
AWS Advantages and Disadvantages: What You Need to Know
AWS or Amazon Web Services is a Cloud Computing platform that was first released in 2006. AWS provides quality services and features which is why it has become the undisputed cloud platform.
Since then, it has undoubtedly offered many benefits to its users, but there are also some AWS disadvantages that you should be aware of. Wasting money is painful, especially when you don’t have easy access to the information to show you how much you’re losing, and this is true with everything, including cloud computing.
This is why it is best to know some of the benefits and drawbacks you might get while using AWS. In this blog post, we will discuss every bit of the AWS pros and cons to clue you in.
Amazon Web Services
History and Background
Before we go into the advantages and disadvantages of AWS, you should get to know the platform’s background and how it started.
Amazon Web Services is a cloud-based service that provides businesses and developers with the tools they need to build scalable solutions for their IT needs.
It was launched in 2006, and Amazon’s massive success in e-commerce convinced them that they could handle the demands of storing vast quantities of data and assisting companies and developers in creating scalable solutions for their IT requirements.
AWS provides a plethora of services, as well as additional features, in comparison with other cloud providers. Moving your existing applications to the cloud with AWS is easier and more cost-effective, allowing you to construct nearly anything imaginable. Furthermore, because AWS has the broadest range of purpose-built databases for different types of apps, you may pick the appropriate tool for the job at the best price and performance.
But what are the advantages and disadvantages of using AWS? Let’s look further.
AWS Advantages vs. Disadvantages
Advantages of Amazon Web Services
Many AWS advantages make it the best cloud platform. Below, we have listed some of the best advantages AWS can offer.
User-friendly
One of the best things about AWS is its easy-to-use interface. AWS provides a very user-friendly console, making it easy for users to work with AWS services and resources.
Moreover, the AWS Management Console enables you to access and manage AWS services with just a few clicks. It provides all the information, documentation, and video instructions to help you learn how to use all of its services.
Secure and Trustworthy
One thing you should always consider is having security when using a console. This is why one of the best benefits AWS can offer is it is a secure cloud platform that has been tested and proven by some of the biggest companies in the world.
Accordingly, Security professionals at AWS follow different layers of data surveillance such as Data Protection, Identity and access management, Infrastructure Protection, Threat detection, continuous monitoring, compliance, and data privacy.
This makes Amazon Web Services one of the most trusted in the industry, and has compiled the most compliance certifications.
Reliable Capacity Solution
Most companies find AWS reliable because of the capacity solution it offers. AWS offers on-demand cloud computing capacity, meaning you only pay for the resources you use.
Previously, companies had to purchase a set of amounts of data storage. Still, AWS allows a reliable and scalable capacity solution so that you can quickly scale your resources up or down as needed.
Cost-effective
With all that mentioned, the great thing about AWS is a very cost-effective solution for businesses that need a flexible and reliable cloud platform.
If your company has been following traditional methods for storing your data and applications, you would know how it consumes a good amount of your time and money. With AWS, you only pay for the tools and services you use, and they follow the pay-as-you-go pricing method, meaning you will only pay for the services it needs and has used for some time.
This is a great way to lessen the cost of your expenses in the company. You may also research how to achieve AWS cost optimisation to ensure you’re getting value for money if you want to reduce costs.
Flexible
One significant advantage of the AWS platform is Flexibility. It is also one of the reasons why most companies prefer using Amazon Web Services compared to the others.
It is considered a very flexible platform because of how it can be used for various purposes. AWS provides different services and tools to create, deploy and manage your applications on the cloud.
You can also use AWS for storage, networking, computing power, content delivery, and more, making it one of the most versatile platforms in the industry.
Scalable and Elastic
AWS is considered to be scalable and elastic. This means you can quickly increase or decrease your resources as needed, which is excellent for companies starting small but with a big vision. Additionally, AWS is a flexible platform which means it can automatically scale itself up or down depending on the demand.
This is excellent because it can help companies save money by not overspending on resources they do not need and can also help avoid any downtime during high traffic periods.
After checking out the advantages of AWS, let’s look into the drawbacks you might encounter using the platform.
Disadvantages of Amazon Web Services
Limitations
Although AWS has a lot of services to offer, there are still some limitations to consider. One of these is that not all AWS services are available in every region.
Since Amazon is located in the USA, it is easily accessible for them. However, it can be a problem for companies with users in different parts of the world because they need to use a separate AWS service.
Glitches
Another drawback of AWS is that it is not immune to glitches. Like any other platform, AWS has also experienced downtime and service disruptions.
Although this does not happen often, it can still be a problem for companies relying heavily on AWS for their business operations.
Lack of Experts
We do know that nothing is perfect and AWS is perfect at all. There is still a lack of experts that are knowledgeable about the platform. Because of this, it can be a problem for companies that need help with their AWS setup or troubleshooting.
Additionally, AWS can be a bit complex and overwhelming for those unfamiliar with it, so it is essential to have someone knowledgeable about the platform to help you set it up and manage it.
Bill Shock
AWS pricing can be a bit complicated. There are a lot of services and features that you can add to your AWS account, which can quickly increase your bill.
Additionally, AWS prices can also fluctuate depending on the demand. This is why you should choose your AWS support plan correctly. To do that, research how to choose the ideal option for your AWS support plan and take notes.
FAQs
Q: What is AWS?
A: AWS stands for Amazon Web Services. It is a cloud platform that provides services and tools to help businesses with their operations.
Q: What are the advantages of AWS?
A: AWS’s advantages include its Flexibility, scalability, and elasticity. It is also a very versatile platform that can be used for various purposes.
Q: What are the disadvantages of AWS?
A: Some of the disadvantages of AWS include its limitations, glitches, and the lack of experts. Additionally, AWS pricing can be complicated and fluctuate depending on the demand.
Conclusion
AWS is a great platform that can help businesses with their operations. However, there are also some drawbacks that you should take into consideration before using it. It would help if you researched properly to ensure that AWS is the right platform for your business. We hope this article helped you better understand what AWS can and cannot do.