How to use Amazon Web Services (AWS) to optimize your business

The first time an unprepared user visits an Amazon Web Services page, they may be shocked. Why does my business need this? And whether it is necessary at all.

It seems that AWS is only suitable for industrial giants. For example, for Coca-Cola, which created a data lake on AWS and increased analytics performance by 80%. Or for Netflix, which designed more than 600 frames for 10 episodes of the TV series “The Crown” thanks to the introduction of cloud workflow.

And how about this: the BMW Group uses extensive connections with Amazon services to improve the design and functionality of its cars.

However, AWS is quite applicable to small and medium-sized businesses, as well as startups. Here’s how to optimize your project using all the features of Amazon.

What is AWS?

According to the platform itself, it is the most widespread “cloud” in the world. That is, a resource that provides you with access to computing power, data storage, applications, services, and tools necessary for business operation and development.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers more than 200 functional tools, including computing resources, data storage, databases, analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and much more.

The most popular ones include:

• EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) for computing resources in the cloud.
• S3 (Simple Storage Service) for storage.
• RDS (Relational Database Service) for database management.
• Lambda for running code without managing servers.
• Redshift for analysis and much more.

Companies can use Amazon services to: scale web applications; analyze large amounts of data and identify trends/ make business decisions; improve operational efficiency; introduce new products and services, etc.

Amazon’s cloud services are widely used for website management, game development, app development, AI-based solutions, augmented and virtual reality, and IoT (Internet of Things) applications.

Advantages

• Saving resources. By using off-the-shelf solutions, you don’t have to invest in your own infrastructure, its development, and support.
• Scalability. You can easily increase or decrease the amount of resources in accordance with the growth of your business.
• Reliability and security.Achieved through a distributed infrastructure and numerous data centers around the world.
• Implementation of innovations. Access to the latest technologies for growth and development.

Disadvantages

• Difficulty for beginners. Due to the large number of options, the subtleties of their configuration and use, it may seem that it was not the best decision to choose Amazon AWS.Registering for digital training courses will solve this problem. The platform provides more than 600 affordable and free training programs.
• Dependence on the platform. By using AWS, you are completely dependent on Amazon’s services and infrastructure. This can cause problems in case of unforeseen failures or changes in company policy.
• The cost of resource overruns. In case of careless use or incorrect configuration, you may face unexpected (and very high) costs.

How to use AWS for small and medium-sized businesses

Every project, regardless of scale, will find the right tools. In particular, we could recommend the following solutions:

Amazon S3 for storing your business files: documents, images, and databases. RDS for database management with quick access to information.

EC2 as web hosting. Ensure high availability and fast response for users.

Back up your data with Amazon S3 or Glacier to protect against data loss in the event of a disaster.

Use Redshift for analysis if your project involves large amounts of data. Get valuable insights into sales, customers, inventory, and other aspects of your business.

If your business involves mobile applications, you can use the Mobile SDK to create high-performance and scalable services.

By using AWS cloud services, you can reduce infrastructure costs, improve flexibility and scalability, and increase the security and reliability of your applications and data. Using AWS opens up new opportunities for innovation and growth, making your business more competitive in today’s digital world.

These examples are just a small part of how you can use AWS to optimize small and medium-sized projects. It’s important to choose the services that best fit your needs and business model.

How much do Amazon cloud services cost?

From 0 to hundreds of thousands of dollars. You pay only for the capacity/tools/services you use. At the time of writing, there are several options for free use:

1. Free versions (about 100 products) often have “stripped-down” functionality.
2. One year of free use for new customers (there are restrictions, see detailed information about access levels).
3. Full access without time limits (only for some tools).

But there are other nice bonuses for newcomers to AWS. Registration allows you to get a 7-day trial period to all the features.

Now you know what AWS Amazon is and can make an informed decision on whether you need such tools for your project. If you have any questions or need additional advice, please contact our specialists using the form below.