Cloud Intelligence Dashboards: What’s the difference between legacy-terraform and the current terraform folder and why introduce a new Terraform folder?

Question

In the Cloud Intelligence Dashboards framework repository, there is a legacy-terraform directory as well as current deployment guidance in the main README. What is the functional difference between the legacy-terraform folder and the currently documented deployment path from the repository root? Specifically:

1. Does the legacy-terraform represent a deprecated or historical implementation, and is it still supported for fresh installs?
2. What was the rationale for creating or restructuring Terraform into a newer folder/module layout (for example, maintainability, modularization, CI/CD alignment)?
3. Are both approaches ultimately invoking CloudFormation to deploy CID resources, and if so, what are the operational differences between them?

Context: I already have a CUDOS Dashboard deployed using cid-cmd command, Now I am looking for authoritative guidance on which path to follow for new deployment of cost intelligence dashboard and whether the legacy content is only for migration/reference.

NOTE - Cloud Formation Stack is not supported in my company so I used cid-cmd to deploy CUDOS Dashboard. But for cost intelligence dashboard deployment cid-cmd command not working. I don't see any QuickSight Dashboard created after completing cid-cmd commands.

Vineeth Nair · Answer

# Cloud Intelligence Dashboards: Legacy-Terraform vs. Current Terraform

The difference between legacy-terraform and the current terraform folder is quite significant. The legacy-terraform only supports Legacy CUR and doesn't support CUR 2.0, which is important since AWS is transitioning to this newer format. The legacy implementation will be deprecated soon.

We created the new terraform folder specifically to support CUR 2.0 while also providing support for all foundational dashboards. This new implementation uses a modular approach that's compatible with CI/CD pipelines, making it more maintainable and flexible for deployment processes.

Both implementations use what can be considered a wrapper method for deployment, where the terraform code uses CloudFormation templates in the background to deploy the CloudFormation stack. Native terraform deployment without CloudFormation isn't currently in our roadmap.

## Answers to Your Specific Questions

1. **Legacy-terraform vs. Current Terraform**:
   - Legacy-terraform is for Legacy CUR and doesn't support CUR 2.0
   - The new terraform folder was created to support CUR 2.0 with a modular approach that's CI/CD compatible
   - Both use a wrapper method to deploy dashboards as native terraform deployment is not in our roadmap

2. **Recommendation for Your Environment**:
   - If your company allows CloudFormation when it's wrapped within Terraform, use the latest terraform implementation
   - If not, continuing with cid-cmd is your best option

3. **Troubleshooting Missing Dashboard**:
   - Regarding your issue with the Cost Intelligence Dashboard not appearing after using cid-cmd, this is likely a dashboard ownership or permissions issue rather than a deployment failure
   - Please check in the "Manage Assets" section within "Manage QuickSight" and confirm there are no ownership issues
   - Most likely the dashboard was deployed but is not visible to you because you need to be added as an owner or viewer of the dashboard

The team is actively working on adding advanced dashboards and additional dashboards to the terraform deployment support. All of these use CloudFormation templates in the background, with terraform essentially serving as a wrapper.

re:Post Agent · Answer

When deploying Cloud Intelligence Dashboards (CID), there are important distinctions between the legacy-terraform approach and the current recommended deployment methods.

The legacy-terraform directory likely represents a historical implementation that has been superseded by newer deployment methods. While the sources don't explicitly state if it's still supported for fresh installs, the presence of a "legacy" designation suggests it's maintained primarily for backward compatibility rather than new deployments.

For your specific situation, since CloudFormation stacks aren't supported in your company, you should continue using the command-line tools approach. Cloud Intelligence Dashboards can be installed in two different ways: with CloudFormation stack or with Command Line Tools (cid-cmd). Both approaches are valid, but they serve different use cases.

Regarding your issue with the Cost Intelligence Dashboard deployment not working with cid-cmd, this could be related to several factors:

1. You might need to check the dataset status using `cid-cmd status` or manually in the QuickSight UI
2. Ensure QuickSight has proper permissions to read from the CUR bucket
3. Verify that data exists in the Athena table and view

If you're migrating from CUR 1.0 to CUR 2.0, note that you'll need to use different dashboard IDs for each dashboard. Dashboard IDs must be unique within an Amazon Managed Grafana workspace or Amazon QuickSight account. When deploying a new dashboard alongside an existing one, you need to ensure you're using a unique dashboard ID.

For your new Cost Intelligence Dashboard deployment, continue using the cid-cmd approach but ensure you're following the latest documentation and using unique dashboard IDs for each dashboard you deploy.  
**Sources**  
[Deploying two dashboards with same dashboards id | AWS re:Post](https://repost.aws/questions/QUdwSVT9rsTR-XBAAe0X6wLg/deploying-two-dashboards-with-same-dashboards-id)  
[Migration to CUR 2.0 - Cloud Intelligence Dashboards on AWS](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/guidance/latest/cloud-intelligence-dashboards/migration-to-cur.html)  
[Update - Cloud Intelligence Dashboards on AWS](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/guidance/latest/cloud-intelligence-dashboards/data-collection-update.html)

Cloud Intelligence Dashboards: What’s the difference between legacy-terraform and the current terraform folder and why introduce a new Terraform folder?

Cloud Intelligence Dashboards: Legacy-Terraform vs. Current Terraform

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