Tag Archive for: AWS Cloud

Building Serverless Applications with AWS Functions

The demand for scalable, efficient, and cost-effective applications has led many businesses to embrace serverless computing. AWS Lambda, combined with the Serverless Framework, provides a powerful solution for developing applications —without the need to manage traditional infrastructure.

Let’s explore how to build and deploy serverless applications using AWS Lambda and the Serverless Framework — along with a few key benefits and best practices to help you get started.

What is AWS Lambda?

AWS Lambda is a compute service that lets you run code in response to events. It supports a wide range of programming languages and can be used in conjunction with other AWS services like API Gateway, S3, or DynamoDB. This allows you to build flexible, event-driven applications that respond to user actions, data changes, or system events.

So what is the Serverless Framework?

The Serverless Framework is an open-source tool that simplifies the process of building and deploying serverless applications on AWS. It provides a unified way to manage your serverless functions, API endpoints, and other cloud resources using simple configuration files.

Why choose serverless architecture?

Serverless computing offers several advantages over traditional server-based models. By leveraging services like AWS Lambda, you can focus on your application’s functionality, while AWS handles the scaling, maintenance, and availability of your application.

Getting started: Building your first serverless application

  1. Define your application requirements: Before you start, it’s essential to define what your application will do. Consider the key functionalities, expected user interactions, and data flows. From here, you can identify the AWS services you’ll need to make it happen
  2. Create a serverless application plan: Break down your application into smaller, discrete functions. Each function should handle a specific task, such as processing a file upload, querying a database, or sending an email. This modular approach makes your application easier to develop, test, and maintain
  3. Use the Serverless Framework to manage your application: The Serverless Framework allows you to outline your application’s configuration, including Lambda functions, API routes, and event triggers — all in one place. This file acts as a blueprint, making it easy to deploy and manage your application
  4. Deploying your application: With the Serverless Framework, deploying your application is straightforward. The framework handles the creation and configuration of all necessary AWS resources like Lambda functions and IAM roles. This process saves time and reduces the potential for configuration errors
  5. Monitoring and maintenance: After deployment, use AWS tools like CloudWatch to monitor your application’s performance. These tools provide insights into execution times, error rates, and resource usage, helping you identify bottlenecks and optimise performance.

Bonus tips for building serverless applications

Aim to implement security best practices

Use AWS IAM roles and policies to grant the minimum permissions required for your Lambda functions. This principle of least privilege helps secure your application by limiting access to only those resources that are necessary.

Make sure you monitor and optimise your costs

Regularly review your AWS usage and cost reports to identify areas where you can optimize resource usage and reduce costs. AWS offers tools like Cost Explorer and Trusted Advisor to help you track and manage expenses effectively.

Get expert guidance with Bespoke Training

Mastering serverless development can be challenging, but the right training can make all the difference.

Bespoke Training offers tailored courses designed to help your team understand serverless architecture, implement best practices, and leverage AWS services effectively. Our expert instructors provide hands-on guidance, ensuring you gain the skills and confidence needed to build and deploy robust serverless applications.

Ready to elevate your cloud skills? Our expert-led training will give you the kick-start you need to unlock the full potential of serverless architecture. Explore our courses today and start building better applications!

How to migrate on-premises applications to AWS

Migrating on-premises applications to Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a transformative step that can enhance scalability, reduce costs, and improve the operational efficiency of your business. But, it’s not as simple as flicking a switch: successful migration requires careful planning and execution to ensure a smooth transition.

This article will guide you through the essential steps of migrating your on-premises applications to AWS, and show you some tips, tools and best practices to help you achieve a successful migration.

Step 1: Assess and plan

Failing to plan is planning to fail. Start your migration process by thoroughly assessing your current on-prem environment to understand application dependencies, network requirements, and data governance needs.

From here, you can develop a detailed migration plan that includes:

  • Choosing the right migration strategy (6 R’s: Rehost, Replatform, Repurchase, Refactor, Retain, and Retire)
  • Setting clear goals and KPIs
  • Identifying skills gaps and training needs for your team

Extra tip: Tools like AWS Migration Hub provide a central location to track the progress of migrations across multiple AWS and partner solutions

Step 2: Design the cloud environment

The next step is to design a cloud architecture that aligns with your business needs and compliance requirements. Use AWS services such as Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) for isolated network space, and AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) for secure access control. Consider multi-region deployment for higher availability and disaster recovery capabilities.

Step 3: Migrate your data

Data migration is a critical component that requires a solid strategy in order to reduce downtime, and avoid and data loss:

Step 4: Move Applications

Depending on how your applications are set up, you will need to choose the appropriate migration method for each one. You could be looking at:

  • Rehosting (Lift-and-shift): Quickly move applications to AWS without changes
  • Replatforming: Make minimal changes to optimize applications for the cloud
  • Refactoring: Completely redesign applications to be cloud-native.

Extra tip: Look into AWS tools like AWS Application Migration Service for seamless application transfers.

Step 5: Optimise

Once your applications are running on AWS, optimise their performance and cost by using AWS Cost Management tools to monitor and control spending.

Using the right tools, you can implement auto scaling to dynamically adjust resources based on demand, or use serverless options like AWS Lambda to reduce operational overhead.

Step 6: Validate and Go Live

Thoroughly test the migrated applications to ensure they perform as you expect them to, in the AWS environment. Validate security, performance, and compliance against your initial objectives. After you’ve successfully validated your new environment, plan a go-live date.

Ensure that you have rollback plans in case of unexpected issues. Then, you can gradually ramp up traffic to the new system as per your pre-planned strategy.

Bespoke is here to help you lean in to cloud

Successfully migrating to AWS not only involves using the right tools but also ensuring your team is well-prepared to handle the new environment.

Bespoke Training offers tailored AWS training programs delivered by certified experts to help your team master AWS technologies and best practices. From understanding the core AWS services to advanced architecture training, we ensure your migration is supported by knowledgeable and skilled professionals.

Ready to get started?

Ready to start your migration journey or need more guidance? Get in touch today to discover how our flexible courses can empower your team to deliver a smooth and effective migration to AWS.

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.

Best practices for optimising your AWS costs

Cloud computing has transformed the way businesses operate, offering scalability, flexibility, and the ability to innovate —and fast. But, with all these benefits, comes challenges —like managing costs effectively.

AWS is the cloud provider of choice for many organisations, but without proper cost management, cloud expenses can quickly spiral out of control.

Let’s explore why cost management is crucial, delve into AWS’s cost management tools, and share some best-practice tips for optimising your costs as an AWS user.

Why the need to manage cloud costs?

Cost management is a critical aspect of cloud computing —in fact, it’s a core pillar of the AWS Well-Architected Framework.

Poor cost management can lead to budget overruns, reduced profitability, and even threaten the viability of a business. Effective cost management ensures that resources are used efficiently, helping organisations maximise their investment in cloud infrastructure.

By keeping cloud expenses under control, businesses can maintain financial health, allocate resources to innovation, and remain competitive in their markets.

AWS and cost management

Luckily, AWS provide a wide range of cost management tools designed to help businesses monitor, manage, and optimise their cloud expenditures. Understanding what tools are available (and how to use them) is essential for any organisation looking to make the most of its AWS solution.

Tools available to help manage costs

AWS Cost Explorer

AWS Cost Explorer is a powerful tool that enables users to visualise, understand, and manage their AWS costs and usage over time. It provides detailed insights into cost drivers, usage patterns, and trends.

With Cost Explorer, you can create custom reports, view historical data, and forecast future costs. This tool is invaluable for highlighting areas where businesses can find cost savings, and for making informed decisions about resource allocation.

AWS Budgets

AWS Budgets lets you set custom cost and usage budgets that alert you when you’re about to exceed your thresholds. This proactive approach to cost management helps prevent unexpected expenses and means that your cloud spending will stay within predefined limits.

AWS Budgets can be tailored to specific needs, such as setting budgets for different projects, teams, or departments, providing granular control over your cloud costings.

AWS Trusted Advisor

AWS Trusted Advisor is a real-time resource optimisation tool that provides recommendations to help you reduce costs, improve performance, and enhance security. Trusted Advisor covers five categories: cost optimisation, performance, security, fault tolerance, and service limits.

By regularly reviewing Trusted Advisor recommendations, you can identify underutilised resources, enhance your configurations, and keep your AWS environment running efficiently and cost-effectively.

Best Practices for using your resources efficiently

Here are the three best practices to get you heading in the right direction:

Right-size your resources

One of the most effective ways to manage AWS costs is by right-sizing your resources. This involves taking a detailed look at your current usage and adjusting the size of your instances, storage, and other resources to match your actual needs.

Implement Auto-Scaling

Auto Scaling helps you automatically adjust the number of instances in response to changing demand. By scaling your resources up during peak times and down during low usage periods, you can optimise your costs with less manual effort. Auto Scaling also helps maintain performance and availability, ensuring that your applications can handle traffic fluctuations efficiently. Tools like AWS S3 Intelligent-Tiering can automatically move data between storage tiers based on changing access patterns, optimising storage costs without manual intervention.

Monitor and review

Regularly review your usage patterns and make adjustments to ensure you are not paying for more than what you actually need. Storage costs can quickly add up, especially if you have large amounts of data. It’s important to continuously keep an eye on your current usage, and project your future needs accurately to ensure you’re not wasting resources before they’re required.

How Bespoke Training can help

At Bespoke Training, we understand that mastering AWS goes beyond just learning how to use development tools. Our courses are designed to equip you with comprehensive skills across various realms of AWS, including cost optimisation.

Whether you’re a beginner looking to understand the basics or an experienced professional aiming to fine-tune your cost management strategies, our expert-led courses provide the knowledge and hands-on experience you need. Learn how to leverage AWS’s cost management tools effectively and implement best practices to ensure your cloud environment is both efficient and cost-effective.

Ready to be your organisation’s cost-optimising hero? Explore our course offerings or get in touch today and take the first step towards a more efficient and cost-effective AWS environment.

Empowering Compliance Through Effective Cloud Training

A Guide for Highly Regulated Industries

Compliance is the backbone of any business — but especially those operating within highly regulated industries. It goes beyond business rules —spanning to adherence to relevant laws and regulations designed to keep at-risk stakeholders safe and protected. Industries like healthcare, finance, and government are among the most heavily regulated, due to the amount of sensitive public data involved in their day-to-day operations.

Failure to comply with these regulations can lead to severe consequences: hefty fines, legal actions, and long-term damage to a company’s reputation and customer trust. Maintaining strict data governance is not just about avoiding penalties; it’s about safeguarding the business in the long term. The good news? While it may seem daunting, there are steps your organisation can take to make compliance easy.

How training can help

While the requirements for compliance are often outlined by the company or the law, they’re upheld by employees. This means your team is your biggest asset when it comes to staying in-line with regulations and maintaining strict compliance protocols. How? It all starts with training:

Your team understands what’s required of them

First and foremost, training ensures that all team members are aware of the specific regulatory requirements pertinent to their roles. This knowledge is essential for performing their duties correctly.

Training programs can help to break down complex regulations into understandable and actionable items, making it easier for employees to grasp and adhere to compliance standards as part of their daily activities.

Your team understands the consequences

Understanding the ramifications of non-compliance is equally important. Training helps employees recognise the potential consequences of failing to adhere to regulations, both for the company, for external stakeholders — and sometimes, for themselves personally.

This awareness fosters a sense of responsibility and urgency, encouraging team members to prioritise compliance at all times.

Your team knows how to approach situations to reduce risk

Training equips employees with the skills and strategies to handle situations in ways that minimise risk. By learning best practices and protocols, team members can approach their work with confidence, ensuring that their actions support compliance and reduce the likelihood of regulatory breaches.

Scenario-based training can be particularly effective in preparing employees for real-world challenges.

Training helps to identify and mitigate risks before they arise

Proactive training programs teach employees how to identify potential compliance risks early. By recognising warning signs and understanding risk factors, staff can take preventive measures before issues escalate —which is especially important in areas like cybersecurity.

This proactive approach not only protects the organisation but also streamlines operations by avoiding disruptions caused by compliance failures.

Training helps to embed a culture of compliance

Consistent and thorough training embeds compliance into the core competencies of every role within the organisation. When compliance becomes a fundamental aspect of the company culture, it is naturally integrated into everyday operations.

This cultural shift ensures that compliance is always top of mind, rather than an afterthought, thereby reducing the likelihood of accidental breaches.

Compliance and the Cloud

Cloud computing is becoming increasingly integral to business operations. But, with the rise of cloud technologies, compliance in the cloud has also become a critical focus. As cybersecurity threats grow more sophisticated, regulatory bodies are imposing stricter guidelines to protect sensitive data stored and processed in the cloud.

Ensuring compliance in the cloud involves understanding and adhering to these regulations, which can be complex and ever-changing. Training is vital here as well, ensuring that IT professionals and other relevant staff are up-to-date with the latest compliance requirements and best practices for cloud security.

This knowledge helps businesses leverage cloud technologies while maintaining regulatory compliance and protecting against data breaches.

Get compliant — train your team

Achieving and maintaining compliance is an ongoing process that requires a well-trained and knowledgeable workforce. At Bespoke, we are dedicated to helping your team stay compliant and up-to-date with the latest regulatory standards.

We offer comprehensive training programs to suit organisations of all sizes —to help you stay compliant in the cloud.

Ready to enhance your team’s compliance capabilities? Browse our course directory today and set up team training through Bespoke. Equip your team with the skills and knowledge they need to ensure your business remains compliant, secure, and successful.

How to use AWS Marketplace to book your team’s cloud training

Cloud training has become a cornerstone for teams and organisations looking to stay competitive in a rapidly-evolving tech landscape. But, navigating the process of procuring cloud training for your team can often be cumbersome —and time-consuming.

The solution? If you’re already an AWS customer, take a look at booking your AWS training through AWS Marketplace. It’s a seamless and efficient solution guaranteed to streamline your cloud training procurement process.

The Importance of Cloud Training

Before diving into the benefits of using AWS Marketplace for cloud training, let’s recap why cloud training is essential for your team. As businesses increasingly rely on cloud technologies to drive growth and efficiency, having a skilled workforce proficient in cloud computing is key to long-term success.

Quality training equips your team with the knowledge and skills needed to harness the full potential of cloud platforms like AWS. It enables them to drive innovation, optimise operations, fortify your security measures and ultimately, deliver on business objectives. And a bonus? Ongoing training and upskilling helps to keep your top performers engaged and fulfilled at work.

Why Use AWS Marketplace for Cloud Training?

If you’re already an AWS customer, AWS Marketplace is the ideal platform for procuring cloud training for your team. Why? Let’s break it down.

One vendor, one bill
With AWS Marketplace, you can streamline your procurement process by consolidating all your cloud training purchases into a single bill from a trusted vendor. This simplifies the approval process and reduces administrative overhead, allowing you to focus on what matters most –empowering your team with the skills they need to succeed.

Fast and easy process
Unlike traditional procurement methods that can involve lengthy contract agreements and supplier approvals, booking cloud training through AWS Marketplace is fast and straightforward —so you can get the training you need, when you need it. With just a few clicks, you can sign up for training courses, eliminating ongoing back-and-forth and accelerating speed to competency.

Get access to the trusted vendors through AWS Marketplace
Through AWS Marketplace, businesses get access to a curated selection of approved vendors and vetted AWS partners, ensuring quality and reliability in their cloud training endeavours. With a streamlined procurement process, accessing top-notch training resources becomes faster and more efficient, so your team can supercharge their skills faster and more effectively.

Train your team with Bespoke

If you’re ready to take the next step and train your team, Bespoke offers a range of Cloud Training Packages designed to cater for teams of all sizes:

Bespoke’s AWS Team Training Packages

We have created some team training packages based on popular options usually selected by Bespoke customers. As you are already aware, AWS default accounts charge in US dollars, which is why we provide our pricing in that currency. You can then select your nominated currency during the transaction, excluding local tax obligations.

Package Inclusions Investment
3 team training package  4 training days per person, a team total of 12 training days USD$7,200
6 team training package 4 training days per person, a team total of 24 training days USD$14,400
9 team training package 4 training days per person, a team total of 36 training days USD$21,600
15 team training package 4 training days per person, a team total of 60 training days USD$36,000
25 team training package  4 training days per person, a team total of 100 training days USD$60,000

With 4 training days per person, this gives you the flexibility to ensure your team has one foundational training day, and then a 3-day associate or advanced level course.

If you’re looking for something a little different, simply reach out to our team. We can build a custom training plan, tailored to your needs, to get your team upskilled and ready for their next challenge.

How to Book Your Cloud Training Package on AWS Marketplace

Booking your cloud team’s training with Bespoke on AWS Marketplace is as easy as 1-2-3. Here’s how it works:

  1. Browse our range of courses: Check out our Course Training Directory on our website. We run AWS courses of all levels, from foundational to advanced. Our courses cover the latest solutions including architecting, developing, devops, AI, machine learning, data analytics and more.
  2. Visit our AWS Marketplace listing: Head to our AWS Marketplace listing and just click on the “Continue” button on the listing page. You’ll be prompted to fill out a brief form with your contact details and any specific requirements or questions you may have.
  3. Let Bespoke take care of the rest: Once you’ve submitted the form, the team at Bespoke will reach out to discuss your training needs in more detail. Bespoke will then submit the AWS Training Package offer through the Marketplace platform. Once you accept the Marketplace offer, then the package will be procured on your nominated AWS account ID.

Why wait? Upskill your team today

With AWS Marketplace, booking cloud training for your team has never been easier. By leveraging the platform’s streamlined procurement process and Bespoke’s vast selection of training options, you can empower your team with the skills they need to thrive.

Ready to supercharge your team’s skills with cloud training? Submit your request through Bespoke’s AWS marketplace listing now to get started on your journey to success!

Mastering architecture: key strategies for cloud optimisation

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As you are aware, the world of cloud computing is ever-expanding. There are new technologies, systems and configurations being developed and deployed every day.

As more businesses shift to cloud and multi-cloud environments, the ongoing care of your company’s cloud architecture is essential. And, while the ‘perfect’ cloud architecture looks different for every company, here are a few tips to help you set your organisation up for success.

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News: AWS Gateway Load Balancer, AWS Network Firewall, Alexa and Australia’s cybersecurity spending

November 2020 updates on AWS Gateway Load Balancer, AWS Network Firewall, Alexa running EC2 Inf1 instances and Australia’s cybersecurity spending news.

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What is Amazon Web Services? A World Leading Cloud Platform

So, what is Amazon Web Services?

Amazon Web Services, usually referred to as AWS, is one of the world’s leading cloud providers. It’s both the most comprehensive and widely used cloud platform. All around the world organisations use the AWS Cloud’s products and services to lower costs, increase availability and drive innovation.

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News: Amazon EventBridge, Amazon S3, AWS Lambda, Bespoke Anniversary, ASIC and Zoom

October 2020 updates on Amazon EventBridge, Amazon S3, AWS Lambda, Bespoke Anniversary, ASIC and Zoom.

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