🚀 AWS Services Guide ☁️
7 min readAug 29, 2024
AWS provides a vast array of services designed to support various aspects of cloud computing, from basic infrastructure to specialized tools. This guide offers a detailed overview of AWS services categorized into Compute, Storage, Networking, Security, and additional categories such as Analytics, Database, Developer Tools, and Management.
Reference video
Compute Services
Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud)
- Description: Provides resizable virtual servers.
- Features: Customizable instance types, auto-scaling.
AWS Lambda
- Description: Runs code in response to events.
- Features: Serverless compute, pay-per-use pricing.
Amazon EKS (Elastic Kubernetes Service)
- Description: Managed Kubernetes service.
- Features: Simplifies Kubernetes management, integrates with AWS tools.
Amazon ECS (Elastic Container Service)
- Description: Container orchestration service for Docker containers.
- Features: Supports Docker, integrates with AWS Fargate.
AWS Fargate
- Description: Serverless compute engine for containers.
- Features: No server management, integrates with ECS and EKS.
AWS Batch
- Description: Managed service for batch computing workloads.
- Features: Job scheduling, automatic resource provisioning.
AWS Outposts
- Description: Extends AWS infrastructure to on-premises locations.
- Features: Hybrid cloud experience, local data processing.
Amazon Lightsail
- Description: Simplified cloud service for virtual private servers.
- Features: Easy-to-use, fixed pricing.
AWS Elastic Beanstalk
- Description: Platform-as-a-Service for deploying and managing applications.
- Features: Handles infrastructure, scaling, and monitoring.
Amazon EC2 Auto Scaling
- Description: Automatically adjusts the number of EC2 instances.
- Features: Ensures application availability and cost control.
AWS Compute Optimizer
- Description: Recommends optimal EC2 instance types.
- Features: Performance and cost optimization.
AWS Wavelength
- Description: Extends AWS infrastructure to telecom networks.
- Features: Ultra-low latency for edge applications.
AWS Graviton
- Description: Custom ARM-based processors for EC2.
- Features: Cost-efficient, high-performance computing.
Amazon EC2 Mac Instances
- Description: Provides Mac hardware in the cloud.
- Features: Useful for developing and testing macOS applications.
Storage Services
Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service)
- Description: Scalable object storage.
- Features: High durability, integration with other AWS services.
Amazon EBS (Elastic Block Store)
- Description: Block-level storage for EC2.
- Features: High performance, various volume types.
Amazon EFS (Elastic File System)
- Description: Managed file storage.
- Features: Scalable, shared access.
Amazon FSx
- Description: Managed file systems for different use cases.
- Features: FSx for Windows File Server and FSx for Lustre.
Amazon S3 Glacier
- Description: Low-cost archival storage.
- Features: Designed for infrequent access.
Amazon Storage Gateway
- Description: Hybrid cloud storage service.
- Features: Connects on-premises apps to cloud storage.
AWS Snowball
- Description: Data transfer using physical devices.
- Features: High-capacity data transport.
AWS Snowcone
- Description: Smaller, portable data transfer device.
- Features: Ideal for edge computing.
AWS Backup
- Description: Centralized backup service.
- Features: Automated backup and retention.
Amazon S3 Object Lambda
- Description: Custom data processing during S3 object retrieval.
- Features: Allows for modifications on-the-fly.
AWS DataSync
- Description: Automates data transfer between on-premises storage and AWS.
- Features: Fast, secure data transfers.
AWS DMS (Database Migration Service)
- Description: Migrates databases to AWS with minimal downtime.
- Features: Supports homogenous and heterogeneous migrations.
Networking Services
Amazon VPC (Virtual Private Cloud)
- Description: Isolated virtual networks.
- Features: Customizable networking environments.
AWS Direct Connect
- Description: Dedicated network connections to AWS.
- Features: Consistent performance, enhanced security.
Amazon Route 53
- Description: DNS and domain registration service.
- Features: Scalable, routing, and health checks.
Amazon CloudFront
- Description: Content Delivery Network (CDN).
- Features: Global distribution, DDoS protection.
AWS Global Accelerator
- Description: Improves application performance and availability.
- Features: Global traffic management.
AWS Transit Gateway
- Description: Connects multiple VPCs and on-premises networks.
- Features: Simplifies network management.
AWS App Mesh
- Description: Service mesh for microservices.
- Features: Traffic management, observability.
AWS PrivateLink
- Description: Private connectivity to AWS services.
- Features: Secure access, cross-VPC connectivity.
AWS Network Firewall
- Description: Managed firewall service.
- Features: Protects VPCs, traffic inspection.
AWS VPN
- Description: Secure connection between on-premises networks and AWS.
- Features: Site-to-site and client VPN options.
Security Services
AWS IAM (Identity and Access Management)
- Description: Manages user access and permissions.
- Features: Fine-grained control, MFA.
AWS KMS (Key Management Service)
- Description: Centralized key management for encryption.
- Features: Manages encryption keys securely.
AWS Secrets Manager
- Description: Manages and rotates secrets.
- Features: Secure storage, automatic rotation.
AWS Shield
- Description: DDoS protection service.
- Features: Basic and advanced protection.
AWS GuardDuty
- Description: Threat detection and monitoring service.
- Features: Identifies malicious activity, automated responses.
AWS Config
- Description: Tracks and audits resource configurations.
- Features: Configuration compliance, monitoring.
AWS CloudTrail
- Description: Logs API activity across AWS.
- Features: Security analysis, compliance auditing.
Amazon Macie
- Description: Data security and privacy service.
- Features: Sensitive data discovery, protection.
AWS Security Hub
- Description: Centralized security monitoring.
- Features: Aggregates findings, compliance checks.
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store
- Description: Manages configuration data and secrets.
- Features: Centralized management, secure storage.
AWS Firewall Manager
- Description: Centralized management of AWS WAF rules.
- Features: Simplifies security policy management.
AWS Identity and Access Management Access Analyzer
- Description: Analyzes IAM policies for security risks.
- Features: Ensures least privilege access.
Analytics Services
Amazon Athena
- Description: Interactive query service for analyzing S3 data using SQL.
- Features: Serverless, pay-per-query pricing.
Amazon Redshift
- Description: Managed data warehouse service.
- Features: High-performance querying, scalable.
Amazon EMR (Elastic MapReduce)
- Description: Managed Hadoop framework for processing large datasets.
- Features: Supports Hadoop, Spark, and Presto.
Amazon Kinesis
- Description: Real-time data processing service.
- Features: Includes Kinesis Data Streams, Kinesis Data Firehose, and Kinesis Data Analytics.
AWS Glue
- Description: Fully managed ETL (extract, transform, load) service.
- Features: Data cataloging, job scheduling.
Amazon QuickSight
- Description: Business intelligence service.
- Features: Data visualization, interactive dashboards.
AWS Data Pipeline
- Description: Data-driven workflows for processing and transferring data.
- Features: Reliable data movement and transformation.
Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (MSK)
- Description: Managed Apache Kafka service.
- Features: Simplifies Kafka cluster management.
Database Services
Amazon RDS (Relational Database Service)
- Description: Managed relational databases.
- Features: Supports multiple engines including MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Oracle.
Amazon Aurora
- Description: High-performance managed database compatible with MySQL and PostgreSQL.
- Features: Scalable, highly available.
Amazon DynamoDB
- Description: Fully managed NoSQL database service.
- Features: Low-latency performance, automatic scaling.
Amazon DocumentDB
- Description: Managed document database service compatible with MongoDB.
- Features: Scalable, secure document storage.
Amazon Neptune
- Description: Managed graph database service.
- Features: Supports property graph and RDF graph models.
Amazon Timestream
- Description: Managed time series database service.
- Features: Optimized for time series data.
Amazon Keyspaces (for Apache Cassandra)
- Description: Managed Cassandra-compatible database service.
- Features: Fully managed, scalable.
Management and Governance
AWS CloudFormation
- Description: Infrastructure as Code service.
- Features: Automates the creation and management of AWS resources.
AWS Systems Manager
- Description: Manages and automates tasks on AWS resources.
- Features: Automation, patch management, configuration.
AWS Cost Explorer
- Description: Tool for analyzing and managing AWS costs.
- Features: Cost forecasting, detailed cost reporting.
AWS Trusted Advisor
- Description: Provides recommendations for improving AWS environment.
- Features: Best practices, cost optimization.
AWS Well-Architected Tool
- Description: Evaluates workloads against AWS best practices.
- Features: Helps improve architecture design.
AWS Control Tower
- Description: Simplifies AWS multi-account setup and governance.
- Features: Automated account setup, governance.
Machine Learning and AI
Amazon SageMaker
- Description: Fully managed service for building, training, and deploying machine learning models.
- Features: Integrated development environment, pre-built algorithms.
AWS Rekognition
- Description: Image and video analysis service.
- Features: Object detection, facial recognition.
AWS Comprehend
- Description: Natural Language Processing (NLP) service.
- Features: Text analysis, sentiment analysis.
AWS Lex
- Description: Service for building conversational interfaces.
- Features: Natural language understanding and speech recognition.
AWS Polly
- Description: Text-to-speech service.
- Features: Converts text into lifelike speech.
AWS Translate
- Description: Language translation service.
- Features: Real-time language translation.
AWS Personalize
- Description: Real-time personalization service for creating individualized recommendations.
- Features: Customizable recommendation algorithms, integration with existing applications.
AWS Forecast
- Description: Time-series forecasting service.
- Features: Predicts future business metrics using machine learning.
Amazon Textract
- Description: Extracts text and data from scanned documents.
- Features: Automated document processing, structured data extraction.
AWS DeepLens
- Description: Deep learning-enabled video camera.
- Features: On-device machine learning for real-time inference.
IoT (Internet of Things)
AWS IoT Core
- Description: Connects Internet of Things (IoT) devices to the cloud.
- Features: Device management, data ingestion, secure communications.
AWS IoT Greengrass
- Description: Extends AWS functionality to edge devices.
- Features: Local compute, messaging, and data caching.
AWS IoT Analytics
- Description: Analyzes data from IoT devices.
- Features: Data processing, analysis, and visualization.
AWS IoT Device Management
- Description: Manages IoT devices at scale.
- Features: Device provisioning, monitoring, and maintenance.
AWS IoT Events
- Description: Detects and responds to events from IoT sensors.
- Features: Event detection, integration with other AWS services.
AWS IoT Things Graph
- Description: Simplifies the creation of IoT applications.
- Features: Visual interface for designing IoT workflows.
AR & VR (Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality)
Amazon Sumerian
- Description: Creates and runs augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications.
- Features: Browser-based editor, no programming required.
Migration and Transfer
AWS Migration Hub
- Description: Provides a single location for tracking migration projects.
- Features: Migration tracking, project management.
AWS Application Migration Service
- Description: Migrates applications to AWS.
- Features: Automated lift-and-shift migration.
AWS Server Migration Service
- Description: Migrates on-premises servers to AWS.
- Features: Incremental replication, automated migration.
AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
- Description: Migrates databases with minimal downtime.
- Features: Supports heterogeneous and homogeneous migrations.
Business Applications
Amazon Chime
- Description: Communication service for meetings, video conferencing, and chat.
- Features: Video calls, screen sharing, messaging.
Amazon WorkDocs
- Description: Managed file collaboration service.
- Features: Document editing, sharing, and feedback.
Amazon WorkMail
- Description: Secure email and calendaring service.
- Features: Integration with existing email clients, encryption.
Amazon WorkSpaces
- Description: Managed, secure cloud desktops.
- Features: Virtual desktops, flexible and scalable.
Amazon AppStream 2.0
- Description: Application streaming service.
- Features: Stream desktop applications to users.
Developer Tools
AWS CodeCommit
- Description: Source control service for Git repositories.
- Features: Scalable, integrated with AWS ecosystem.
AWS CodeBuild
- Description: Fully managed build service.
- Features: Builds source code, integrates with CI/CD pipelines.
AWS CodeDeploy
- Description: Automates application deployments.
- Features: Supports blue/green and rolling deployments.
AWS CodePipeline
- Description: Continuous integration and delivery service.
- Features: Automates build, test, and deploy processes.
AWS Cloud9
- Description: Cloud-based IDE.
- Features: Collaborative development environment.
AWS X-Ray
- Description: Debugs and analyzes microservices applications.
- Features: Provides tracing and visualization of application components.
AWS AppConfig
- Description: Manages application configuration.
- Features: Feature flags, deployment strategies.
AWS CloudWatch
- Description: Monitoring and observability service.
- Features: Logs, metrics, alarms, and dashboards.
This guide provides an overview of a broad range of AWS services across various domains. AWS continuously evolves its service offerings, so staying updated with new and emerging services is crucial for leveraging the full capabilities of the AWS cloud.