Managing hybrid IT infrastructure can feel like a high-wire act. Between countless devices, multiple clouds, and non-stop changes, staying on top of it all is tough. That’s where Configuration Management Databases come in. They’re the secret weapon for mastering IT asset and configuration management.
But not all CMDBs play by the same rules. Cloudaware and Flexera CMDB offer powerful solutions, each designed for specific needs.
Ready to see which one has the edge for your IT strategy? Let’s dive in!
Platforms overview
What is Cloudaware CMDB?
Cloudaware CMDB is for the big players. This tool is your best friend if your company manages a maze of multi-cloud and on-prem systems. It’s like having a single, crystal-clear source of truth for all your configuration items. Everything's tracked in real-time, without throttling. Costs, vulnerabilities, CPU usage, and patch status.
But here’s the magic: Cloudaware ties it all together:
- It discovers cloud and on-prem resources,
- enriches them with additional data from the cloud and third-party tools,
- and automatically maps relationships and dependencies.
The result is a clear view of hierarchy and connections. You can see how everything is linked and get a detailed picture of your IT environment.
Cloudaware is built natively on Salesforce's Force.com platform. That’s why all the highest security standards are met. It has features like end-to-end encryption, auditing, and multi-factor authentication. It also has role-based access controls. Its scalable design allows growth with your business. Moreover, you can customize reports and workflows to fit your needs.
As one of Flexera competitors it is perfect for big enterprises with dynamic, hybrid IT setups. Cloudaware CMDB offers 50+ integrations, real-time inventory updates, and top-notch security compliance. On top of that, dedicated experts assist with platform setup and optimization.
What is Flexera CMDB?
Flexera software integrates with cloud platforms like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. It also works with on-premises infrastructure, making it a solid choice for hybrid IT environments. This flexibility means you can track and manage assets across both cloud and on-prem environments.
Its discovery tools cover a wide range of IT assets, from servers and network devices to cloud resources and software. This ensures you get a complete picture of your IT landscape. Plus, Flexera integrates well with ITSM platforms like ServiceNow.
A comparison table of Cloudaware and Flexera CMDB
| Feature | Cloudaware | Flexera |
|---|---|---|
| Key Focus | Multi-cloud and hybrid IT environments asset discovery and dependency mapping | Asset lifecycle management, dependency tracking, ITSM integrations. |
| Asset Discovery | Continuous, real-time scanning of cloud and on-prem resources | Discovery across both on-prem and cloud resources, focusing on asset tracking. |
| Tagging | System assigns tags based on CI attributes, such as environment, region, or business unit. Then, if needed, clients can customize them. | Tags generated automatically based on discovery data; customizable. |
| Workflow Automation | Once data is in Cloudaware, it becomes fully actionable. With workflows, you can customize tasks based on CI attributes, relationships, and events. | Automates discovery updates and workflows with lifecycle management focus. |
| Change Management | Detailed tracking, approval workflows, detailed history changes tracking, and automated actions. | Focus on lifecycle management and service management integrations |
| Integrations | 50+ integrations | 30+ integrations |
| Reporting | Real-time, interactive dashboards, on-prem and cloud-focused analytics | Focus on lifecycle management with some dependency tracking |
| Pricing Model | Server-based; starts at $400/month for 100 servers | Node-based; starts at $1,499/year for up to 100 nodes |
| Free Trial | 30 days | 30 days |
| Best For | Hybrid IT environments with complex multi-cloud setups | Lifecycle management, asset tracking, and cloud integrations |
Detailed Features Comparison: Cloudaware vs. Flexera
Both Cloudaware and Flexera features are powerful for asset and config management. Let’s see how they stack up in terms of visibility, automation, security, and more.
Comprehensive Asset and Configuration Visibility
| Feature | Cloudaware | Flexera |
|---|---|---|
| Asset Discovery | Cloudaware continuously gathers and discovers all instances across cloud platforms and on-premises environments. It maps each configuration item (CI) to cloud accounts and/or cloud services in real-time. | It covers major cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, along with on-premises infrastructure. The system tracks IT assets, software, and cloud resources. |
| Detailed Attributes | Cloudaware enriches configuration items (CIs) by gathering data from clouds and third-party tools. Attributes are assigned to build relationships. This provides the context by connecting related resources. You’ll see which cloud a CI belongs to. Applications and business units are easily identified. Details like costs, vulnerabilities, and CPU usage appear. Patch status is included for better insights. | Flexera enhances CIs with detailed asset information. It can be data about the software usage, license compliance, and cost insights. Attributes apply across both cloud and on-prem environments, helping with financial management. |
| Relationship Mapping | Cloudaware links CIs to display dependencies, relationships, and hierarchy. The CMDB displays an instance's supported application, connections, and business role. The CMDB arranges objects in a tree structure. Thus, you see interconnected items and their dependencies. | Flexera maps relationships between IT assets in hybrid environments. It provides visibility into application dependencies, usage, and costs. This helps optimize resource allocation and reduce financial risks. |
| Visual Representation | Cloudaware offers visual dashboards and list views for streamlined CI management. The CMDB Navigator organizes assets by providers, services, and regions. CMDB Search quickly locates CIs by name, ID, or attribute, providing clear, actionable insights. | Flexera tool offers visual dashboards and reports. These provide insights into asset usage, cost, and compliance. across hybrid environments. |
In short, if you want a comprehensive view of everything, Cloudaware is the way to go. But if you’re primarily focused on keeping an eye on costs and licenses, Flexera might be more suited to your needs.
Tagging and Project Organization
Tagging isn’t just about labels — it’s about structure, clarity, and actionable insights.
Cloudaware and Flexera both excel in tagging and project organization. However, each has a unique approach, reflecting its strengths.
Cloudaware, an alternative to Flexera, offers dynamic tagging through Tag Analyzer. Additionally, it automates grouping with virtual apps.
It's ideal for managing complex, multi-cloud environments with frequently changing assets.
Flexera IT asset management tags are integrated with discovery and mapping. It automatically updates tags to reflect your infrastructure's current state. Thus, your team has the latest configurations.
| Aspect | Cloudaware | Flexera |
|---|---|---|
| Tagging Basics | System assigns tags based on CI attributes, such as environment, region, or business unit. Then, if needed, clients can customize them. | Flexera auto-generates tags during discovery. It includes attributes like device type, software version, or dependencies. |
| Tagging Across Clouds | Works seamlessly across multi-cloud environments, standardizing the tagging process across providers. | Tags work across on-prem, cloud, and virtual environments. |
| Customization Options | Tags can be automatically assigned through workflows. They can be based on predefined CI attributes like environment, region, or business unit. | Manual customization is available. Thus, you can tweak tags based on app-specific attributes or interdependencies. |
| Tag Validation | The Tag Analyzer ensures all assets are tagged consistently. It helps maintain tagging standards across the platform. | Flexera doesn’t have a dedicated validation tool. |
| Automation | Tags can automatically adjust based on changes in the environment (like resource movements or updates). | Tags are auto-generated during discovery. They update when configurations or dependencies shift. |
| Grouping of Assets | The Virtual Applications group assets by specific applications or business units. It uses tags, CI attributes, and custom logic. | Flexera groups assets based on app dependencies, device type, or business unit. |
| Dynamic Grouping | Groupings are automatically updated based on tag changes or resource attributes. | Groupings dynamically update when Flexera discovers changes in dependencies or relationships. |
| Use Case Example | Scenario: You need to group all cloud resources supporting an application. Solution: Automatically tag all instances under a specific business unit. Create a virtual application grouping based on these tags. | Let’s say a database server’s configuration changes. Flexera updates tags for impacted resources based on the new relationship or dependency. |
Cloudaware offers more customization options. Thus, its users can define tags based on attributes like environment and business unit. It also features the Tag Analyzer, ensuring consistent tagging across the board.
Flexera doesn’t offer the same level of customization or validation. It focuses more on automating discovery and managing asset dependencies. There is no granular control over tagging.
Workflow Automation
Workflow automation smooths processes, reduces manual workload, and improves efficiency. Both Cloudaware and Flexera excel in automation but cater to different environments.
Cloudaware automates tasks like tagging, compliance management, incident tracking, and resource updates. Its workflows let you set up real-time notifications via email or Slack to keep your team informed about critical events.
It's perfect for companies with multi-cloud setups and changing assets.
Meanwhile, Flexera data platform excels in tracking application dependencies and managing IT services. It automates discovery updates, fits well with ITSM workflows, and monitors configuration changes.
| Feature | Cloudaware | Flexera |
|---|---|---|
| Automation Complexity | Advanced, supports multi-cloud and hybrid environments. | As well advanced. But it is more focused on ITSM integrations and application dependencies. |
| Automation Scope | Field updates, tagging, compliance checks, incident and ticket creation. | Primarily supports discovery automation, configuration monitoring, and ITSM workflows. |
| Custom Workflows | Once data is in Cloudaware, it becomes fully actionable. With workflows, you can customize tasks based on CI attributes, relationships, and events. | Flexera can customize automation based on asset status, dependencies, and events. But it focuses more on service management and monitoring. |
| Trigger-Based Actions | Trigger actions based on CI attributes, tags, or relationships. | Trigger actions based on discovery updates and dependency changes. |
| Automated Notifications | Real-time notifications for any data in the system. | Flexera automates notifications related to discovery updates, asset status, and service changes. |
| Use Cases | Problem: Expired certificate causes business disruption. Solution: Create a time-based workflow to notify you to update the certificate 30 days before expiration. Asset: ACM Certificate. Criteria: Expiration Date < 30 days from Current Date. Action: Send an email and create a Jira ticket. | Problem: A critical software update needs to be deployed across multiple systems. But you’ve missed the window for automatic patching. Asset: Outdated software configuration item (e.g., Operating System or application). Criteria: Software version is outdated or missing an update. Action: Create a service ticket to initiate the patch update and send real-time notifications to the relevant manager. |
Both tools are robust in automation. It depends on your needs.
Change Management
Cloudaware’s got change management down to a science. Everything in your CMDB can be tracked, and when something changes, it’s logged. Think of it like a watchful guardian, catching every tweak, whether a small config change or a significant shift.
- Change Detection. Every time something changes in a resource, it’s tracked. Thus, you have all changes recorded and saved in the history.
- Approval Process. Need a second opinion before a change goes through? Cloudaware can set up custom approval workflows.
- Automated Actions. It doesn’t stop at detection. Cloudaware can trigger emails, create Jira tickets, and execute tasks based on changes.
- Tracking History. Changes get logged in real time. You’ll know exactly what happened and when.
Flexera CMDB’s change management is similar to Cloudaware’s but with a few key differences. Like Cloudaware, Flexera tracks changes and updates the CMDB. It also maps dependencies. However, Flexera puts more focus on ITSM workflows. It ensures changes go through an approval process and integrates deeply with IT service management. Changes trigger automated ticket creation and notifications to the team.
Flexera excels at managing approved changes and maintaining strict controls. It ensures dependencies are considered before making changes. Flexera might not offer the same level of real-time cloud automation as Cloudaware. But it’s perfect for teams who need thorough change tracking and approval processes.
| Feature | Cloudaware | Flexera |
|---|---|---|
| Change Detection | Tracks every change in detail and records them. So you can look back and see exactly what happened. | The CMDB focuses on normalizing and automating data updates. It provides clean, enriched data for change tracking. |
| Approval Process | Customizable approval workflows | The platform focuses more on data consistency and tracking rather than approvals. |
| Automated Actions | Incident and ticket creation, fields updates, start/stop instances, tagging, compliance checks. | Automated updates to the CMDB support change processes. They track asset relationships clearly. But the system lacks real-time cloud-specific triggers. |
| Tracking History | Detailed change logs for every object | Tracks changes with detailed logs, emphasizing approval and dependency tracking. |
| Visibility | Real-time updates on changes and status | Provides visibility into change history. But the focus is on asset management and data reconciliation. |
| Use case example | Problem: Your SSL certificate expires soon. Solution: Cloudaware can notify you 30 days before the certificate expires. It can also trigger a Jira ticket or email to ensure the certificate is updated in time. | Problem: Software patch is overdue. Solution: Flexera CMDB will create a service ticket and notify the team for immediate action. |
In terms of change management, both Cloudaware and Flexera offer similar core features. They track changes, manage approval processes, and automate updates to the CMDB. Both platforms provide customizable workflows and maintain detailed logs.
However, Cloudaware stands out with its real-time cloud automation capabilities. Among them are event-driven triggers, notifications, and cloud-specific automated actions.
Integrations
Both Cloudaware and Flexera integrate with various platforms. But their focus and depth differ significantly. Here’s how they compare.
Cloudaware is built for complex hybrid and multi-cloud environments. It integrates with cloud services, security tools, and DevOps platforms. Thus, Cloudaware is a powerhouse for enterprises managing distributed infrastructures.
- 50+ integrations
- Cloud services.
- Security tools.
- Monitoring tools.
- Billing integrations.
- DevOps tools.
- Custom integrations via API.
If you need your tools to talk across multi-cloud platforms seamlessly, Cloudaware is your trusted companion.
Flexera CMDB is perfect for managing IT assets, whether they’re on-prem or in the cloud. It helps you track assets, manage their lifecycle, and sync data across different tools. Think of it as your centralized hub for all things asset management.
- 30+ integrations
- IT service management tools (like ServiceNow and BMC Atrium)
- Discovery tools
- Network management tools
- Security solutions
- Cloud platforms
- Custom integrations via API
Basically, it connects to pretty much everything you might already use.
| Feature | Cloudaware | Flexera |
|---|---|---|
| Total Integrations | 50+ | 30+ |
| Cloud Integrations | AWS, Azure, GCP, Oracle, Alibaba | AWS, Azure, GCP |
| Security Tools | Tenable, Qualys, Rapid7 and more. | McAfee, Symantec, Check Point, Cisco, Fortinet and more. |
| DevOps Tools | Ansible, Puppet, Chef, Jenkins, Nagios, Terraform | Ansible, Jenkins, Puppet, Chef, and Terraform |
| Billing | AWS Billing, Amazon Cost Explorer, GCP Billing, Kubecost, Microsoft Azure Billing | AWS, Azure, Google, Oracle, IBM, Alibaba Cloud Billing |
| ITSM | ServiceNow, Jira, email, Slack | ServiceNow, BMC Atrium |
| Physical Asset Tracking | Any physical infrastructure using Breeze agent. | Flexera CMDB does not conduct physical asset tracking. |
| Monitoring Tools | CloudWatch, New Relic, Datadog, Nagios, Pingdom, Sensu, Wormly, Sumo logic, Zabbix. | Tenable, Qualys, Rapid7, and others. |
| Custom Integrations | Full API support like Graph QL, SOQL, REST, SOAP, Bulk API, etc. | Flexera API support for custom workflows. |
If your primary need is a wide range of integrations across varied platforms, Cloudaware is the stronger choice. If you’re more focused on ITSM integration, Flexera could suit your environment better.
Reporting and Analytics
Managing IT assets isn’t just about knowing what you have — it’s about understanding it. Both Cloudaware and Flexera deliver powerful analytics. But their strengths? Very different.
Cloudaware’s analytics and reporting is for cloud-based asset management. This CMDB focuses on monitoring cloud resources like VMs, storage, and services. Here’s an example of how it looks:
Report Format. Cloudaware offers a mix of tables and interactive dashboards.
Customization. Cloudaware allows you to customize reports and dashboards based on:
- Time Periods. You can set up reports for daily, weekly, monthly, or even custom date ranges. This makes it easy to track trends over time.
- Custom Filters. You can add filters to view specific groups of assets by region, cost threshold, cloud account, application, business unit, tags, and more.
- Data Segmentation. Customize how data is segmented by different asset types, tags, account IDs, or regions.
Analytics:
- Real-Time Data. The reports show always-up-to-date data on asset usage and costs, even if generated earlier.
- Cost Analytics. It provides detailed insights into cloud asset costs. You can track over-budget usage and detect cost anomalies. Costs can be broken down by applications, lines of business, tags, or other dimensions. Reserved Instances (RIs) and Kubernetes costs are also tracked separately for better management.
- Historical Trends. Analyze trends over different periods, helping you spot patterns and manage asset lifecycles.
Flexera products focuses on providing businesses with insights into their IT infrastructure.
Key aspects of Flexera's reporting include:
- Comprehensive Data. Flexera collects data on assets, aiding in decisions and management.
- Dependency Mapping. It visualizes links between components and apps, highlighting risks.
- Customizable Reports. Tailor reports to focus on assets, vulnerabilities, or software status.
- Flexibility in Timeframes. Choose daily to monthly reports to track changes.
- Security Insights. It integrates with Secunia Research for vulnerability management, highlighting security gaps.
Looking for precise data for audits or risk management? Flexera provides tools to track and manage both hardware and software.
| Feature | Cloudaware | Flexera |
|---|---|---|
| Report Formats | Tables, Interactive Dashboards (charts, graphs) | Tables, Interactive Dashboards (charts, graphs), Topology diagrams |
| Customization | Highly customizable dashboards with filters. | Highly customizable reports with filters and segmenting by asset type, business units, and more. |
| Time Periods | Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Custom date ranges | Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Custom date ranges |
| Segmentation | By any logic. For example, by tags, accounts, regions, business units, application, and more. | Flexera supports segmentation of data by software, and lifecycle status. |
| Real-Time Data? | Always up-to-date | Always up-to-date |
| Analytics Focus | Cloudaware can display and analyze all the data available within the platform. | Focus on asset tracking, dependency analysis, and change management |
| Visualization Style | Yes, interactive dashboards (charts, graphs) | Visualizes asset relationships with clear dependency maps and reports |
| History Tracking | Yes, for all data across all Cloudaware modules | Particularly useful for tracking lifecycle events like end-of-life (EOL) and end-of-support (EOS) milestones. |
| Export Options | Yes, to CSV, Excel, PDF | CSV and Excel |
| Custom Reports | Yes, with filters and dynamic parameters. | You can create custom reports with dynamic parameters. |
Both platforms offer robust reporting and analytics features. So the best choice depends on your team's specific needs.
Pricing
How much does Cloudaware CMDB cost?
Cloudaware’s CMDB pricing is server-based, starting with a minimum of 50 servers and 1 user. For example, the cost for 100 servers is approximately $400 per month.
Cloudaware offers tiered pricing with discounts based on the number of servers. An easy-to-use calculator on the pricing page allows you to estimate costs for your specific infrastructure.
As well as the majority of Flexera alternatives, Cloudaware provides a 30-day free trial to explore its features.
Flexera pricing
Flexera's cloud management price is based on a node model, meaning you pay for each managed entity like servers, switches, or virtual machines. The starting price is $1,499 per year for up to 100 nodes. As your infrastructure grows, so does the cost, scaling according to the number of nodes you need to manage.
For a monthly estimate, the cost would be approximately $125 per month for 100 nodes, based on the annual rate divided by 12.
Flexera also offers a 30-day free trial. So you can explore its features and see how it integrates with your infrastructure before committing to a paid plan.
Which tool is right for you?
If you're after seamless multi-cloud management, Cloudaware is the better pick. It integrates with tons of tools, offers real-time visibility, and excels in workflow automation.
On the flip side, Flexera shines in lifecycle management and asset dependency tracking. It’s great for ITSM integrations, but it lacks some of Cloudaware’s cloud-focused features and real-time automation. Its pricing is based on nodes, which can be more rigid.
Both are solid choices, but it’s all about what your team needs most.