Guides

Custom Frameworks

Learn how to create a custom framework to use when running Assesments against your cloud accounts/workloads.

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Introduction

In the platform, users can add custom frameworks that are used to perform assessments.

Each framework has multiple questions and associated best practices. While creating a custom framework, best practices are uploaded in bulk. A user can modify or delete a custom framework anytime.

A framework is made up of a set of best practices that are identified through nature, type, classification, etc. If the nature of the best practice is Manual, then a user has to validate manually whether a best practice is implemented correctly or not. If the nature of the best practice is Automated, then it means that policies are mapped to it and the execution of policies provide clarity on the state of best practices.

Every assessment is associated with a workload and a framework and the user can go to the Assessments > Workload Assessments > View Details screen to view all the assessment details.

View Existing Frameworks

Marketplace frameworks are offered by CoreStack by default, and custom frameworks are user-defined frameworks.

Users can view marketplace frameworks and custom frameworks in two separate tabs on the Frameworks screen. Users can go to the Frameworks tab and view the list of available marketplace frameworks and they can go to Custom Frameworks tab to view the list of user-defined frameworks.

Every framework provides the option to download a copy of it and view related best practice details. Specifically, you can view the list of questions and list of best practices for each question.

Users can click the download icon to download a particular framework. A downloaded framework can be modified and then uploaded as a custom framework.

On a particular framework, you can click Best Practice to view the list of questions and the related best practices.

Create a New Custom Framework

Perform the following steps to create a new framework:

  1. Sign in to the platform.

  2. Click Assessments> Frameworks.

  3. In the Tenant list, click to select a tenant.

  4. Click Custom Frameworks > Create Custom Framework.

Next, a pop-up box will present you with two options for creating a custom framework:

  • Using File Upload – Select this option to create a custom framework by uploading a CSV file. (This is the most common option)
  • Sync From AWS – Select this option to create a custom framework by syncing it with a custom lens created in your AWS cloud account. (Only available when the cloud provider is set to AWS.)

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Note:

For more information on AWS custom lenses and how to create one, please refer to the official AWS documentation.

Create a Custom Framework – Using File Upload

The first and most common method of creating a custom framework is to upload a modified .CSV file containing your desired Best Practices details based on your preferences.

If you select the Using File Upload option, then you can follow the below steps to create a new custom framework.

A menu will appear along the right side of the page, with configuration options for a custom framework.

  1. In the Name box, type a name for the new framework.

  2. In the Description box, type a description for the framework.

  3. In the Clouds list, click to select the cloud provider and then click Ok.

    Users can select multiple cloud providers from AWS, Azure, and GCP. If the user selects a single cloud, then the framework is related to that particular cloud account. If the user selects multiple cloud providers, then the custom framework is applicable for the selected providers.

  1. In the Logo field, click Upload logo and perform the following:
    • In the dialog box that opens, click Choose image, and then select a logo to upload it. Only .JPEG and .PNG files are the acceptable file formats that can be uploaded and the file size should not exceed 6MB.
    • Click Upload logo.
  1. In the Best Practices section, click Import best practices and perform the following:
    • In the dialog box that opens, click Upload File and then select a file to upload it. The file to be uploaded should be in .CSV format only.
    • Click Import.

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Note:

You can download a .CSV file from any of the existing frameworks to modify the best practices and re-use it.

The .CSV file, when uploaded, should contain details for the following fields:

  • Pillar ID
  • Pillar name
  • Question ID
  • Question
  • Question description
  • Best practice ID
  • Best practice
  • Best practice description
  • Risk
  • Recommendation
  • Policies.

Once you’re done, click Save to save your configurations and create your custom framework.

After a new framework is saved, it is displayed on the Frameworks > Custom Frameworks screen.

Create a Custom Framework – Sync From AWS

Another option for creating a custom framework is to synchronize Best Practices and requirement details between the platform and a custom lens in your AWS cloud account.

This option enables seamless data flow between the platforms and AWS, ensuring that frameworks, assessments, and execution results are consistently updated and accurately reflected in both places.

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Note:

For more information on AWS custom lenses and how to create one, please refer to the official AWS documentation.

Additionally, if you want to use this sync option to create a custom framework by using a custom lens in AWS, please ensure the following required permissions are required for the platform: 

"wellarchitected:ImportLens", 
"wellarchitected:CreateLensVersion", 
"wellarchitected:DeleteLens" 
"wellarchitected:ListLenses", 
"wellarchitected:ExportLens", 
"wellarchitected:GetLens"

If you select the Sync From AWS option, then you can follow the below steps to create a new custom framework.

A menu will appear along the right side of the page, with configuration options for a custom framework by syncing with AWS.

First, you’ll need to complete the Custom Lens Selection section:

  1. In the Account drop-down menu, select the onboarded cloud account you want to use for this framework.
  2. In the Region drop-down menu, select the Region in AWS you want to use.
  3. In the Custom Lens drop-down menu, select the custom lens in AWS you want to use to synchronize between AWS and the platform.

Next, you’ll need to complete the Custom Framework Details section:

  1. In the Name field, provide a name for the custom framework.
  2. In the Description field, provide a short description for this custom framework.
  3. In the Cloud Provider field, AWS should automatically be selected.
  4. In the Compliance Logo field, click to upload an image file of your choice (refer to the ‘Using File Upload’ steps above for image guidelines).

Once you’re done, click Save to save your configurations and create your custom framework.

After a new framework is saved, it is displayed on the Frameworks > Custom Frameworks screen.

For custom frameworks with AWS Sync enabled, you will also be able to see the AWS cloud account name and the last successful sync timestamp on the card displayed on the Frameworks page.

Edit or Delete a Custom Framework

You can also edit or delete custom frameworks from the Custom tab on the Frameworks dashboard view.

To edit or delete a custom framework, navigate to the card for the custom framework and select from the options below:

  • Select the pencil icon to edit the name, description, logo, or AWS sync details for a custom framework.
  • Select the trash icon to delete the custom framework.

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Note:

Marketplace frameworks cannot be modified or deleted.

Selecting the pencil icon will open the custom framework editing view, where you can modify the name, description, logo, and AWS sync options.

Editing AWS Sync Options

When editing a custom framework, you can select from the following AWS sync options:

  • Resync to AWS – Select this option to re-initiate a sync from the platform to your AWS cloud account, applying the configurations from the custom framework to your custom lens in AWS.
  • Resync from AWS – Select this option to re-initiate a sync from your AWS cloud account to the platform, applying the configurations from your custom lens in AWS to the custom framework in the platform.
  • No Sync – Select this option to stop syncing configuration changes between the platform and your AWS custom lens.

Note: Selecting either of the AWS Resync options will display the details of your cloud account, region, custom lens, and ARN ID.

Select Save to save and apply any changes, or select Cancel to cancel your edits and close the window.

Editing and Deleting Custom Frameworks from Best Practices

Users can also edit or delete custom frameworks from the Best Practices view by selecting from the buttons available in the upper right corner of the page view.

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Note:

Marketplace frameworks cannot be modified or deleted.

Additional Actions on Custom Frameworks

Users can perform the following actions in an existing custom framework:

Edit Framework

To edit an existing framework, users need to open the framework they wish to edit and then click the edit icon. The Edit Framework dialog box appears, where the users can update Framework Name, Description, and Compliance Logo. After making all the changes, users must click Save to save the updates.

Set Policy Parameter

To set a policy parameter, users can click Set Policy Parameter on the top of the screen. In the Policy dialog box, click to expand the policy for which you would like to set the policy parameter. After expanding the relevant policy name, in the Policy Name box, type a valid policy name and then click Configure.

Delete Framework

Users can click the delete framework icon to delete a framework. When they click the Delete icon, a dialog box appears, and they must click Yes to confirm the deletion.

Edit Best Practices

Users can click the edit icon corresponding to a best practice to make edits to a best practice and save the changes. Users can see two tabs – Basic Info and Set Policy. They can modify basic information about the best practice in Basic Info tab and they can view policies linked to the best practices in the Set Policy tab. After making all changes, click Save.

Delete Best Practices

Users can click the delete icon to delete a best practice. A dialog box appears where the user must click Yes to proceed.

Add Best Practice

Users can click Add Best Practice to add a new best practice. A dialog appears where users must fill all the necessary details (Best Practice ID, Best Practice, Risk, Description, and Recommendation) and map policies for the best practice in the Set Policy tab. After they save the best practice, it appears as part of the framework.

Edit Question

Users can click Edit Question to make changes to a question. A dialog box appears where they can make all the changes and save it.

Delete Question

Users can click the delete icon to remove a question. A dialog box appears, where they can click Yes to proceed with deletion.

Add Question

Users can click Add Question to add a new question. A dialog box appears where users must fill all the appropriate details (Question ID, Question, and Question Description) and then click Save to save the changes.

View Recommendation

Users can click View Recommendation for a best practice to view the recommendation details in a dialog box.

View Policy

Users can click View Policy for a best practice and view all the details related to it.

Add Pillar

Click Add Pillar + to add a new pillar. The Add Pillar dialog box appears and you need to fill details in Pillar ID and Pillar Name boxes, and then click Save to create a new pillar.

Edit Pillar

To update existing pillar details, click Edit Pillar. You can update the existing details and then click Save.

Delete Pillar

To delete an existing pillar, click the X (cross icon). A dialog box appears and click Delete Anyway option to confirm the deletion.

Updated about 1 month ago