Access cloud databases without network configuration

A common problem faced by cloud developers is the struggle for quick, consistent access to cloud resources, such as databases. Instead of focusing on their main task - software development, developers often spend significant time managing their development environment, which includes issues with maintaining developer databases, managing IP allow lists, resolving subnet collisions, handling sensitive data, and dealing with Virtual Private Network (VPN) limitations.

The process of maintaining developer databases to run locally can be time-consuming and problematic. Developers have to manage scripts to set up the database, which may only include a small sample of example data. Additionally, different database types, such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, or Redis, require different resources, and this diverse need can put a strain on the developer's machine. Moreover, these local databases do not accurately represent real-world environments, making it hard to reproduce, debug, or test fixes.

Another concern arises when developers try to run copies of production databases locally. These databases may contain private or sensitive data, such as Personally Identifiable Information (PII), which should not be stored on personal laptops for security reasons.

IP allow lists, while providing a level of protection for public IP addresses and ports, require maintenance across each environment. This task can become complex and introduce security risks when IP addresses are not regularly updated or removed.

Using VPNs presents another challenge. As cloud environments grow to encompass multi-cloud or multiple Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs), VPN usage can become complicated and limited, leading to potential security issues.

Onboarding and offboarding developers or contractors can also become significantly time-intensive due to these access issues, leaving less time for actual development or security management.

In response to these issues, the article presents Remote.It as a solution. This platform allows developers to access their cloud resources as if they were running directly on their local machines, independent of their location and cloud environment. The deployment is quick and easy, typically taking less than 5 minutes.

Remote.It provides centralized access management, allowing resources to be granted and removed centrally through an Organization Management feature. This is in contrast to VPNs, which technically give access to the entire Local Area Network (LAN).

The platform also supports SAML integration, where login credentials are controlled by your SAML provider, allowing simple user role management. When connecting to a resource such as MySQL via Remote.It, developers are provided with a localhost address and a unique port, which can be used in their development environment connection configuration, database query tools, etc. These connections are on-demand, going idle when not actively used and becoming active when needed.

Setting up Remote.It involves creating a Virtual Machine (VM), registering it in Remote.It, and adding the services. This process is user-friendly and efficient, promising a seamless and convenient cloud access experience for developers.

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Original article published on dev.to "Solve Your Cloud Access Problems In Less Than 5 Minutes"