Amazon SageMaker Reviews

We use Amazon SageMaker primarily for training and deploying end-to-end models for our specific use cases. We take models from the interface and deploy them to the staging environment, ensuring they are monitored 24/7. This tool is essential for deploying models. 

The most tool's valuable feature, in my experience, is hyperparameter tuning. It allows us to test different parameters for the same model in parallel, which helps us quickly identify the configuration that yields the highest accuracy. This parallel computing capability saves us a lot of time. 

One area where Amazon SageMaker could improve is its pricing. The high costs can drive companies to explore other cloud options. Additionally, while generally good, the updates sometimes come with bugs, and the documentation could be much better. More examples and clearer guidance would be helpful.

I have been working with the product for six to seven months. 

The solution is a stable product.

My company has 300 to 400 users. The solution is scalable. 

We contacted AWS support, and we are happy with them. 

We are AWS partners and blindly go with AWS products. 

Regarding the initial installation, setup, and deployment, I would rate it as medium difficulty. Since it operates within the AWS ecosystem, you must follow specific rules and understand how AWS works. It can take around four to five months to fully deploy a model, understand its running and training processes, and get everything set up properly.

If you want to use Amazon SageMaker for the first time, I would advise completing one of the AWS certifications and reading the documentation thoroughly. Having someone experienced with the product to guide you can also be very helpful.

Despite its high price, the tool is continually evolving, and updates are frequent and relevant. However, due to its pricing and some issues, I would rate it a seven out of ten.

Our primary use case is to build machine learning models and manage them using Amazon SageMaker. We use various tools provided by SageMaker, such as the studio for machine learning, pre-processing data using Wrangler, and deploying models. Some users prefer using Jupyter notebooks for their own libraries while others use features like Jumpstart or Autopilot.

One of the most valuable features of Amazon SageMaker for me is the one-touch deployment, which simplifies the process greatly. Additionally, I appreciate the flexibility that the notebook provides, as it allows me to experiment with scripts. 

The solution offers the SageMaker Model Monitor, which helps monitor deployed models for performance issues like bias and drift. Also, the high scalability of SageMaker allows us not to worry about the underlying infrastructure, as it automatically adjusts based on demands.

The dashboard could be improved by including more features and providing more information about deployed models, their drift, performance, scaling, and customization options.

I have been working with Amazon SageMaker for about three years.

The stability of the solution is generally about an eight out of ten. Most instabilities arise from initial configuration errors rather than the infrastructure itself. Ensuring that the correct setup is chosen from the start minimizes these issues.

Amazon SageMaker is highly scalable, rated ten out of ten. It can scale up according to the demands detected by CloudWatch, providing a seamless experience without needing to manage the underlying infrastructure.

The customer service and support are rated as a five out of ten. The level of support depends on whether we are a premium AWS customer or not, with premium customers receiving better and more immediate support.

Neutral

The initial setup of SageMaker can be challenging for beginners, rated as a six, but easier for those with a background in machine learning, rated as a nine out of ten. Experience with machine learning is crucial for a straightforward setup. Without it, understanding the roles of different features can be a stumbling block.

Pricing is rated as a six, which is slightly more expensive compared to the budget yet adequate for the capabilities provided. On average, customers pay about $300,000 USD per month.

On a scale from one to ten, where ten is the best, I rate Amazon SageMaker as a nine. For new users evaluating SageMaker, it is important to remember that it takes some learning, however, the solution is straightforward and beneficial. There are no special prerequisites except having an account.

We use Amazon SageMaker for model deployment, hosting, and monitoring.

There is a lot of control in the solution over which terms you want to pick and choose. You don't have to pick the end-to-end machine learning operation solution. You can just choose deployment or training if you want, a benefit I saw in the solution.

You can leverage AWS's accelerated hardware to run your machine learning models, which is beneficial for improving a model's performance in terms of runtime, which is how long it takes to execute. Amazon SageMaker is an AWS product, and the company I work for already hosts all its services on AWS. Everything works well together if you're already on AWS.

Amazon SageMaker is expensive. It is more expensive than Databricks because it has a pay-as-you-go model with SageMaker.

The pricing of the solution is an issue.

In SageMaker, the monitoring does not support data captured in a protocol called protobuf since it only accepts JSON and CSV. We use protobuf to exchange messages. We have to write our own logic to serialize protobuf, which is more work, and it'd be better if SageMaker provided out-of-the-box support for that.

In SageMaker, monitoring could be improved by supporting more data types other than JSON and CSV. Amazon SageMaker can start with Protobuf since it is a popular messaging protocol.

I have been using Amazon SageMaker for six months. We are using the latest version of the solution. My company has a partnership with Amazon.

I can't comment on the solution's stability because it's still in production.

The solution is easy to scale.

We have B2C Customers for the product, which would include over two million monthly recurring users.

I have not contacted Amazon regarding the support.

The documentation and online community support have been sufficient for us so far.

There is nothing to install since it is all cloud-based.

Deployments are a matter of minutes, depending on what kind of tool you use. I use AWS CDK for deployment, and with CDK, if you know what you're doing, it takes 15 minutes.

The solution is deployed on a public cloud.

The number of people required for deployment depends on the company and how fast they want to get it done. I had once completed PoC and the implementation part, and it took me some time, but deploying it alone is not an end-to-end solution. The deployment process requires the expertise of data scientists to build the model and an engineer to deploy it. Deployment would involve a maximum of two individuals.

Technically, you shouldn't need anyone because it's AWS-managed services.

The solution's worth depends on the company's use cases. For us, the solution is valid because we already run on AWS.

There is no license required for the solution since you can use it on demand.

Amazon SageMaker is definitely not the best product out there. I recommend that one can quickly do prototyping on SageMaker. It is easy to take your workload to the AWS Cloud. Amazon SageMaker's setup is very fast, so you'll be able to validate all your hypotheses pretty fast.

Overall, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.

The primary use case of Amazon SageMaker is for training a small AI module for learning purposes. It was used for the training of a small machine learning model.

I appreciate the ease of use in Amazon SageMaker. I have not explored many features, as I am not deeply involved yet, but I aim to enhance my skills in the future. 

Based on my existing experience, it was straightforward to train a small machine-learning model. I initially used AWS Skill Builder for guidance, making it manageable without encountering challenges. 

In scalability, I found it highly scalable, having used the Jupyter notebook and other tools. By scaling the model, I've had a positive experience.

I would recommend having more walkthrough videos and articles beyond AWS Skill Builder. There should be additional articles within the services.

In terms of stability, I have not experienced any breakdowns. Although I have heard reports that it might break, I have personally never faced any issues with the stability of Amazon SageMaker.

I found that Amazon SageMaker is highly scalable. I used the Jupyter notebook and explored other available tools, which were useful depending on what I utilized. I plan to enhance my model in the future, which will allow me to share more about scalability once I fully scale the models.

The support team of Amazon is excellent. I found them to be very good.

Positive

I have not used anything else in cloud computing. Amazon SageMaker was my entry-level experience in cloud computing.

I would give Amazon SageMaker a solid score of eight out of ten since I have not used much of its services. 

Based on the small model I trained, I would recommend it to others. I have already recommended it to some colleagues, batchmates, and fellows. My advice to newcomers would be to look for walkthrough videos and articles to aid in their learning.

I am currently using SageMaker for a range of tasks including data cleaning, data visualization, exploratory data analysis, data labeling, training, and deploying models. I am also using it for machine learning projects.

Amazon SageMaker has accelerated our machine learning development, improved scalability, optimized resource use, and reduced costs, enabling us to deliver faster, more efficient, and scalable ML solutions.

SageMaker is a comprehensive platform where I can perform all machine learning activities. Specifically, the notebook feature is beneficial because it allows me to do everything from data cleaning to model training, dataset transformation, and data visualization on a single platform.

I had to create custom templates for labeling multi-data sets, such as text and images, which was time-consuming. It would be appreciated if SageMaker made it more adaptable for different types of datasets instead of just specific ones.

There have been no performance or stability issues with SageMaker.

SageMaker is scalable.

I have not used customer support services. However, I did receive notifications regarding resource usage, such as a restart notice during long computations.

Positive

I have worked with generative AI, LLM models, APIs from Google, GPT, and Llama.

I switched because Amazon sagemaker comprises of most activities I needed from other different solutions. 

The initial setup was very straightforward with a left-side panel aiding in easy navigation. It was quite simple and user-friendly.

If you are not on the free tier, SageMaker might be expensive, especially if you forget to shut down running applications. However, since I am using some free-tier services, cost efficiency is not a concern for me.

I have worked with other solutions such as generative AI models and APIs from other providers. I have used Jupyter notebook via Anaconda, VSCode and Google Collab for my day to day machine learning tasks.

I would recommend SageMaker because it serves as a one-stop solution where everything needed for machine learning can be done in a single platform, without looking for other platforms to perform individual tasks.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

We use Amazon SageMaker for a specific project involving an airline company to analyze historical flight data. Initially, we created a proof of concept locally and then developed a data pipeline to enhance the flow for large data models. This project benefited from SageMaker's ability to handle large data with TensorFlow, leading to a more efficient MLOps process.

SageMaker has streamlined the process for us, particularly in handling TensorFlow and making data management auto-scalable. This has allowed for a more efficient process, especially when discussing with DevOps about MLOps capabilities.

The most important feature is the ease of controlling costs with pricing calculators, which is crucial due to our limited budget. The low-code MLOps aspect simplifies data science work and makes it accessible for engineers without a DevOps background. It's user-friendly for business teams as they can understand many aspects through the AWS interface.

While not specific to SageMaker, I've observed a trend where companies are more attracted to the marketing of Gemini and GPT, leading some to migrate their pipelines to these platforms. Amazon might need to emphasize its capabilities in generative models more effectively.

SageMaker has proven to be stable with only one issue in our history, which is impressive.

Before SageMaker, pipelines were created manually. Since using SageMaker, I've been impressed with its high scalability, rating it a ten out of ten.

We have used free support tickets, and the response time is normal, usually in one or two days.

Positive

The initial setup was not complex, taking us about one month to fully understand and set it up, with the actual setup time being around one to two weeks.

We managed the implementation with two people focusing on understanding and making additional tests.

Compared to other top cloud services like Azure and Google Cloud in Brazil, AWS pricing is competitive and merits a rating of five out of ten.

We are migrating some models to Azure to evaluate its GPT enterprise version.

It's important for new users to clearly define the testing process and understand what they aim to achieve. SageMaker facilitates a fast, secure, and scalable MLOps process.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

In my projects, I work with Amazon SageMaker to do face recognition using Amazon SageMaker and Amazon Lex. The platform is used for integrated development and utilizes features like Amazon Cognition for analyzing images and videos, as well as comparing images.

Amazon SageMaker provides a structured workflow from data sourcing, data processing, and data labeling to model training and deployment. This end-to-end workflow simplifies tasks and avoids confusion with other platforms, enhancing our efficiency. Moreover, its performance is commendable, especially in terms of computing speed, saving time effectively.

SageMaker offers functionalities like Jupyter Notebooks for development, built-in algorithms, model tuning, and options to deploy models on managed infrastructure. These features simplify the end-to-end machine learning workflow, including data labeling, preparation, reprocessing, training, deployment, and monitoring.

The user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) of SageMaker and AWS, in general, need improvement as they are not intuitive and require substantial time to learn how to use specific services. 

Additionally, the platform struggles with tuning large models, which is a significant limitation.

I have been working with SageMaker for five or six months.

I haven't faced any performance or stability issues with SageMaker.

Adding additional resources or scaling up to meet demand is not as straightforward as I would like.

I have not had any experience interacting with customer support or technical support for SageMaker.

Positive

I have not used other AI development platforms like Azure or GCP in my current work. My use of SageMaker is based primarily on its integration into our existing workflows.

I can't remember the initial setup process clearly after three months. However, there was a learning curve involved when I began using SageMaker.

I am unsure about the size of the implementation team specific to the use of SageMaker, however, it was used by our team of ten people.

The pricing is based on usage, and I find it reasonable for what we use it for.

I suggest SageMaker for anyone looking to facilitate an end-to-end machine learning workflow, from preparing data to deploying models, due to its comprehensive feature set.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

I mainly use SageMaker for deploying, using, and running our models.

SageMaker would be improved with the addition of reporting services. In addition, the models available in SageMaker are not enough for most of our use cases and require customization to be useful.

I've been using SageMaker for six to eight months.

We've had no problems with SageMaker's stability.

We are premium partners with AWS, so we have complete 24/7 support from them.

The initial setup was very easy and quick, though deploying using cloud formation templates was difficult for us.

We used an in-house team.

SageMaker is worth the money for our use case.

I would give SageMaker a rating of six out of ten.