5 AWS services every cloud professional needs to know
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a comprehensive and widely adopted cloud platform that offers a wide range of services for every business need. From computing power to storage, databases, and more — AWS offers great flexibility.
The trade off is that it can be challenging to navigate, and narrow down which services are right for your business and your needs.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the most critical AWS services and discuss how they can be leveraged to suit your organisation.
1. Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud)
Amazon EC2 is one of the most fundamental AWS services, providing scalable computing capacity in the cloud. It allows users to launch virtual servers —or instances— tailored to your computing needs: from small applications to large-scale enterprise workloads.
What you can use it for:
- Web hosting: Host websites and applications with super scalable computing power.
- Batch processing: Run large-scale batch processing jobs efficiently.
- High-performance computing: Use powerful instances for tasks requiring big processing power, like simulations or big data analytics.
2. Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service)
Amazon S3 is an storage service that offers industry-leading scalability, data availability, security, and performance. It allows users to store and retrieve any amount of data —from anywhere on the web.
What you can use it for:
- Data backup: Store and protect your critical data securely and cost-effectively.
- Content distribution: Transmit large amounts of static content (images, videos, etc.) to a global audience —quickly and easily.
- ‘Big Data’ analytics: Store large datasets for analysis using AWS data analytics tools like Amazon Athena and Amazon Redshift.
3. Amazon RDS (Relational Database Service)
Amazon RDS simplifies the setup, operation, and scaling of relational databases in the cloud. It supports several database engines, including Amazon Aurora, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, Oracle, and SQL Server.
What you can use it for:
- Web applications: Power transactional applications that require high availability and performance.
- Data warehousing: Manage structured data easily for analytics and reporting.
- Business applications: Run ERP, CRM, and other business-critical applications with a managed relational database.
4. AWS Lambda
AWS Lambda is a serverless compute service that runs your code in response to events and automatically manages the underlying compute resources. It allows you to focus solely on writing code without worrying about server management.
What you can use it for:
- Real-time file processing: Process files in real-time, such as generating thumbnails or transcoding videos, as they are uploaded to S3.
- Backend for web and mobile applications: Build serverless APIs and manage backend logic without managing servers.
- Automated tasks: Trigger functions to automate tasks like responding to changes in data, monitoring, and executing workflows.
5. Amazon VPC (Virtual Private Cloud)
Amazon VPC enables you to provision a section of the AWS cloud where you can launch AWS resources in a virtual network, within your own defined parameters. It provides complete control over your virtual networking environment.
What you can use it for:
- Secure cloud environments: Build a secure environment for running applications and storing sensitive data.
- Hybrid cloud: Extend your on-premises network to the cloud, maintaining secure communication between your data center and AWS.
- Custom network configurations: Configure custom IP ranges, subnets, and route tables to meet specific networking requirements.
These are just a few of AWS’s key services —services that act as the building blocks for robust, scalable, and cost-effective solutions in the cloud. By understanding the capabilities and use cases of these tools, you’re able to choose the right configuration to meet your business objectives.
At Bespoke Training, we know that mastering AWS services is crucial for leveraging the cloud effectively. Our structured AWS training courses are designed to bridge the knowledge gap, equipping your team with the skills to use these essential services to their full potential.
It’s time to take your cloud strategy to new heights. If you’re just getting started, check out our Technical Essentials course to dive deeper into some of these services. Or, if you’re ready to expand your knowledge, get in touch to find the best learning path for you and your team today.
