Jenkins CloudBees CI

Basic Information

• Model: CloudBees CI (Continuous Integration)
• Version: Rolling releases; latest mentioned is 2.504.2.5 (released May 28, 2025).
• Release Date: Rolling releases, with specific versions released periodically (e.g., 2.504.2.5 on May 28, 2025).
• Minimum Requirements: See Technical Requirements section.
• Supported Operative Systems:
  • **Traditional Platforms:** Linux distributions (Ubuntu, Red Hat, Debian, CentOS, Fedora, Amazon Linux, OpenSUSE), Microsoft Windows. Docker environments on Linux.
  • **Modern Cloud Platforms:** Kubernetes (Amazon EKS, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform (OCP), VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid Integrated Edition). Supports Windows containers for agents.
• Latest Stable Version: Rolling releases; latest mentioned is 2.504.2.5 (as of May 28, 2025).
• End of Support Date:
  • Diagnostic support for rolling releases is provided for up to one year.
  • Apache Tomcat support ends after October 2025.
  • Java 11 is no longer supported as of CloudBees CI 2.479.1.3.
  • CloudBees Amazon AWS CLI plugin support ends after December 2025.
• End of Life Date: CloudBees CI operates on a rolling release model with continuous updates and support policies. The CloudBees Jenkins Platform (CJP), a predecessor, reached End of Life on June 30, 2023.
• Auto-update Expiration Date: Not explicitly defined for the entire product; however, the Beekeeper Upgrade Assistant enables automatic upgrades for verified plugins.
• License Type:
  • Server license: For built-in database, limited concurrent steps.
  • Enterprise license: For external databases.
  • SDA license: For CloudBees Analytics dashboards.
  • Registered user license: Limits users to the license count.
  • Pricing plans include Free, Team, and Enterprise tiers with varying features and support.
• Deployment Model: On-premise, in the cloud, or hybrid environments. Available as a standalone WAR file, native installation packages (RPM, DEB, MSI), or Docker containers. Modern cloud platforms are designed to run on Kubernetes.

Technical Requirements

• RAM:
  • Operations Center: Minimum 2 GB for JVM (4 GB total recommended for OS and JVM).
  • Client Controllers: Minimum 4 GB for JVM (up to 16 GB recommended).
  • Agents: Suggested 8 GB.
  • Kubernetes nodes: At least 16 GiBs of memory.
• Processor:
  • Operations Center: Minimum 2 CPUs or vCPUs.
  • Client Controllers: Minimum 2 CPUs or vCPUs.
  • Agents: Suggested 2 CPUs or vCPUs.
  • Kubernetes nodes: At least 4 CPUs.
• Storage:
  • Operations Center: 20 GB drive space (SSD or high IOPS drive recommended).
  • Client Controllers: 20 GB drive space (SSD or high IOPS drive recommended).
  • Agents: 50 GB drive space (SSD or high IOPS drive recommended).
  • Kubernetes: 20 GiB local storage for required components (25 GiB with ZooKeeper). SSD recommended for persistent storage.
• Display: Not a primary requirement as CloudBees CI is managed via a web interface.
• Ports: Requires network connectivity for distributed components and integrations. Specific port requirements depend on deployment and integrations.
• Operating System:
  • Linux (various distributions) and Microsoft Windows for traditional platforms.
  • Kubernetes 1.30 or later (Amazon EKS, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform (OCP), VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid Integrated Edition) for modern cloud platforms.
  • Java 17 or Java 21 is required (Java 11 is no longer supported).
  • Apache Tomcat 10 is required if running in Tomcat (support ends October 2025).

Analysis of Technical Requirements

CloudBees CI is a robust, enterprise-grade solution with scalable technical requirements. Minimum specifications are provided for operations centers, client controllers, and agents, with recommendations for SSD storage to ensure high I/O performance. The platform supports both traditional server-based deployments on Linux and Windows, and modern cloud-native deployments on various Kubernetes platforms. Specific Java versions (17 or 21) are mandatory, and users must keep Kubernetes versions updated to maintain compatibility and support. The resource demands increase significantly with the scale of operations, number of concurrent builds, and data retention needs, necessitating careful planning for RAM, CPU, and storage.

Support & Compatibility

• Latest Version: Rolling releases, with the most recent mentioned being 2.504.2.5 (May 28, 2025).
• OS Support: Comprehensive support for major Linux distributions, Microsoft Windows, and various Kubernetes platforms (EKS, AKS, GKE, OpenShift, VMware Tanzu). Also supports Docker environments on Linux and Windows containers for agents on modern cloud platforms.
• End of Support Date:
  • CloudBees provides maintenance and security updates for the latest rolling release. Diagnostic support for issues in rolling releases is available for up to one year.
  • Apache Tomcat support ends October 2025.
  • Java 11 is no longer supported.
  • CloudBees Amazon AWS CLI plugin support ends December 2025.
• Localization: Not explicitly detailed in public documentation, but as an enterprise product, it typically offers multi-language support or is configurable for various locales.
• Available Drivers: CloudBees CI leverages a managed plugin system via the CloudBees Assurance Program (CAP), which verifies plugins for compatibility and security. Integrations with various development tools and platforms (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket) are supported through plugins. Specific JDBC drivers are required for external database connectivity.

Analysis of Overall Support & Compatibility Status

CloudBees CI offers robust support and broad compatibility, particularly for enterprise environments. Its rolling release model ensures continuous feature enhancements and security updates. However, users must actively manage their environment to align with evolving platform requirements, such as Java and Kubernetes versions, and be aware of specific component or plugin end-of-support dates. The CloudBees Assurance Program provides a curated and verified plugin ecosystem, enhancing stability and reducing compatibility issues. CloudBees provides diagnostic support for recent rolling releases, emphasizing the importance of staying updated.

Security Status

• Security Features: Centralized security management, granular access control with Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), managed plugin system (CloudBees Assurance Program), secure Jenkins base, pipeline policy enforcement, and secure CI/CD practices. It includes an initial password requirement for setup and CSRF protection.
• Known Vulnerabilities: CloudBees regularly releases security updates (e.g., 2.504.2.5 Security release). The CloudBees Assurance Program helps mitigate risks by verifying plugin security.
• Blacklist Status: Not explicitly mentioned in public documentation.
• Certifications: CloudBees offers various certifications for users, including CloudBees CI Essentials, Associate, Admin Associate, and DevOps Associate. The platform also aims to meet DoD Security Standards.
• Encryption Support: Enterprise-grade solutions typically include encryption for data at rest and in transit, though specific details are not extensively documented in public search results.
• Authentication Methods: Supports initial password, LDAP, Single Sign-On (SSO) via CloudBees Software Delivery Automation, SAML, OpenID Connect, Kerberos, Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), and Google OAuth Credentials.
• General Recommendations: Implement strong authentication, enforce granular permissions, keep the software and all plugins updated, and migrate from deprecated components (e.g., Tomcat, Java 11) to maintain a secure posture.

Analysis on the Overall Security Rating

CloudBees CI demonstrates a strong focus on enterprise security, offering a comprehensive suite of features for centralized management, access control, and vulnerability mitigation. The platform builds upon the open-source Jenkins foundation, enhancing it with enterprise-specific security layers like RBAC and a managed plugin ecosystem. Support for various robust authentication methods, including SSO with major identity providers, ensures secure user access. Regular security releases and adherence to standards like DoD Security indicate a proactive approach to maintaining a secure CI/CD environment.

Performance & Benchmarks

• Benchmark Scores: Specific benchmark scores are not publicly available in the provided search results.
• Real-world Performance Metrics: Designed for high availability and horizontal scalability, enabling workload balancing, dynamic capacity adjustment, and reduced downtime. It aims for faster feedback loops, improved build stability, optimized CI resources, and workspace caching. Performance reports and troubleshooting tools are available to monitor and optimize performance.
• Power Consumption: Not directly applicable to software; power consumption depends on the underlying hardware infrastructure where CloudBees CI is deployed.
• Carbon Footprint: Not directly applicable to software; depends on the energy efficiency of the infrastructure and data centers used for deployment.
• Comparison with Similar Assets: CloudBees CI is built on Jenkins, but it adds enterprise-grade features such as centralized governance, high availability, automated plugin management, and built-in compliance and security. Alternatives mentioned in user feedback include GitLab, open-source Jenkins, and CircleCI.

Analysis of the Overall Performance Status

CloudBees CI is engineered for high performance and scalability in enterprise environments. Its architecture supports high availability and horizontal scaling, crucial for managing complex and large-scale CI/CD workloads. While explicit benchmark scores are not publicly detailed, the focus is on real-world performance benefits like reduced downtime, faster build times, and efficient resource utilization. Features such as workspace caching and optimized CI resource management contribute to its performance. It aims to overcome the scaling limitations often encountered with open-source Jenkins by providing enterprise-level stability and performance enhancements.

User Reviews & Feedback

User reviews highlight CloudBees CI's strengths in providing enterprise-level features and support for complex CI/CD needs. Strengths include automated upgrades, dedicated support, reliable plugin compatibility, and the ability to manage multiple Jenkins instances from a single UI. Users appreciate its effectiveness in handling CI from commit to release, minimizing operational maintenance due to extensive automation. It is praised for its enterprise-grade features, scalability, centralized management, high availability, automated plugin management, and built-in compliance and security.

Common weaknesses cited by users often revolve around its price tag. Some users perceive it as "still just Jenkins at the end of the day," suggesting that for the cost, they expect more differentiation from the open-source version. Concerns about some plugins being abandoned in the broader Jenkins ecosystem are also noted, which can indirectly affect CloudBees CI users.

Recommended use cases for CloudBees CI include large-scale businesses with complex regulatory and security requirements, enterprises needing advanced security, compliance, pipeline visualization, analytics, role-based access control, and seamless integration with diverse development tools. It is also recommended for organizations aiming to scale CI/CD processes across both modern and legacy environments.

Summary

CloudBees CI is an enterprise-grade Continuous Integration solution built upon the robust foundation of open-source Jenkins. It offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to address the scalability, security, and management challenges faced by large organizations. Key strengths include its high availability and horizontal scalability, centralized management capabilities for multiple Jenkins controllers, a managed plugin ecosystem (CloudBees Assurance Program) ensuring compatibility and security, and extensive support for various deployment models including traditional on-premise and modern cloud-native (Kubernetes) environments. The platform provides strong security features such as granular access control, diverse authentication methods including SSO, and regular security updates.

However, CloudBees CI comes with a significant cost, which is a common point of feedback from users. Some users also express that despite its enhancements, it retains a core resemblance to open-source Jenkins, leading to questions about its value proposition for certain use cases. The need to stay current with rolling releases and platform dependencies (e.g., Java, Kubernetes versions) requires proactive management to maintain support and avoid end-of-life issues for specific components.

CloudBees CI is highly recommended for large enterprises with complex, regulated, and high-volume CI/CD pipelines that require advanced security, compliance, centralized governance, and robust scalability. It is particularly well-suited for organizations looking to standardize and optimize their software delivery processes across diverse teams and environments, leveraging the power of Jenkins with enterprise-level stability and support. For smaller teams or those with less stringent requirements, the cost-benefit analysis against open-source Jenkins or other CI/CD tools might be a consideration.

Note: The information provided is based on publicly available data and may vary depending on specific device configurations. For up-to-date information, please consult official manufacturer resources.