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Getting Started with Cloudeval: A Beginner’s Guide

Published: January 15, 2025
Author: Cloudeval Team
Category: Tutorials

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Introduction

Welcome to Cloudeval! If you’re new to cloud evaluation and assessment, this guide will help you get started on the right foot. We’ll walk you through the basics of setting up Cloudeval and running your first evaluation.

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What is Cloudeval?

Cloudeval is a comprehensive platform for evaluating and assessing cloud infrastructure. It helps you:
  • Identify configuration issues before deployment
  • Ensure compliance with best practices
  • Optimize costs and resource utilization
  • Maintain security standards across your cloud environment

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:
  • Access to your cloud environment (Azure, AWS, or GCP)
  • Appropriate permissions to read resource configurations
  • Basic understanding of cloud infrastructure concepts

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Installation

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Step 1: Install Cloudeval

pip install Cloudeval
Or using conda: 
conda install -c conda-forge Cloudeval

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Step 2: Verify Installation

cloudeval --version
You should see the version number displayed.

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Your First Evaluation

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Step 1: Configure Your Environment

Create a configuration file cloudeval.yml: 
cloud_provider: azure
subscription_id: your-subscription-id
evaluation_rules:
  - security
  - cost-optimization
  - reliability

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Step 2: Run Your First Evaluation

cloudeval evaluate --config Cloudeval.yml

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Step 3: Review Results

The evaluation will generate a report showing:
  • Passed checks
  • Warnings
  • Failed checks with recommendations

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Understanding the Results

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Security Checks

Security evaluations check for:
  • Publicly accessible resources
  • Missing encryption
  • Inadequate access controls
  • Compliance violations

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Cost Optimization

Cost checks identify:
  • Underutilized resources
  • Over-provisioned instances
  • Unused storage
  • Optimization opportunities

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Reliability

Reliability checks ensure:
  • High availability configurations
  • Backup and disaster recovery
  • Resource redundancy
  • SLA compliance

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Next Steps

  1. Review Recommendations: Address high-priority issues first
  2. Set Up Regular Evaluations: Schedule weekly or monthly evaluations
  3. Customize Rules: Configure custom rules for your organization
  4. Integrate with CI/CD: Add evaluations to your deployment pipeline

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Common Issues and Solutions

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Issue: Permission Denied

Solution: Ensure your service principal or user account has the Reader role at the subscription level.

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Issue: No Resources Found

Solution: Verify your subscription ID and that resources exist in the specified region.

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Issue: Evaluation Timeout

Solution: For large environments, use resource filtering or evaluate specific resource groups.

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Conclusion

You’re now ready to start evaluating your cloud infrastructure with Cloudeval! For more advanced topics, check out our tutorials and guides.

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Resources

Have questions? Open an issue or start a discussion!
Last modified on March 5, 2026