Who should use SSM Parameter Store or Secrets Manager?
SSM Parameter Store is particularly well-suited for those requiring a centralized, hierarchical approach to managing configurations and secrets in a cost-effective way. It is particularly beneficial for:
- Large enterprises: For organizations with complex, multi-account AWS architectures, the hierarchical storage capabilities of SSM Parameter Store enable centralized management of configurations across multiple accounts and regions.
- Startups and SMBs: For smaller businesses that may not have a large IT staff but still require secure, centralized configuration management, SSM Parameter Store offers a cost-effective and straightforward solution. Its free tier and scalability make it accessible for startups and small to medium-sized businesses.
- Administrators: Those responsible for system configurations across multiple environments will find the hierarchical storage and versioning features to be indispensable tools in their arsenal.
On the other hand, Secrets Manager is a versatile solution designed for those who need to focus on the secure management, rotation, and retrieval of secrets. It is particularly beneficial for:
- Large enterprises: Organizations with complex AWS architectures will benefit from the automatic secret rotation features, which enable centralized management of secrets across multiple accounts and regions.
- Highly regulated industries: Businesses in sectors such as healthcare and finance can leverage Secrets Manager to meet stringent compliance requirements thanks to its fine-grained access control and detailed audit tracking via CloudTrail.
- SOCs: The real-time alerting capabilities and CloudTrail integration make Secrets Manager ideal for SOCs needing a unified view of secret access and usage.
- DevOps teams: The automatic secret rotation and API integration features make Secrets Manager a strong fit for DevOps environments where secure and rapid application deployment is crucial.
Both SSM Parameter Store and Secrets Manager offer unique advantages tailored to specific organizational needs. Ultimately, the choice between SSM Parameter Store and Secrets Manager will largely hinge on cost considerations and the value you place on the additional features offered by Secrets Manager, such as automatic secret rotation and robust auditing capabilities.
It is worth noting that some organizations may find value in using both SSM Parameter Store and Secrets Manager. For example, you could use SSM Parameter Store for sensitive configuration data and Secrets Manager for more critical secrets.