We are using Amazon EC2 for computing.
IT and Procurement Executive at iris communications
Beneficial adaptability and scalable
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features of Amazon EC2 are content delivery and adaptability."
- "Amazon EC2 could improve the stability."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of Amazon EC2 are content delivery and adaptability.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Amazon EC2 for approximately two months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Amazon EC2 could improve the stability.
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Amazon EC2
April 2025

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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of Amazon EC2 is good.
How are customer service and support?
I have not used technical support from Amazon EC2.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I did not use other solutions prior to using Amazon EC2.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I am using the tier three Amazon service. I am not going to use another solution other than Amazon EC2 because here in Pakistan there are some payment issues for solutions abroad.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Amazon EC2 a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

Senior Systems Engineer at Dimension Data
It's easy to provision and set up
Pros and Cons
- "EC2 has the typical advantages of using the cloud. It's easy to provision and set up."
- "I would like to see more variety in the operating system images used to create test environments in EC2. There should be more versions and releases. Sometimes, you want to test an update from an old release to a higher version, but you can’t do that with the new images available. You have to use your own."
What is our primary use case?
We use EC2 for test and dev environments.
What is most valuable?
EC2 has the typical advantages of using the cloud. It's easy to provision and set up.
What needs improvement?
I would like to see more variety in the operating system images used to create test environments in EC2. There should be more versions and releases. Sometimes, you want to test an update from an old release to a higher version, but you can’t do that with the new images available. You have to use your own.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used EC2 for three or four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Amazon EC2 is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
EC2 is scalable. There is an auto-scale setting in the configuration.
How are customer service and support?
I've never had to use tech support. I think most of the documentation is adequate.
How was the initial setup?
Setting up EC2 is straightforward. It takes a few minutes, and you can do it by yourself.
What was our ROI?
Pricing is based on consumption, so when we don't want to use it, we just turn it off. The expense is negligible.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We pay for a monthly license. The price is fair.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate Amazon EC2 nine out of 10.
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.
Buyer's Guide
Amazon EC2
April 2025

Learn what your peers think about Amazon EC2. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2025.
847,862 professionals have used our research since 2012.
IT Systems Administrator at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Stable, scalable and simple to implement
Pros and Cons
- "Stable, scalable, and simple to implement."
- "Current inability to change the resource service levels."
What is our primary use case?
EC2 and VPC are two services that are quite interconnected. EC2 is the Amazon console that uses the host resources in the data centers to launch servers, instances and services with VPC as the networking part.
What is most valuable?
This is a great solution that's stable, scalable and simple to implement.
What needs improvement?
We sometimes need to change the resource service levels, whether it's to expand or contract. Amazon doesn't offer that option so the way things work now, changes can't be made without scheduling downtime or preventing users from using the service for a period while changes are made. I would like to see servers upgrading or downgrading on the fly without the end user even noticing the change. It would be life-changing for us.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for about four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable. There are instances storage servers distributed on multiple hosts in the data centers and even if there's a failure we're unaware of the disruptions. The solution is stable 24/7, 365 days a year, and we know we can rely on it.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable, we have over 1,000 users.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Licensing costs are paid monthly for the whole package. That includes the resources that the server is utilizing, plus the operating system along with any database license, such as Microsoft SQL, that you are using. It's quite expensive.
What other advice do I have?
This is an amazing solution although it's not suitable for every company.
They lose one point because the price is quite high so I rate this product nine out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Application Architect - BI at IBM
Reliable, helpful support, and scalable
Pros and Cons
- "Amazon EC2's most valuable feature I have heard from clients is easy provisioning. Provisioning is very quick and easy."
- "Amazon EC2 could improve by reducing the price."
What is our primary use case?
We had a client which has a legacy application that wanted to move to the cloud without a cloud-native solution. What they did was they moved to Amazon EC2 and asked for virtual machines. They had an Oracle database and licenses, they were all provided by the client, and then they all moved to the Amazon EC2 environment.
What is most valuable?
Amazon EC2's most valuable feature I have heard from clients is easy provisioning. Provisioning is very quick and easy.
What needs improvement?
Amazon EC2 could improve by reducing the price.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Amazon EC2 for approximately two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Amazon EC2 is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of Amazon EC2 is good.
Our client was a large company with approximately 1,000 using the solution.
How are customer service and support?
The support from Amazon EC2 is good.
What was our ROI?
The ROI is similar to an on-premise version of my client's operations.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The clients have found the billing of Amazon EC2 good, but the price could be less high. There is a monthly subscription to use the solution.
We have difficulty convincing potential clients of the benefits of using Amazon EC2, from their on-premise setup, when the cost is similar. They don't see the benefits. We face a lot of issues convincing them
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Amazon EC2 an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Head of IT Infrastructure at a non-tech company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Good bandwidth, easy setup, and does not crash
Pros and Cons
- "The amount of bandwidth has been most valuable."
- "They have to provide clarity on pricing. It's not transparent."
What is our primary use case?
I've used it as a VBI. I've used it as a web application server. I'm also using it as an RGS server.
How has it helped my organization?
AWS has always been my go-to for labs, as I can't afford massive machines at home. Therefore, I go to AWS to test new services. It's a space and energy saver.
What is most valuable?
The amount of bandwidth has been most valuable.
It is stable and does not crash.
The product can scale.
Initially, setting up the product is easy.
What needs improvement?
They have to provide clarity on pricing. It's not transparent. I've never gone to production on AWS, as I've never been clear on what it would cost.
I'd like to test the sign-ons of AWS with Google or Microsoft.
For how long have I used the solution?
I started using the solution since 2016.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable. I've never had a machine go down. There are no bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I'd rate the scalability very high. It can scale to however big you want.
How are customer service and support?
I've never used technical support. I cannot speak to how helpful or responsive they would be.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. It is not overly complex.
What was our ROI?
We have witnessed an ROI while using the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is too complex. I can't understand it. If I have a service and want to launch in AWS, I need to know what it would cost to run it over the course of the year. I need to know the cost of bandwidth and storage. They need to lay out what they are charging and what clients can expect.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I did not evaluate other options previously.
What other advice do I have?
I'm not sure which version of the solution we're using.
I'd advise others to make sure they understand pricing before diving in.
I would rate the solution nine out of ten. I really don't have anything bad to say about its capabilities.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Technical Solution Manager - WebSphere SWG Services at IBM
A stable and scalable solution that is easy to manage
Pros and Cons
- "The most important aspects are that the solution is scalable and easy to manage."
- "The initial setup could be easier because many keys are required for access."
What is our primary use case?
Our company provides customers with business solutions for APIs, data warehousing, and process automation.
We have many clients and a hybrid model. Certain customers prefer on-premises and the rest run the solution from the cloud.
What is most valuable?
The most important aspects are that the solution is scalable and easy to manage.
Amazon provides great services.
What needs improvement?
The initial setup could be easier because many keys are required for access. A more concise or shorter cycle for setup is desired.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for six months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is definitely stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is definitely scalable because it is in the cloud. That is the benefit of moving to cloud-based solutions.
How are customer service and support?
We have not needed technical support.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is definitely complex.
What about the implementation team?
We implement the solution for customers. We have a skilled team so deployments are pretty fast with no challenges.
What other advice do I have?
I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Solution Architect Grade I at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Provides a level of elasticity that enables flexibility for memory and backup features
Pros and Cons
- "Configuration can be changed at any time and it's very scalable."
- "The IP changes whenever we restart which is frustrating."
What is our primary use case?
We don't use all the many features of EC2, we use it mainly for standalone application deployments, and we have auto-scaled and configured it for data storage. It's a domain use case, so we are deploying some specific applications in EC2, and maintaining them.
What is most valuable?
I like that we can change the configuration whenever we need. We can scale up our requirement so that if we want to add more CPU, we can do it. If we want to add more memory or backup features, we can do that. We're also able to configure some elastic file system so that we can extend the memory or the space in which we want to store the data. That elasticity is quite a dynamic configuration of the machine and a feature we use often. Amazon provides good tutorials and free access to them for a year.
What needs improvement?
Amazon has a very dynamic IP. Whenever we restart the machine, the IP gets changed. If you're using a cheaper machine IP, the configuration has to be changed. There are workarounds but it's an issue that could easily be solved. It would be great if Amazon could add additional services into the free tier so that people can explore and add to their knowledge base.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using this solution for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is very good. We haven't faced any downtime or glitches.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This solution is very scalable.
How are customer service and support?
We have not had to connect with the support team because they provide us with a platform for self-service.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very easy and takes about half a day. We're also able to configure some scripts for auto setup. We used one DevOps person from our team to implement the solution. We have automated most things so there's no requirement for maintenance. The solution doesn't require constant monitoring.
What other advice do I have?
I rate this solution nine out of 10.
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.
General Manager at Yokogawa
Easy to use, saves on physical space, and capable of expansion
Pros and Cons
- "The product is easy to set up."
- "If the solution was cheaper, if the price was less, it would be better."
What is our primary use case?
I installed the Windows server using EC2, and I set up some product programs.
What is most valuable?
The product is easy to use.
It can scale up.
The product is easy to set up.
There is no need to have physical space to set up a server in.
What needs improvement?
If the solution was cheaper, if the price was less, it would be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for three or four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is quite a stable, reliable product. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution scales very well. People can expand easily.
I'm not sure how many people use the solution.
How are customer service and support?
I've never contacted technical support. Other colleagues may have; however, I haven't.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We only ever used an on-premises solution. We've never used anything cloud-related.
How was the initial setup?
The setup is very easy. It's not overly difficult.
I'm part of the setup and support team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We'd like the solution to be cheaper.
We pay a monthly fee for licensing. I'd rate the pricing five out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I'd recommend the solution to other users and companies.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
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.

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Updated: April 2025
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