What is our primary use case?
We use it to host our e-learning platform.
AWS is a platform, wherein they give you a virtual instance of a server. So there is no version per se. They just give you a virtual server. The other software we use is free. We use it for conducting our exams and everything. We use a free, open source software, which is not a commercial software.
How has it helped my organization?
Remember, this is a plain vanilla platform. So we don't have to do any actual investment in servers and other things. That is the general advantage of cloud that everybody gets. You don't have to pay a lot of money. And at any point, if you feel you don't want to use it, you stop. It is as simple as that.
What is most valuable?
The features that I have found most valuable are their compute and their Relational Database Service.
What needs improvement?
The features that should be improved are that there should be better clarity on their invoicing. There are so many things they charge for - high line items in the invoice. I think there should be more clarity and more ease of use with their billing.
I'd like to see better ease of use with the billing console and a clear dashboard to understand the usage.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Amazon AWS for almost three years. We are continually using it.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Amazon AWS is very, very stable.
No maintenance is required.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is unlimited. From one to 10, it is 10.
We use it, but our training participants access it. A lot of people access it. In a year, at different points in time, 200 people might be using it.
I don't think we will be expanding usage because we purchased a little more than what we needed. We don't need to spend any money now. We only pay our monthly charges.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is good. If you raise a ticket, they're very good. Even with billing, if you have some issues they take care of it. If you are overbilled or you're not using it and then you turn one thing by mistake, and all of a sudden the bill has increased - they'll take care of it.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, we were using general hosting, they even call it shared hosting. But it was not scalable and it was not fast.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is all easy. It's very easy.
Our deployment took just a few clicks. You are talking seconds.
What about the implementation team?
I had our technical team do it. But you need a technical person. It's not that anybody can do it or a person like me can do it. You need to have a technical person doing it.
What was our ROI?
We have seen a return of investment with Amazon AWS.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We are just a customer. We just pay monthly for the subscription cost. I mean, hardly $50. We are a very small company.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to anyone considering Amazon AWS is that they should plan properly for their spending and they should have good control over their technology team. Otherwise, if the technology team doesn't know enough and they keep on creating more services, you'll be surprised with the invoice. Technology and finance should work very, very closely in the cloud.
On a scale of one to 10, I give Amazon AWS a 10. It's a really good product.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.