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Show HN: Cloudcraft – Create AWS diagrams

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Re: Show HN: Cloudcraft – Create AWS diagrams

#52

Something interesting to do from now on: Search in Google `site: https://cloudcraft.co/view` You will see the shared links from existing diagrams. Right now Google had just indexed one https://cloudcraft.co/view/d3908616-4d96-4d5c-8747-6856e8801...

Sorry to spoil the fun, but I've disallowed /view/ from robots.txt to prevent accidental shares. I think this one must have been from someone sharing on Twitter or some other public place where Google would have picked it up.

Re: Show HN: Cloudcraft – Create AWS diagrams

#53

I like the idea a lot, but I'm not a fan of the fancy 3d visualization. Is there a way to have a simpler (2D) representation?

the 3d representation comes straight from the official "corporate" style used by Amazon. I think it's only logic for him to use that style, plus that perspective has the benefit of fitting more information in less space comparatively to a flat 2d diagram.

Re: Show HN: Cloudcraft – Create AWS diagrams

#54

This is awesome. Wouldn't it be cool is this were wired up to an orchestration tool like Terraform to visualize TF states? Another level would be container infrastructure. Our new project is Docker/Kubernetes so the AWS infrastructure mostly just vanilla resources. It would be fantastic to have a similar tool for the internals of our micro SOA. Great job!

Thanks, I added Terraform import & export to https://trello.com/b/mv14mX1U/cloudcraft-roadmap What type of components would you need to map your service internals?

BTW, I think it's key to stay clear of trying to become an orchestration/deployment tool in itself, but integrating with formats like CloudFormation and Terraform should be doable.

Re: Show HN: Cloudcraft – Create AWS diagrams

#55
post #10

A word of warning, the UI doesn't work too well on mobile devices yet, it's sized for desktops. I hope to fix this in the near future. Here's an actual screenshot kindly posted by Jeff Barr of what the UI looks like https://twitter.com/jeffbarr/status/674357220847443968

Please don't dump time into making it mobile friendly. Nobody with any sense is trying to diagram their infrastructure from a mobile phone, so you may as well focus on higher value features. Preferably ones you can charge for so I'm not mourning the loss of this great tool in six month's time!

I hear you, but I at least want to make it work on tablet sizes for some quick editing or presentation, and for viewing the results on phones (probably no editing).

Re: Show HN: Cloudcraft – Create AWS diagrams

#56
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thank you, as a non-native English speaker this is extremely valuable feedback. I'll rework the text. One idea is that could literally run a infrastructure diff of your architecture and your live environment, for example after a deployment or between two points in time: You may have resources left over by accident, or not captured in the design.

I like the delta sentence. It is artful. The only reason the intent is unclear is a lack of context. I didn't see anything else on the page that references difs or deltas. I am looking forward to trying cloudcraft on Monday when I have to document a cluster of ec2 instances.

I agree, I love the original construction. It's extremely compelling, big-league copy. How about just tuning slightly simpler:

"Somewhere in the difference between your current understanding and the reality of the cloud, lies cost savings and insight."

Re: Show HN: Cloudcraft – Create AWS diagrams

#57
post #17
post #11

Some feedback: "In the delta of your current understanding and the reality of the cloud, lies cost savings and insight." This sentence was a little confusing. Maybe: Cloudcraft make it easy and clear where your could is and where it could go. Something a little simpler and more direct.

Thank you, as a non-native English speaker this is extremely valuable feedback. I'll rework the text. One idea is that could literally run a infrastructure diff of your architecture and your live environment, for example after a deployment or between two points in time: You may have resources left over by accident, or not captured in the design.

I must echo the other reply: the "delta" phrase communicates far more than the "simpler" rewording does, to the point where the simplified text reads as little more than meaningless marketing fluff. Perhaps it would be clearer to word it as "Between your current understanding ..." instead of "In the delta of your current understanding ..." But keep the rest the same; it's a beautiful sentence.

Re: Show HN: Cloudcraft – Create AWS diagrams

#58

This is awesome. Wouldn't it be cool is this were wired up to an orchestration tool like Terraform to visualize TF states? Another level would be container infrastructure. Our new project is Docker/Kubernetes so the AWS infrastructure mostly just vanilla resources. It would be fantastic to have a similar tool for the internals of our micro SOA. Great job!

Terraform can generate graphs of your dependencies using the unix "dot" program. And then there is terraforming which can create terraform scripts from your existing infrastructure. So maybe if you can change terraform to output a file that cloudcraft can use. I'm not sure if has an import. I don't want to have to sign up just to play with it.

Re: Show HN: Cloudcraft – Create AWS diagrams

#60

FWIW react components are alerting :) "Warning: Failed propType: Invalid prop `value` of type `string` supplied to `DropDownMenu`, expected `object`. Check the render method of `SelectField`." The app is beautiful. The most important you hit right on target is the perspective. Visually this perspective allows the best understanding.

Thanks, the warning is an upstream component bug (https://github.com/callemall/material-ui/issues/2267) but it's fortunately harmless.
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