Amazon Web Services (AWS) consists of many different cloud computing products and services in areas like compute, analytics, database, internet of things, networking, storage, serverless, security, etc.
AWS is undoubtedly the leading cloud computing service provider in the world. It has far outpaced its competitors. A report from an independent analyst in 2021 revealed that AWS has over a third of the market at 32.4%, with Azure following behind at 20%, and Google Cloud at 9%.
AWS has 81 availability zones in which its servers are located. These serviced regions are divided in order to allow users to set geographical limits on their services (if they so choose), but also to provide security by diversifying the physical locations in which data is held. Overall, AWS spans 245 countries and territories.
Traditionally, companies looking for large amounts of storage would need to build a physical storage space and maintain it. Storing on a cloud could mean signing a pricey contract for a large amount of storage space that the company could "grow into". Building or buying too little storage could be disastrous if the business took off and expensive if it didn’t.
The same applies to computing power. Companies that experience surge traffic would traditionally end up buying loads of power to sustain their business during peak times. On off-peak times, computing power lay unused, but still costing the firm money.
With AWS, companies pay for what they use. There is no upfront cost to build a storage system and no need to estimate usage. AWS customers use what they need and their costs are scaled automatically and accordingly.
Amazon Web Services is much more secure than a company hosting its own website or storage. AWS currently has dozens of data centers across the globe that are continuously monitored and strictly maintained. The diversification of the data centers ensures that a disaster striking one region doesn’t cause permanent data loss worldwide.
Imagine if Netflix were to have all of its personnel files, content, and backed-up data centralized on-site on the eve of a hurricane. Chaos would ensue.
In fact, localizing data in an easily identifiable location and where hundreds of people can realistically obtain access is unwise. AWS has tried to keep its data centers as hidden as possible, locating them in out-of-the-way locations and allowing access only on an essential basis.
The data centers and all the data contained therein are safe from intrusions, and, with Amazon’s experience in cloud services, outages and potential attacks can be quickly identified and easily remedied, 24 hours a day. The same can’t be said for a small company whose computing is handled by a single IT specialist working out of a large office.
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