What is our primary use case?
I build infrastructure from the ground up. VPCs, in-depth virtual machines, new websites, migrations from on-prem to AWS, or even between cloud providers.
Recently, I started building chatbots using Amazon Connect, IVRs, and Lambda. Lambda is also used for the contact center's business logic.
What is most valuable?
Based on what I do, it's not one service; they're interconnected. For example, when migrating a website from one cloud provider to another, I use EC2, a database system, and Route 53 for DNS. They really depend on each other.
Now, if I had to pick just one... I like EC2. I can spin up applications and shut them down. When I work on security groups, opening and closing ports, EC2 allows it.
What needs improvement?
There is room for improvement in cost. Everyone complains about AWS being expensive. The initial cost starts small but can skyrocket unexpectedly. That's why some people, like my friend, have moved to Linode.
Linode tells you upfront: "This instance with this configuration will cost $20/month. That's it." There are no hidden fees.
With AWS, it might start at $20, but then it creeps up to $35, $40, $50, and so on. It's a big concern, and people are even moving back to on-prem infrastructure because of it.
Cost is crucial, and I see it myself. It gets expensive over time. AWS needs to improve its cost transparency and offer more predictable billing options.
The cost is what everyone is running away from. It gets expensive over time.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using it since 2014.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability is guaranteed because the stability depends on how you design your solution.
AWS has what's called the shared responsibility model. It simply means there's the work of you, the customer, and the job of AWS as a cloud provider. They handle the physical infrastructure, but you, the customer, need to be able to set up the application in such a way that if anything breaks, you can stabilize it.
If you're designing your infrastructure using, for example, there are several factors you need to consider when designing your infrastructure, like scalability, security, etc. There are about six of them.
So, you need to take all of those factors into consideration when designing your infrastructure. Because if you don't design it well, it could fail. So you have to design it so that it shouldn't fail.
The onus is not entirely on AWS for you to have a stable infrastructure. You need to design your infrastructure properly, and then AWS manages the physical side of things. But overall, it's a stable cloud provider. That's why they're number one.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's highly scalable. It's guaranteed 99.99% uptime, and it shows you can scale up or scale out whenever you need more space.
Scaling up means you can add more memory to your VM at any time or increase the size of your database. Scaling out means you can create multiple VMs in different regions if you want; that's where availability zones come in.
You can add more VMs if needed, and if one shuts down for any reason, the other one comes up. This is where load balancers come into play. The load balancers automatically create new VMs to manage the load of traffic coming to your website or application. So, it's highly scalable.
How are customer service and support?
I have not personally contacted the support team.
How was the initial setup?
The first time I used AWS was in 2014 for my first project on the platform. That was the first time I logged in to the console, created a VPC, and deployed a VM. Everything was new to me. I used Udemy to learn to learn about this product in 2014.
I actually learned as I went along on the project. I knew nothing about it before starting, and I figured it out along the way.
The difficulty level for the setup depends on how inquisitive you are and how deep you want to learn. If you're not patient, you might miss things.
You need to have that initial interest and drive to start, and that makes it easier. For me, it was very easy because I was on a project, and it had to be successful at all costs. So, there was pressure, and I had no choice but to make it work. So, it depends on the scenario.
But overall, it should be easy for a new person to use AWS because there are so many resources available. There are tons of white papers, online courses, and documentation on GitHub, and AWS has a lot of documentation online as well. So, it makes it easy. There's a step-by-step guide on how to use the infrastructure. So, it should be easy for a beginner.
Setting up a VPC takes less than three minutes. Then, for it to start loading in AWS, it may take an additional two minutes. Then, for the VM, after creating the VPC, it depends on what you want. Do you want a Linux VM, Amazon Linux, Windows, or Mac OS? Whichever one you choose, if it's already created with all the dependencies from the marketplace, spinning up a regular Linux server on an Amazon VM should take less than three to four minutes. It is easy and very straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the pricing a nine out of ten, with ten being the most expensive. It's pricier than Linode, which has a fixed price and it is still a pay-as-you-go service. While for, AWS, over time, it gets expensive.
Linode is much cheaper and good for small businesses.
It's good for big players like Fortune 500 companies, but smaller companies struggle. My friend's company even left AWS due to costs. So, for smaller companies, it's expensive.
What other advice do I have?
Use the AWS calculator to confirm resources and configuration. That'll give a budget estimate and insight.
In cloud space, it is called TCO (Total Cost of Ownership). Before buying, ask:
- How many VMs do I need?
- Why am I moving to the cloud?
Write down those answers and your resource needs. Then, use the calculator to project costs over six months or a year. Remember, it's not perfect - there might be hidden costs. If it says $10,000, expect $12,000. So, add a buffer. Only then commit.
My advice is to check the calculator first for an estimate, then research GCP and Azure to compare before deciding. Use data to make informed choices and decisions.
Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. Saving that one point for pricing.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.