Tags are crucial for maintaining an easily monitorable infrastructure. However, implementing and monitoring tags can be tricky. Identifying resources missing a tag or listing all S3 buckets without a specific tag can be very challenging. Policies can help by allowing you to create rules for resource tags.
As always, let's compare how easy it is to implement tag policies between AWS and Tailwarden. We'll create a policy to ensure that the tag "owner" with values "Thomas" or "Marc" exists for every S3 bucket created.
AWS Method
Search for Tag Policies
Look for "Tag policies" in the AWS search bar.
Enable AWS Organization
Enable AWS Organization if it’s not already enabled.
Enable Tag Policies
Click on "Enable tag policies."
Create Policy
Click on "Create policy."
Set Policy Details
Pick a policy name and add a policy description.
Set Tag Key
In the Tags section, set the key to "owner."
Specify Allowed Values
Click on "Specify allowed values for this tag key."
Specify values "Thomas" and "Marc."
Access AWS Resource Groups
Go to AWS Resource Groups.
Find Tag Policies
Look for Tag Policies.
View Resources
Click on your policy to get the list of resources.
However, it’s not possible to set the policy only for S3 buckets—every resource type will be affected.
Tailwarden Method
With Tailwarden, you can first create a view on the concerned resources (S3 buckets) and then create the policy.
In less than one minute, everything is done, and you will be notified as soon as an S3 bucket doesn’t meet the tag conditions. This works for both newly created and existing resources.
Conclusion
AWS offers a way to create and enforce tag policies, but it’s a complex and time-consuming process that affects all resource types. Tailwarden simplifies this significantly, allowing you to quickly set up and monitor tag policies for specific resource types.This ensures compliance and efficient resource management with minimal effort. Stay tuned for more articles comparing AWS and Tailwarden to help you manage your DevOps tasks more efficiently!