AWS database and analytics strategy
Top Stories
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Tip
14 May 2025
Gain insights with Enhanced Monitoring in Amazon RDS
RDS Enhanced Monitoring provides teams with additional data visibility to improve database scalability, performance, availability and cost optimizations. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Mar 2025
When to use Amazon RDS vs. Redshift
Amazon RDS and Redshift are effective data warehousing services, but there are key differences that separate the two. Let's compare Amazon RDS vs. Redshift to find their use cases. Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Jul 2025
What is MySQL?
MySQL is a popular, scalable, user-friendly, open source and free relational database management system (RDBMS) that uses Structured Query Language (SQL) to store, manage, and manipulate data. Continue Reading
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Definition
02 Jun 2025
What is descriptive analytics?
Descriptive analytics is a type of data analytics that looks at past data to give an account of what has happened. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 May 2025
Gain insights with Enhanced Monitoring in Amazon RDS
RDS Enhanced Monitoring provides teams with additional data visibility to improve database scalability, performance, availability and cost optimizations. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Mar 2025
When to use Amazon RDS vs. Redshift
Amazon RDS and Redshift are effective data warehousing services, but there are key differences that separate the two. Let's compare Amazon RDS vs. Redshift to find their use cases. Continue Reading
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Definition
20 Aug 2024
What is AWS Glue?
AWS Glue is a cloud-based and serverless data integration service that helps users to prepare data for analysis through automated extract, transform and load (ETL) processes. Continue Reading
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Definition
29 Jul 2024
What is denormalization and how does it work?
Denormalization is the process of adding precomputed redundant data to an otherwise normalized relational database to improve read performance. Continue Reading
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Definition
29 Jul 2024
What are availability zones?
Availability zones (AZs) are isolated or separated data centers located within specific regions in which public cloud services originate and operate. Continue Reading
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Definition
31 May 2024
CQRS (command query responsibility segregation)
CQRS (command query responsibility segregation) is a programming design and architectural pattern that treats retrieving data and changing data differently. Continue Reading
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Answer
23 May 2024
Compare Amazon Redshift, Athena and EMR for data analysis
Trying to decide among Amazon EMR, Amazon Redshift and Amazon Athena? Check out this overview of capabilities and use cases to help narrow down your choice. Continue Reading
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Definition
25 Apr 2024
logistic regression
Logistic regression, also known as a logit model, is a statistical analysis method to predict a binary outcome, such as yes or no, based on prior observations of a data set. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 Apr 2024
query
A query is a question or a request for information expressed in a formal manner. Continue Reading
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Definition
15 Apr 2024
columnar database
A columnar database (column-oriented) is a database management system (DBMS) that stores data on disk in columns instead of rows. Continue Reading
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Definition
20 Feb 2024
Amazon RDS (Relational Database Service)
Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS) is a managed database service provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS). It makes it easy to set up and operate a scalable relational database in the AWS cloud. Continue Reading
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Definition
06 Feb 2024
data sampling
Data sampling is a statistical analysis technique used to select, manipulate and analyze a representative subset of data points to identify patterns and trends in the larger data set being examined. Continue Reading
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Definition
10 Jan 2024
MPP database (massively parallel processing database)
An MPP database is a database that is optimized to be processed in parallel for many operations to be performed by many processing units at a time. Continue Reading
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Definition
27 Dec 2023
fact table
In data warehousing, a fact table is a database table in a dimensional model. The fact table stores quantitative information for analysis. Continue Reading
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Definition
27 Jul 2023
ACID (atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability)
In transaction processing, ACID (atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability) is an acronym and mnemonic device used to refer to the four essential properties a transaction should possess to ensure the integrity and reliability of the data involved in the transaction. Continue Reading
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Definition
21 Jun 2023
hotkey
A hot key is a key or a combination of keys on a computer keyboard that, when pressed at one time, performs a task (such as starting an application) more quickly than performing a task by using a mouse or other input device. Continue Reading
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Definition
06 Jun 2023
histogram
A histogram is a type of chart that shows the frequency distribution of data points across a continuous range of numerical values. Continue Reading
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Opinion
01 Jun 2023
6 ways Amazon Security Lake could boost security analytics
Amazon's new security-focused data lake holds promise -- including possibly changing the economics around secure data storage. Continue Reading
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Definition
24 May 2023
data streaming
Data streaming is the continuous transfer of data from one or more sources at a steady, high speed for processing into specific outputs. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
26 Apr 2023
How to create a CloudWatch alarm for an EC2 instance
CloudWatch alarms are the building blocks of monitoring and response tools in AWS. Get familiar with them by creating an Amazon CloudWatch alarm for an EC2 instance. Continue Reading
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Definition
29 Jun 2022
Data Definition Language (DDL)
Data Definition Language (DDL) is used to create and modify the structure of objects in a database using predefined commands and a specific syntax. Continue Reading
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News
18 Apr 2022
GoodData to launch fully managed analytics platform on AWS
The vendor unveiled its overhauled suite in June 2021, and in July 2022 expects to make GoodData Cloud generally available to users who prefer not to manage their own deployments. Continue Reading
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News
07 Feb 2022
Analytics database vendor Exasol launches DBaaS on AWS
The OLAP database vendor now has a new cloud service model that provides users with a managed instance for data analysis, business intelligence and machine learning. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jan 2022
IBM ports weather data to AWS Data Exchange feed
Marketers can now tap IBM's Weather Company data feed at the AWS Data Exchange. The question is, will they know how to use it proactively to execute timely campaigns? Continue Reading
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News
03 Dec 2021
AWS cloud database users detail applications
AWS has more than one database to choose from, as the cloud provider aims to provide users like eHealth and HBO Max with technologies to meet different use cases. Continue Reading
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News
01 Dec 2021
AWS aims to ease cloud database management and migration
The tech giant is looking to help its users to better migrate to, manage and operate cloud databases with a series of new data management product releases and updates. Continue Reading
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News
30 Nov 2021
AWS Lake Formation advances cloud data lake control
AWS added new features to its cloud data lake service, featuring Governed Tables to manage consistency of data and row-level access control for security. Continue Reading
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Definition
21 Jun 2021
Amazon Athena
Amazon Athena is a service that enables a data analyst to perform interactive queries in the web-based cloud storage service, Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3). Continue Reading
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Definition
07 Jun 2021
Amazon QuickSight
Amazon QuickSight is a machine learning-powered business intelligence service built for the cloud under the Amazon Web Services (AWS) umbrella. Continue Reading
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Definition
02 Apr 2020
Amazon AppStream
Amazon AppStream is an Amazon Web Service (AWS) that enables compute-intensive applications to be streamed from the cloud to computing devices of all types. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Dec 2019
Set up a data lake on AWS with Lake Formation
Modern businesses must organize an unprecedent amount of information. Find out how AWS Lake Formation can help your business manage and analyze high volumes of data. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Nov 2019
Get to know these AWS hybrid cloud storage and architecture services
Use this breakdown to build a hybrid cloud strategy. Learn the ins and outs of AWS' hybrid cloud capabilities, from AWS Snowball devices to AWS Outposts and VMware Cloud on AWS. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Nov 2019
AWS data lake and data warehouse options for the cloud
Get ready for data analytics in the cloud. Learn the best ways to handle your data on AWS. Distinguish between data lakes and data warehouse services on AWS and how they work. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
31 Oct 2019
AWS month in review: Amazon rolls out RDS on VMware, loses JEDI deal
This month, AWS expanded its hybrid cloud capabilities with RDS on VMware but lost out on the JEDI cloud contract. It also added new EC2 instances with larger network and memory capacity. Continue Reading
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News
17 Oct 2019
AWS launches RDS on VMware as hybrid cloud picture evolves
VMware customers can now run AWS' Relational Database Service in their on-premises clusters, in a move that provides another option for hybrid cloud computing. Continue Reading
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News
15 Oct 2019
Amazon wraps Oracle to AWS migration, looks to poach workloads
Amazon has moved its consumer division's IT operations off of Oracle's database and onto AWS services, a towering effort that gives it a calling card to attract highly critical enterprise workloads. Continue Reading
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News
10 Oct 2019
AWS ups the ante to win SAP cloud ERP workloads
New AWS high-memory instances geared for SAP ERP implementations reflect an ongoing push by hyperscalers for these lucrative workloads. But many SAP customers are early in their move to the cloud. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
30 Sep 2019
AWS updates: Amazon QLDB hits, S3 expands, new instances arrive
This month AWS finally went live with Amazon QLDB. The AWS ledger database is another way for users to tailor data storage to their needs on the platform. AWS also introduced same-region S3 ... Continue Reading
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News
15 Aug 2019
Globe and Mail's AWS migration drives digital engagement
Canadian news outlet The Globe and Mail has broadly adopted AWS cloud services in a bid to increase reader engagement and digital subscription revenue. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Aug 2019
What you need to know about Cloudera vs. AWS for big data
Enterprises in need of a big data platform must run some analytics of their own to choose a vendor. AWS' integration between services can't be beat, but is Cloudera a better choice? Continue Reading
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News
06 Aug 2019
Amazon's PartiQL query language eyes all data sources
PartiQL, a multisource query language developed internally at Amazon, is now open sourced under Apache 2.0, and may benefit enterprises with complex data-management needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 May 2019
Set and track backup activity with the AWS Backup service
AWS Backup service configures, tracks and manages backups across multiple data storage services. It can save time and resources, but still has limitations. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Apr 2019
DocumentDB vs. DynamoDB: Compare AWS NoSQL databases
Infrastructure and cost management will be key factors if you have to decide between DocumentDB and DynamoDB. Learn how the two AWS document database services differ. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Apr 2019
Oracle vs. AWS: Compare cloud databases, PaaS and SaaS
Oracle and AWS gear their clouds toward different users, so it's important to know where your organization falls. See which database, PaaS and SaaS options match your requirements. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Mar 2019
Words to go: AWS databases
AWS has an expansive list of database services. Check out these brief overviews of each one to avoid confusion and get a sense for which could meet your IT demands. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Mar 2019
Accelerate data migration with AWS DataSync
Dig into the details of AWS DataSync, such as deployment options and availability. Compare it to similar AWS services and see how it can fit into an organization's cloud strategy. Continue Reading
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News
14 Mar 2019
Gogo's migration to AWS doesn't mean lock-in
In-flight broadband service provider Gogo has joined other companies with an all-in cloud push toward AWS, while keeping an eye on portability and its long-term options. Continue Reading
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Opinion
15 Feb 2019
AWS' blockchain approach takes divergent paths
AWS was slow to embrace blockchain but now offers two approaches to the concept. Review the specs of Quantum Ledger Database and Amazon Managed Blockchain. Continue Reading
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Definition
17 Jan 2019
Amazon Aurora
Amazon Aurora is a relational database engine from Amazon Web Services. The engine is MySQL-compatible, which means code, applications and drivers used in databases relying on MySQL can be used in Aurora with minimal or no changes. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Jan 2019
Follow these steps for an Oracle-to-AWS migration
AWS represents the first viable alternative to Oracle for many organizations. Review your options, and follow these steps for a successful database move to the cloud. Continue Reading
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News
11 Jan 2019
AWS, MongoDB database collision stirs open source tensions
AWS' DocumentDB managed database service takes aim at the popular MongoDB NoSQL database and stirs up controversy over the rules of engagement for open source software. Continue Reading
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Definition
09 Jan 2019
Amazon Connect
Amazon Connect is an Amazon Web Services (AWS) public cloud customer contact center service. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Jan 2019
RDS on VMware extends AWS' hybrid strategy
RDS on premises expands the AWS and VMware relationship, but adoption will depend on the breadth of capabilities for the managed database service. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Dec 2018
Weigh your AWS database options before a migration
A database migration can be quite messy. Determine your requirements and whether native Amazon services can meet them before you do a complete on-prem database teardown. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Dec 2018
DynamoDB pricing option makes it a go-to for serverless apps
DynamoDB had its drawbacks, but the addition of on-demand billing and ACID transactions makes it a solid database option for serverless applications. Continue Reading
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Definition
20 Nov 2018
Amazon Redshift Spectrum
Amazon Redshift Spectrum is a feature within Amazon Web Services' Redshift data warehousing service that lets a data analyst conduct fast, complex analysis on objects stored on the AWS cloud. Continue Reading
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News
14 Nov 2018
AWS, Oracle trash talk spotlights cloud database migration
Amazon says its consumer division has dumped Oracle's database platform, and the company will offload most workloads by year's end. Will it inspire AWS customers to do the same? Continue Reading
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Blog Post
31 Oct 2018
AWS month in review: Amazon Lightsail, Lambda updates
Developers can access managed databases through Amazon Lightsail, run longer function executions and rely on a Lambda SLA. These were some of the notable updates to AWS in October -- a month that ... Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Oct 2018
Compare AWS data lakes with S3 against HDFS
An S3 data lake streamlines the analysis of data that lives exclusively on AWS infrastructure but presents limitations for those who want to move beyond the Amazon ecosystem. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Oct 2018
Explore Aurora Serverless capabilities for enterprise use
Users should explore the potential benefits and disadvantages of AWS' serverless database option before they jump in and focus on which environments the service fits best. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Sep 2018
Expanded DynamoDB features might come up short for some
Expanded features for DynamoDB target tedious workarounds for availability and backups, but might only appeal to large enterprises with massive heaps of data. Continue Reading
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News
27 Sep 2018
Amazon Aurora Parallel Query blurs database lines
AWS continues to add features to its managed transactional database service. The latest takes advantage of Aurora's scale-out approach to potentially double query speed. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Aug 2018
Ensure AWS video file conversion doesn't break the bank
Video file conversion can be a costly but necessary task for enterprises to reach their customers. Find the right mix of functionality and price with these services. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Aug 2018
AWS IoT Analytics churns device data into insights
To tap into the business value of IoT data, organizations first need the right set of tools. Compare these AWS analytics services and the features they bring to the table. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Jul 2018
Perform an Amazon RDS failover with minimal downtime
Walk through this example of an RDS failover process using the Amazon Aurora engine to minimize production downtime and maintain performance in your cloud environment. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Jul 2018
BigQuery vs. Redshift debate centers around cost, management
Google BigQuery and Amazon Redshift remain two popular options for a data warehouse in the cloud. But, to choose between them, enterprises need to factor in some distinct differences. Continue Reading
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Answer
31 Jul 2018
When should data normalization occur in Amazon DynamoDB?
Not sure when to normalize data in Amazon DynamoDB? Follow these three examples to learn more about the normalization process and how it can play a role in this AWS database. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Jul 2018
Amazon Neptune arms analytics teams with graph databases
Turn to a graph database to put aside table joins for good. With Amazon Neptune, a developer can assess and query relationships between data sets. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Apr 2018
Five tips to ease your AWS data migration effort
Before migrating data to AWS, an enterprise must be mindful of security and networking challenges, as well as carefully select the best storage and database options for its needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Mar 2018
Build a data lake in AWS for analytics success
It can feel overwhelming to migrate data to AWS for analysis. But, while there are challenges, Quick Start guides and services like Snowball and Glue ease the process. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Mar 2018
Try this data science experiment for deep learning insights
Deep learning professionals require a specific set of skills and tools. Follow this simple example of a data science project to learn more about the technology and related careers. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Feb 2018
DynamoDB features recharge AWS database service
Developers who got sick of AWS' roundabout backup method for DynamoDB can breathe a sigh of relief. Backup and Restore, as well as Global Tables, eliminate cumbersome processes. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jan 2018
Dive into AWS data lakes for analytics projects
Data lakes on AWS can provide a treasure trove of information -- if you can work past complexity and management issues. Test the water with these cloud services. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Jan 2018
Aurora Serverless leads next wave of cloud database features
IT teams face a notoriously difficult task when it comes to database scaling and management. New Amazon Aurora features can ease some of these woes and potentially reduce costs. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Jan 2018
Amazon QuickSight tutorial: Get started with data analysis
While Amazon QuickSight comes with some tradeoffs that data scientists should note, this tutorial walks you through key features that might be of interest to your analytics team. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Dec 2017
Common Amazon EBS performance issues, and how to troubleshoot them
Having EBS trouble? You're not alone. Use these troubleshooting tips to work through common EBS issues, such as stuck volumes and slow performance. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Sep 2017
Amazon DAX manages database spikes for improved performance
The DynamoDB Accelerator reduces database latency without tacking on a separate cache. While the service has some early limitations, DAX benefits enterprises with real-time apps. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Jun 2017
Improve query performance, cut costs with Amazon Athena
Amazon Athena can query more data formats than its competitor Google BigQuery, but developers must choose easy-to-process formats to enjoy Athena's benefits. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Feb 2017
When and how to use a FIFO queue in SQS
Using FIFO queues in Amazon SQS support Exactly-Once Processing and keep tasks in order. But they can create bottlenecks if used with the wrong workloads. Continue Reading
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Answer
12 Oct 2016
Which caching engines does Amazon ElastiCache support?
Amazon ElastiCache supports Redis and Memcached as in-memory caching engines. What are the main features of each and how do they differ? Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Aug 2016
DynamoDB Streams keep database tables in sync
Developers who want to deploy localized apps in different regions should know about database synchronization challenges. DynamoDB Streams and Lambda can ensure tables are updated. Continue Reading
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Answer
20 Jul 2016
What features are involved with Amazon Glacier backup storage?
We'd like to move infrequently accessed data to cold storage to save money. How does Amazon Glacier work and what are some of the main features? Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Mar 2016
Set up and stream CloudFront video and audio
Netflix and Samsung are two of several companies relying on AWS' streaming video platform, Amazon CloudFront. Here's a step-by-step on how to set up the streaming service. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Aug 2015
How does AWS Simple Email Service differ from my email server?
Our business sends promotional emails and newsletters. We like our current email server, but could AWS Simple Email Service help with our marketing efforts? Continue Reading
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Guide
24 Aug 2015
AWS analytics tools help make sense of big data
The data analytics market is rising with the popularity of cloud computing. As the leader in the public cloud, AWS drives the next generation of big data processing. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jan 2015
Setting up a CloudFront distribution on AWS S3
AWS CloudFront works with a range of other services, including EC2 and S3. Follow these steps to set up a CloudFront distribution from an S3 bucket. Continue Reading
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Answer
14 Jan 2015
Advantages of Amazon RDS vs. a personal relational database
One of the advantages of developers using Amazon RDS instead of managing their own databases is that it reduces or eliminates their administrative responsibilities. Continue Reading