Can Cloud Intelligence Dashboards be implemented with Terraform?

Yes, Cloud Intelligence Dashboards can be deployed using Terraform. The official CID framework repository now includes a dedicated Terraform module designed for CI/CD pipeline integration.

Terraform Module: https://github.com/aws-solutions-library-samples/cloud-intelligence-dashboards-framework/tree/main/terraform/cicd-deployment 

How It Works: This module uses Terraform to manage the deployment lifecycle while leveraging the CID CloudFormation templates under the hood. You get the standard Terraform workflow (terraform init → plan → apply), state management, and CI/CD compatibility, while the dashboards themselves are deployed using the same CloudFormation templates maintained by the CID team. It is important to note that this is not a native Terraform deployment — Terraform wraps the CloudFormation stacks.

Available Dashboards: The module supports 10 dashboards across two categories now with more on the way. Foundational: CUDOS v5, Cost Intelligence, KPI  Additional CUR-based: Trends, Data Transfer, Marketplace, Connect, Containers, CORA, FOCUS

Key Features: 

• Supports CUR 2.0 (the current AWS Cost and Usage Report format that AWS is transitioning to)
• Cross-account architecture out of the box, separating the Payer (Management) account from the Data Collection account
• Single-account deployment also supported for testing or development environments 
• Simple configuration — only user-config.tf needs to be edited to specify account IDs, region, QuickSight user, and dashboard selections
• Modular design compatible with CI/CD pipelines.

Quick Start:

1. Edit user-config.tf with your account IDs, region, QuickSight user, and dashboard selections
2. Create backend.tf and providers.tf for your environment
3. Run: terraform init && terraform plan && terraform apply

Prerequisites:

• Terraform >= 1.0 and AWS provider >= 5.0 
• QuickSight Enterprise subscription in the Data Collection account
• A configured QuickSight user in the Data Collection account
• Permissions to deploy resources in both the Payer and Data Collection accounts

References:

• CID Terraform CI/CD Module: https://github.com/aws-solutions-library-samples/cloud-intelligence-dashboards-framework/tree/main/terraform/cicd-deployment 
• CID Official Documentation: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/guidance/latest/cloud-intelligence-dashboards/getting-started.html
• CID Deployment Guide: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/guidance/latest/cloud-intelligence-dashboards/deployment-in-global-regions.html

Hey Arwa,

Great question! Cloud Intelligence Dashboards are a powerful tool for monitoring and visualizing your cloud resources. Implementing them with Terraform is indeed possible and can provide more flexibility compared to CloudFormation.

To get started, you'll need to define your dashboards as code using Terraform configuration files. Leveraging Terraform's HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL), you can create resources like AWS CloudWatch Dashboards and populate them with widgets.

While there might not be ready-made templates specifically for Cloud Intelligence Dashboards, you can create your own. Start by defining your widgets for metrics, logs, and other relevant data sources. Then, use Terraform's AWS provider to manage the dashboard resources and widgets' configurations.

Based on my experience, it's essential to keep your Terraform code versioned and well-documented. Additionally, Terraform's plan and apply workflow allows you to preview changes before applying them, ensuring a controlled deployment process.

Remember to stay up-to-date with Terraform's AWS provider updates and AWS service changes to maintain the compatibility of your dashboards.