Management for DevOps
/ 3 min read
Quick take - Powerpipe, an open-source tool developed by Turbot, enhances cloud infrastructure management for DevOps teams by providing visualization, security benchmarks, customizable dashboards, and support for various data sources, while facilitating compliance assessments and offering flexible deployment options.
Fast Facts
- Open-Source Tool: Powerpipe, developed by Turbot, enhances cloud infrastructure management for DevOps teams through visualization, security benchmarks, and custom dashboards.
- Versatile Data Support: It supports various databases, including PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, and DuckDB, and offers pre-built dashboards for major platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP.
- Modular Features: Key features include “mods” for portable resources, customizable dashboards using HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL), and integration with Steampipe for extended functionality.
- User-Friendly Interface: Powerpipe includes a command-line interface (CLI) for managing resources and allows for easy export of dashboard outputs in multiple formats.
- Flexible Deployment: It operates in Client-only and Server Modes, with a straightforward installation process and options for real-time dashboard building and dynamic configurations.
Powerpipe: Enhancing Cloud Infrastructure Management
Powerpipe, an open-source tool developed by Turbot, is designed to enhance cloud infrastructure management for DevOps teams. This innovative tool facilitates the visualization of cloud environments, conducts security and compliance benchmarks, and creates custom dashboards tailored to user needs.
Versatile Data Source Support
Powerpipe supports various data sources, including PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, and DuckDB databases, making it versatile for different operational contexts. A key feature of Powerpipe is its use of “mods,” which are portable, versioned collections of resources. These resources include dashboards, benchmarks, queries, and controls defined in HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL).
For users seeking a quicker setup, pre-built dashboards are available for major platforms such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Kubernetes. Powerpipe empowers users to assess compliance with a variety of frameworks, including CIS, GDPR, NIST, PCI, and SOC 2. The dashboards it provides offer rich visualizations, such as charts, graphs, and tables, which can be customized or created from scratch using HCL.
Flexible Deployment and Integration
The tool operates in two modes: Client-only Mode and Server Mode, giving flexibility in deployment based on user requirements. Integration with Steampipe is another significant advantage, allowing users to leverage Steampipe’s extensive plugins and mods. Powerpipe features a command-line interface (CLI) equipped with various sub-commands that facilitate the management of mods, benchmarks, controls, dashboards, queries, and variables.
Users can utilize variables and parameters in queries and controls for more dynamic configurations, enhancing the tool’s adaptability. For data sharing and reporting, Powerpipe allows users to export dashboard outputs to multiple file formats. Users can also upload snapshots to Turbot Pipes, where visibility and tagging can be specified.
User-Friendly Installation and Configuration
The installation process for Powerpipe is user-friendly, requiring no specialized expertise, as it is distributed as a single binary file. Powerpipe operates within the context of a mod, which encompasses benchmarks, controls, dashboards, and queries. Users can easily import and utilize resources from other mods, enabling a streamlined onboarding experience without the need for extensive coding.
By default, a mod is loaded from the current directory. However, users have the option to specify a different path using the --mod-location flag or the POWERPIPE_MOD_LOCATION environment variable. Configuration files, designated with the *.ppc extension, are loaded based on a configurable search path, which can be adjusted using the --config-path argument or the POWERPIPE_CONFIG_PATH environment variable.
The default active database for queries is set to postgres://steampipe@localhost:9193/steampipe, and users can modify this setting via a variable within some mods. Powerpipe also supports real-time iteration and proof-of-concept dashboard building, making it a powerful tool for DevOps teams looking to optimize their cloud infrastructure management and compliance monitoring.
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