Tips

Tips

• Assess VMC on AWS benefits against possible tradeoffs

  AWS provides the types of benefits many VMware -- and Amazon -- users want, despite some tradeoffs for those more accustomed to vSphere on premises.  Continue Reading

• Public snapshots pose significant Amazon EBS security risks

  Exposed EBS snapshots can leave volumes open to public intrusion or manipulation. Manage your snapshot settings carefully to protect your EC2 data.  Continue Reading

• Plan ahead for app portability in multi-cloud deployments

  For dev teams who work primarily with AWS, multi-cloud presents some challenges. Explore these ways to ensure app portability and whether that flexibility is worth the effort.  Continue Reading

• Weigh Amazon SageMaker ease of use against needed AI skills

  SageMaker shouldn't be viewed as the AWS machine learning cure-all but, instead, as a potential option for developers with some AI and data analysis background.  Continue Reading

• Note these Amazon Lex chatbot integrations, limits

  Amazon Lex opens the door for conversational interactions with apps. But, while it's easy to create a chatbot, you must have the right pieces in place to take advantage of Lex.  Continue Reading

• Enlist AWS IoT security tools to defend your network

  The internet of things offers great promise but introduces some unique risks. Research common vulnerabilities and follow best practices to secure your AWS IoT deployment.  Continue Reading

• Learn the basics of Amazon EFS to find the right storage fit

  While EFS offers features that S3 doesn't, Elastic File System isn't necessarily the right AWS storage service for all enterprise needs. Use this overview to weigh your options.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Weigh the pros, cons of AWS CodeCommit for source control

  Before developers commit to AWS' native source control service, they should carefully evaluate the benefits and tradeoffs compared to alternatives like GitHub.  Continue Reading

• Use AWS SAM to consistently manage serverless apps

  AWS Serverless Application Model can simplify the management of serverless apps. Use this step-by-step example to get started with the service.  Continue Reading

• Debug more quickly with AWS CodeBuild local support

  AWS CodeBuild's local features serve as much-needed support for dev teams that can't afford lengthy wait times. Here's how to implement these features to ramp up development.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Assess AWS serverless costs and learn how to reduce them

  Serverless architectures help teams deploy to production faster but also introduce an entirely new cost structure. Use this step-by-step example to know what to expect on a bill.  Continue Reading

• Breadth of AWS features acts as a double-edged sword for IT

  AWS offers a wide variety of cloud tools but, in some cases, still lacks the core IT management and ops features that enterprises crave.  Continue Reading

• AWS Shield provides DDoS attack protection as threats mount

  DDoS attacks continue to grow in sophistication, and enterprises need to be on alert. AWS Shield provides two tiers of automatic protection, but are they enough?  Continue Reading

• Use service-linked IAM roles to simplify user permissions

  While AWS IAM enables control over a cloud environment, it can become a management nightmare. Automate part of this process via service-linked roles to free up time for other tasks.  Continue Reading

• AWS low-code strategy hones in on back-end services

  AWS has yet to unveil a native and general-purpose low-code platform, but some of its services, such as Lex and Sumerian, seem to endorse that model.  Continue Reading

• AWS termination protection acts as resource safety belt

  In the push to get applications to production quickly, mistakes can happen. But you can avoid potentially disastrous AWS resource deletion through these features and strategies.  Continue Reading

• How AWS Fargate reduces container management burdens

  Enterprises face a number of management challenges when they adopt containers. While AWS Fargate eliminates some of these hurdles, be sure to mind your bill.  Continue Reading

• Build an AWS incident response plan in 4 key steps

  Enterprises should develop and test an incident response plan for an AWS deployment -- before a hack ever occurs. Follow these four steps to get started.  Continue Reading

• Cost to run EC2 instances vs. Docker containers

  Fans of Docker claim it has many advantages for application deployment. But how does this translate in AWS? We do a trial run to compare costs.  Continue Reading

• To secure AWS, a human touch goes a long way

  Even with recent advancements around cloud automation, security and resiliency still require a human touch. Sharpen your skills to keep AWS disruption-free.  Continue Reading

• Three AWS budget challenges that plague enterprises

  Based on their size, companies face unique challenges around budget management in the cloud. Follow this expert advice to keep your costs in check.  Continue Reading

• Implement AWS billing alerts to stay on budget

  AWS offers compute power at your fingertips, but cloud resources can quickly drive up costs if users aren't careful. Stay within your budget with AWS billing alarms and metrics.  Continue Reading

• Assess five ways to deploy AWS containers to production

  Enterprises can choose from a range of AWS container deployment options. To make the right choice, they should first consider how much control they want over the infrastructure.  Continue Reading

• Compare dedicated cloud connections from AWS, Azure and GCP

  Leading public cloud providers offer dedicated, albeit different, options to help enterprises securely connect to off-premises resources. Here's a breakdown of your options.  Continue Reading

• Navigate the AWS Lambda lifecycle to give functions a tuneup

  Concurrency limits and cold starts affect the performance of Lambda functions. Gain a deeper understanding of how the service really works to cut down on unnecessary delays.  Continue Reading

• Tips and tools to give AWS network performance a jolt

  Don't wait for network performance to lag to do something about it. Proactively monitor AWS workloads to identify troublesome areas that can disrupt the end-user experience.  Continue Reading

• Rotate AWS access keys to boost cloud security

  Access key rotation helps an enterprise avoid security lapses, and you can do it without disrupting your cloud environment. Follow these five steps to secure cloud access.  Continue Reading

• AWS development services push apps from code to production

  To create an AWS deployment pipeline, developers use various tools, including CodeCommit and CodeDeploy, to build and rigorously test their applications.  Continue Reading

• Why take the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam?

  Even if you're not an IT pro, you can ace the AWS certification exam. Break down the communication walls between nontechnical staff and cloud experts by obtaining this AWS certification.  Continue Reading

• Amazon FreeRTOS aims to simplify, secure IoT deployment

  Operational technology teams have been slow to update microcontroller software due to safety and logistics concerns, but Amazon FreeRTOS aims to ease that process for AWS users.  Continue Reading

• Support for Node.js in AWS Lambda slowly, but surely, evolves

  Developers who need the latest version of Node.js for a serverless platform might turn to Lambda rivals to meet that need. But AWS' slow pace of support has quickened -- somewhat.  Continue Reading

• Protect your serverless app with this mix of AWS tools

  As they move to serverless platforms, such as Lambda, development and operations teams need to acquire a new mindset -- and set of tools -- to keep their workloads safe.  Continue Reading

• How Amazon Transcribe opens the door for speech recognition

  Amazon's audio transcription service, Transcribe, has caught developers' eyes for a number of reasons, but make sure its early limitations don't land you in trouble.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Mind sensitive data during a hybrid cloud migration

  Many organizations fret over the security of sensitive data in hybrid cloud. And while that fear isn't totally irrational, there are solid options to keep your workloads safe.  Continue Reading

• Management tools emerge from VMware-AWS partnership

  VMware provides a series of tools, including Discovery, Cost Insight and Wavefront, to lighten the multi-cloud management burden for VMware Cloud on AWS customers.  Continue Reading

• How Amazon Comprehend works for basic text analysis

  Amazon's text analysis service, Comprehend, parses documents for key phrases, sentiment and more. But there are volume and input limitations to mind.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Zero-trust model boosts AWS infrastructure security

  Security worries slowed early cloud adoption, and while many organizations eventually migrated, they failed to lock down access. Here's one way to combat that problem.  Continue Reading

• HIPAA-eligible services nudge enterprises toward compliance

  While certain services on AWS can help you ensure HIPAA compliance, don't view them as a complete replacement for proper security checks and approval processes.  Continue Reading

• Azure and AWS continue their race for public cloud dominance

  In the battle between public cloud vendors, Microsoft hopes its large enterprise customer base and a focus on hybrid cloud can help it close the gap with AWS.  Continue Reading

• AWS Direct Connect gateway grants your network global access

  Large global enterprises will welcome AWS Direct Connect gateways, which enable multi-region connections to VPCs. However, some limitations to the service still exist.  Continue Reading

• 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

• How cloud vets can advance along an AWS career path

  Cloud training companies often gear their material toward newcomers. But experienced cloud professionals can enhance their knowledge, too, with some dedication.  Continue Reading

• How to deploy IoT Lambda on AWS Greengrass-connected hardware

  Not all Lambda functions are built the same. Follow this advice, and implement best practices to account for Lambda limitations and features in Greengrass edge deployments.  Continue Reading

• Latest AWS machine learning service takes aim at AI novices

  The latest service in AWS' AI portfolio, Amazon SageMaker, is designed to simplify the deployment of new machine learning models, but still requires data science skills.  Continue Reading

• EKS enters the fray of container orchestrator options

  Amazon EKS relieves some of the headaches that have plagued the provider's Elastic Container Service. Here's an overview of key features and how to get started with a migration.  Continue Reading

• Manage APIs with microservices in a Lambda architecture

  When you use Serverless Framework in an AWS environment, you might run into resource limits. Chris Moyer explains how to use microservices to avoid this problem.  Continue Reading

• M EC2 instance family offers versatile compute, at a price

  General-purpose EC2 instances, like the M and T series, fit many types of applications. But before you rush to use them, know your workloads and how much capacity they need.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Three Amazon AI-based projects to get your dev team rolling

  Amazon AI technologies expand capabilities for enterprise developers. Try out these sample AI projects to familiarize yourself with deep learning and image recognition features.  Continue Reading

• AWS container services evolve, but remain a work in progress

  At re:Invent, AWS made a number of enhancements to its container services portfolio. But its bedrock container orchestration service, Amazon ECS, still vexes some dev teams.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• 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

• CloudFormation StackSets drive cross-account automation

  AWS gave its automation capabilities a boost with the release of CloudFormation StackSets, a feature that lets dev teams deploy stacks across multiple accounts and regions.  Continue Reading

• Work Lambda into Amazon SQS queues to prevent backlogs

  Amazon SQS enables users to process and track tasks in a queue. Combine it with Lambda and CloudWatch to add extra message processing functionality.  Continue Reading

• Reduce AWS costs with volume discounts, Reserved Instances

  AWS volume discounts sound simple -- the more you buy, the less you pay. But cost savings can vary based on the services you use and whether Reserved Instances play a role.  Continue Reading

• SAM Local enables offline development for serverless apps

  Serverless computing is a draw for developers, though hybrid functionality has been limited. AWS' SAM Local now enables local testing of Lambda functions -- but faces competition.  Continue Reading

• AWS root account access is a treasure for attackers

  Don't fall victim to a hacked root account. Create and work within new AWS accounts, and then apply the least amount of privilege necessary to prevent a costly mistake.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• Know your AWS downtime limits

  Enterprises have different standards of downtime tolerance, which often vary between applications. Properly set your expectations and avoid unnecessary -- and unwanted -- downtime.  Continue Reading

• Examine AWS X-Ray for app performance management

  AWS X-Ray gives developers a more detailed view of distributed and serverless applications. But if they want to use multiple clouds or other services, it's not a good fit.  Continue Reading

• Use AWS Batch -- not Lambda -- for these workloads

  AWS Batch makes it easier to automatically spin up EC2 instances and boost capacity to provision resources for uneven application workloads.  Continue Reading

• AWS certification types with the most street cred

  Passing an AWS certification exam is often a top benchmark on a cloud pro's resume. These AWS certifications are considered the most difficult -- and valuable.  Continue Reading

• Build Docker container images with AWS CodeBuild

  AWS CodeBuild is a developer tool that automates tasks, such as software releases, and enables IT teams to build and push containers to a registry within minutes.  Continue Reading

• Amazon Route 53 benefits include efficient domain management

  There are many domain hosting options, but Amazon Route 53 stands out from the pack for resolution speed -- especially among AWS users. Route 53 offers these benefits for users.  Continue Reading

• AWS Lambda functions have storage capacity, longevity limitations

  AWS Lambda's high scalability can serve as a limitation, as data can be lost if too much strain is placed on the data store. These methods can work around Lambda memory limitations.  Continue Reading

• How Oracle licensing on AWS affects portability

  AWS works with software vendors to make cloud workloads more portable, but some vendors have licensing restrictions that could complicate BYOL.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Real-time app development helps minimize delays

  The differences between real-time and near real-time application development are invisible to the naked eye, but everyone suffers from delays in app builds and execution.  Continue Reading

• Benefits of moving from EC2-Classic to VPC

  AWS replaced EC2-Classic instances with Virtual Private Cloud to help enterprises better secure networks and resources. Here's how the two instances differ and how to migrate to VPC.  Continue Reading

• Custom AWS metrics maximize use of CloudWatch Logs

  Unlike standard app dev methods, serverless computing with AWS Lambda does not enable easy debugging. These tools can help developers keep an eye out for Lambda errors.  Continue Reading

• Craft a business continuity plan to maximize AWS uptime

  Strong business continuity plans start with an evaluation of needs. Native and third-party disaster recovery tools fit into a BC plan to protect cloud data and workloads.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Control AWS traffic with routing policies

  AWS offers four routing policies in Amazon Route 53 Traffic Flow. While each option balances heavy traffic loads, admins must consider each policy's specific uses.  Continue Reading

• Master Amazon CloudWatch metrics to track AWS use

  Amazon CloudWatch enables administrators to track resources using metrics and log files. Admins should get to know the terminology as well as ins and outs of the auditing service.  Continue Reading

• How do we license Windows Server on AWS?

  Our enterprise has been wary of licensing issues, but we'd like to move Microsoft-based workloads to AWS. How can we migrate those workloads without violating licenses?  Continue Reading

• Amazon Inspector gives dev automated security assessment

  Cloud vulnerabilities can quickly evolve into security threats; vigilance is a key in identifying weaknesses. Amazon Inspector detects common weaknesses, providing peace of mind.  Continue Reading

• Steps to generate an HTTP response header with AWS Lambda

  Some AWS users have difficulty setting HTTP response headers based on Lambda functions. Chris Moyer explains how to accomplish that task, and how it can be helpful for developers.  Continue Reading

• AWS CodeCommit triggers bolster use of Git

  AWS CodeCommit allows admins to manage Git repositories. AWS recently added support for triggers, giving IT teams the ability to respond to events and accelerate app deployments.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Dive into AWS Lambda example code for S3 alerts

  The functionality of AWS Lambda continues to grow as developers customize the service. Learn how to configure the service to send text messages for S3 changes.  Continue Reading

• What to know before going all-in with AWS AppStream

  While a valuable service for AWS users looking to connect to different types of devices, AppStream has network and security limitations IT professionals should consider.  Continue Reading

• Elastic Load Balancing tricks for AWS applications

  Improperly configuring Elastic Load Balancing and Auto Scaling Groups in Elastic Beanstalk can harm AWS app performance. Avoid these setup mistakes.  Continue Reading

• 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

• When and how to use the AWS Command Line Interface

  Sometimes a command line is needed for application management. Learn how and when to use the AWS Command Line Interface.  Continue Reading

• Amazon Cognito offers back-end support in multi-device world

  Users working on multiple devices want access to customized app environments. Cognito creates a back end for identity management and gives those users a consistent experience.  Continue Reading

• Parsing AWS CloudTrail logs for useful information

  AWS CloudTrail logs all API calls, which means it generates a lot of data. But digging for useful data among all the logs takes some work.  Continue Reading

• Storage vs. database: Moving data to the AWS cloud

  David Linthicum reviews the benefits of database choices from Amazon Web Services and the advantages of leveraging object storage like Simple Storage Service as a storage category.  Continue Reading

• Understanding the connection between AWS, DevOps

  David Linthicum explains the connection between AWS and DevOps, how it brings together development and operations to produce better applications and reduce the time it takes to improve and deploy them, and the Amazon Web Services that support it.  Continue Reading

• Accelerate dynamic content with AWS CloudFront

  Use AWS CloudFront to optimize the delivery of static content to users and to accelerate dynamic content. This makes the service more useful for non-video-related apps, such as speeding the distribution of user-generated and personalized content.  Continue Reading

• Tracking user activity with AWS CloudTrail

  AWS CloudTrail is a Web service that keeps track of AWS API calls in your account and stores logs from multiple accounts and multiple regions in the same S3 bucket. Learn to turn on AWS CloudTrail and to find and read log files.  Continue Reading

• Monitoring SQS metrics with Amazon CloudWatch

  Learn how to use Amazon CloudWatch to monitor and access metrics for a Simple Queue Service.  Continue Reading

• Process large data sets quickly with Amazon Elastic MapReduce

  Learn how to distribute large amounts of data to Amazon S3 using the Amazon EMR cluster.  Continue Reading