Ask the Experts

Ask the Experts

• When should you use AWS IAM roles vs. users?

  Access management is critical to securing the cloud. Understand the differences between AWS IAM roles and users to properly restrict access to AWS resources.  Continue Reading

• How can you prevent a cloud data breach in your AWS environment?

  Get a cloud expert's take on the technical factors involved in the Capital One data breach that exposed sensitive data of millions of the bank's customers.  Continue Reading

• What AWS testing tools and services are available?

  There are many tools available on the AWS Marketplace for QA testing, making it difficult to determine where to begin. What should an enterprise look for when choosing among QA tools?  Continue Reading

• AWS Storage Gateway performance depends on resource placement

  Senior technology editor Stephen Bigelow breaks down how AWS Storage Gateway can trip up users' hybrid cloud strategies. Beware these issues with latency and security.  Continue Reading

• Plan ahead for traffic spikes with AWS CDN

  While Amazon CloudFront can make traffic spikes more manageable, IT teams still need to carefully prepare their environment for these increases in user activity.  Continue Reading

• VMware Network Insight eyes better AWS network visibility

  Some AWS users should consider a third-party tool to find better visibility into their network infrastructure and traffic patterns instead of relying on Amazon VPC.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Use SQS to trigger functions in Lambda -- finally

  The wait is over, as you can now trigger Lambda functions with SQS messages. Follow these steps to get up and running with this new capability.  Continue Reading

• Use AWS tags to sharpen your cloud visibility

  AWS resource tags provide admins with more visibility into their cloud deployment. Learn how to implement them with these best practices.  Continue Reading

• Avoid data loss during AWS Spot Instance termination

  While Spot Instances can be economical, they can also cause data loss without proper backup. Use databases to save instance data, and set up interruption notices to be warned.  Continue Reading

• Remove AWS security credentials for outgoing employees

  Personnel changes are inevitable at an enterprise, and security teams need to revoke AWS credentials accordingly to ensure the integrity of their cloud data.  Continue Reading

• Professional-level AWS certifications pay off for cloud vets

  To gain a Professional-level AWS certification, AWS requires at least two years of experience with its platform. But will it help your career, or is it just a notch in your belt?  Continue Reading

• Avoid AWS access control mistakes to keep your cloud safe

  If you get clumsy with AWS security, you can put your whole business at risk. Be wary of these common errors, and implement best practices to secure your workloads.  Continue Reading

• Oracle vs. AWS battle heats up around cloud costs, databases

  After imposing a price hike for its customers that use AWS, Oracle now needs to contend with new AWS services that compete with its databases, as some users mull a migration.  Continue Reading

• AWS Cost and Usage Reports drive cloud spend analysis

  Do you trust a cloud vendor's native cost analysis tools? In reality, both provider-native and third-party cost management systems are only as reliable as their underlying data.  Continue Reading

• Enterprises maintain a wish list for hybrid cloud with AWS

  Recent partnerships show Amazon's intentions to tap into the hybrid cloud market. While there's a lot of promise, there are still many features customers want.  Continue Reading

• Prevent hacked AWS accounts from wreaking havoc

  Security should be a top priority in public cloud deployment, but breaches are still possible. If your AWS account has been hacked, follow these steps to minimize the impact.  Continue Reading

• US-East-1 region's checkered past deters some users, but many remain

  AWS users in the US-East-1 region have seen a string of outages in the last few years. But does that mean they shouldn't deploy workloads there?  Continue Reading

• The benefits and drawbacks of AWS Convertible Reserved Instances

  Reserved Instances save IT teams money on compute resources but lock them into a particular type of instance. How do Convertible RIs differ, and what are the drawbacks?  Continue Reading

• Gain control over multiple AWS accounts with IAM

  Our environment has multiple AWS accounts for different dev stages. How can we use the IAM cross-account feature to share resources across accounts?  Continue Reading

• AWS Glue simplifies messy data transfers

  We need to perform extract, transform and load processes on data, but the work is labor-intensive and error-prone. Is there an AWS tool to simplify this task?  Continue Reading

• AWS logs connect the configuration management dots

  Configuration changes help developers build at a faster pace -- as long as those changes are wanted. How can we quickly diagnose and fix undesirable AWS configurations?  Continue Reading

• Maintain compliance with AWS Config Rules

  We use AWS Config to track resources, but we also need to meet compliance regulations. What configuration management tools should we use?  Continue Reading

• Understand the pros, cons of an AWS cloud VPN service

  Our team will move workloads into AWS, but we need control and security over them. What VPN features does Amazon Lightsail provide, and is it better suited for certain workloads?  Continue Reading

• Use AWS Config service to track app changes

  When our IT teams change a cloud configuration, a lot of application data and dependencies change too. How does AWS compile this data for customers?  Continue Reading

• Audit resources with AWS configuration management tool

  SysOps teams must maintain consistent workload performance, meet compliance and security standards, as well as other IT tasks. AWS Config helps admins keep a watchful eye on apps.  Continue Reading

• How to register and connect a Route 53 domain to endpoints

  We're ready to move an application to production on the AWS cloud. How do we connect and route domain traffic to EC2 instances?  Continue Reading

• How does Amazon WAM manage WorkSpaces apps?

  Which Amazon WorkSpaces tools allow IT teams to easily package, deploy and manage applications for DaaS users?  Continue Reading

• How do we establish a Microsoft AD connection with Amazon WorkSpaces?

  We want to ensure a good desktop experience for DaaS users. How can we connect Amazon WorkSpaces and local resources to do this?  Continue Reading

• How does VDI on AWS work?

  Amazon WorkSpaces offers several virtual desktop infrastructure configurations, enabling businesses to categorize workers into different user types to match their roles and needs.  Continue Reading

• Which AWS programming language is best for our project?

  AWS developers can choose between a variety programming languages, including Microsoft, .NET, Java and Python. How do they differ and should we use them to develop applications?  Continue Reading

• Are EC2 Reserved Instances the most economical choice?

  We don't want to be tied to AWS Reserved Instances for multiple years. Is reserved EC2 capacity a better financial choice?  Continue Reading

• Tricks to a bulletproof Amazon VPC setup

  Security concerns continue to slow public cloud deployments. How can we set up Amazon VPC to help protect our cloud workloads?  Continue Reading

• Do EC2 Dedicated Hosts give us more control over workloads?

  We need better control and visibility for workloads, but still want dedicated compute capacity. How do Dedicated Hosts work and what are the drawbacks?  Continue Reading

• What's the best use for EC2 Dedicated Instances?

  We're exploring AWS instances and need the best option for mission-critical workloads. What are the benefits and drawbacks of EC2 Dedicated Instances?  Continue Reading

• Avoid common big data on AWS issues

  When our IT team clusters Hive and Java Archive files for big data projects, it receives error messages. How can we keep our AWS big data projects running smoothly?  Continue Reading

• How do Hadoop coding errors disrupt big data processing?

  Hadoop coding oversights can wreak havoc on big data projects. What Hadoop limitations should we be wary of with data input and output?  Continue Reading

• Why do we receive so many CloudWatch alarms?

  We receive too many alarms from Amazon CloudWatch, which creates clutter and confusion. How can we identify and remove unnecessary CloudWatch alarms?  Continue Reading

• How can we automate with CloudWatch Events and Lambda?

  We use Amazon CloudWatch to track cloud performance and create notifications for service metrics. How can we automate events to respond to the metrics?  Continue Reading

• Help! We are using now-discontinued AWS payment services

  Our developers use Amazon Flexible Payments Service, but AWS is discontinuing it. How can we identify the best services to replace this?  Continue Reading

• What are some AWS Marketplace benefits for enterprises?

  Our enterprise lists its services in the AWS Marketplace. What's the best way to use the marketplace to sell our products?  Continue Reading

• Which AWS payment options help monetize apps?

  Our AWS software is ready to deploy, but we're not sure how to monetize it. What tools or services does AWS offer for developer payment options?  Continue Reading

• Are AWS IAM tools enough for public cloud security?

  Our enterprise wants to limit the time it spends generating Identity and Access Management policies. What tools are available to automate this task?  Continue Reading

• What are some AWS security best practices?

  Our enterprise manages staff access through AWS Identity and Access Management. How can we fine-tune the service to make our public cloud less vulnerable?  Continue Reading

• How do AWS IAM permissions manage resource access?

  We use AWS Identity and Access Management for cloud security, but aren't sure how roles, permissions and policies differ in a cloud security strategy. How do they protect resources?  Continue Reading

• Which AWS tool can monitor ElastiCache and track costs?

  Our enterprise uses Amazon ElastiCache to create and manage caching engines. How can we track Amazon ElastiCache performance and costs?  Continue Reading

• 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

• Using the AWS cache service to boost app performance

  Our enterprise wants to cache data to improve cloud and application performance. What options does Amazon ElastiCache have for cache node deployment?  Continue Reading

• How Amazon RDS replication protects databases from failure

  We choose Amazon RDS for its multitude of database engines and want to build a highly available system. What options does Amazon RDS have for database replication and DR protection?  Continue Reading

• What are the limitations when running Active Directory in AWS?

  AWS Directory Service provides three options for running Active Directory in the cloud: Microsoft AD, Simple AD and AD Connector. What are the drawbacks of each AD option?  Continue Reading

• Can AWS push notifications improve service performance?

  Our enterprise connects resources in AWS to a local directory. What support does AWS Directory Service offer for messaging, and how can notifications help us track service performance?  Continue Reading

• How to ease AWS Active Directory integration

  Establishing a hybrid cloud is challenging enough without having to worry about management hassles. How can we connect and apply our existing Active Directory to AWS resources?  Continue Reading

• How can we use AWS tagging for audits?

  Our enterprise just started applying AWS resource tags. What features are available with AWS tags, and how can they help our enterprise limit unnecessary spending?  Continue Reading

• How long does it take to retrieve data from Glacier storage?

  Our enterprise periodically needs to access cold data from Amazon Glacier. How long does it take to retrieve data, and what are other infrequent data access options?  Continue Reading

• What are the pros and cons of AWS traffic policies?

  Our enterprise will install traffic routing policies. While we understand our options, what are the benefits and drawbacks of AWS Traffic Flow rules?  Continue Reading

• How does AWS support storage lifecycle management?

  With so many storage options -- and so much enterprise data -- our IT team wants to simplify AWS data management. How can we plan our AWS storage lifecycle?  Continue Reading

• How much will AWS cold storage cost our enterprise?

  Moving data to the cloud has it challenges, especially when it comes to cold storage. What should our enterprise expect in terms of cost and time spent?  Continue Reading

• Which cloud directory service options does AWS support?

  Our enterprise wants to create a central repository for users and groups to facilitate a cloud implementation. What directory choices do we have with AWS Directory Service?  Continue Reading

• 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

• What tricks can improve AWS storage performance?

  Our enterprise has provisioned AWS storage resources, but needs to keep a close eye on performance. What should we watch to ensure high storage performance?  Continue Reading

• How do provisioned IOPS affect AWS storage performance?

  We run several databases in the cloud with provisioned IOPS, but our performance is still not as high as we'd like. What can we do to improve storage performance?  Continue Reading

• Which Amazon storage services balance performance and cost?

  Amazon Elastic Block Store volumes are offered as magnetic hard disk and solid-state drives. How should we use each storage type to ensure proper workload performance?  Continue Reading

• How can Amazon EBS encryption help secure our data?

  We want to lock down data moving between EC2 instances and EBS volumes. What security and encryption options are available in Amazon Elastic Block Store?  Continue Reading

• How do EBS snapshots back up cloud workloads?

  Testing applications is a crucial element of our enterprise's software development effort. How can EBS snapshots keep production environments safe during testing?  Continue Reading

• What are some ways to boost EBS performance?

  Our team carefully selected our EBS volumes, but our application performance is still slow. How can we improve Amazon EBS performance?  Continue Reading

• How to select the right Amazon EBS volumes

  Our enterprise wants low-latency performance and durable block-level storage. What types of Amazon Elastic Block Store volumes are available?  Continue Reading

• Which AWS Command Line tools are best for app development?

  We use a variety of application development tools and want to streamline our efforts. Which AWS utilities and Command Line tools can help?  Continue Reading

• Where to turn for AWS developer support

  AWS constantly rolls out new features and services for developers, which is both encouraging and frustrating at times. How does AWS support cloud development teams?  Continue Reading

• How do SDK updates affect development timelines?

  Our IT team is transitioning to more nimble software development through a DevOps model. What role do new SDKs play in software development and deployment?  Continue Reading

• What are some basics for monitoring microservices?

  Our enterprise uses Amazon CloudWatch to monitor performance, and we're looking into microservices. How can we use CloudWatch to track performance of microservices apps?  Continue Reading

• How does the CloudWatch monitoring service track events?

  We have the software and policies in place to detect events, but we need to improve our response to cloud problems. How can we use CloudWatch Events to proactively address cloud issues?  Continue Reading

• How do CloudWatch logging features track resources?

  Between our on-premises and in-cloud resources, our hybrid infrastructure produces a multitude of logs. How can we use Amazon CloudWatch to aggregate and visualize logs?  Continue Reading

• Use CloudWatch for EC2 monitoring and resource tracking

  Our enterprise would like to expand its monitoring effort through Amazon CloudWatch. How does that service integrate with other AWS products?  Continue Reading

• What AWS security tools are available for the cloud?

  While our enterprise uses an array of AWS tools, we'd like to improve our data security measures. What AWS security tools are available to help secure data and resources?  Continue Reading

• How do AWS configuration management tools work?

  When running AWS in our enterprise, it has been a challenge to keep tabs on active resources. Which native tools define and maintain configuration scripts?  Continue Reading

• How does event-driven computing change AWS app testing?

  Our enterprise is excited about the possibilities with AWS Lambda, but concerned about complications with the new technology. How will Lambda affect application testing?  Continue Reading

• How does AWS fit into the application testing process?

  Our on-premises environment makes QA difficult, as our resources are limited. How can a public cloud provider like AWS enable a more effective process to test applications?  Continue Reading

• When should we run Oracle on EC2 vs. RDS?

  There are different approaches to running Oracle Database on AWS. What are the strengths and limitations of using Amazon RDS and EC2 for Oracle Database?  Continue Reading

• How can we approach an Oracle Database migration to AWS?

  Our enterprise plans to move our on-premises databases to the cloud. What's the best method to migrate data from Oracle Database into an AWS EC2 instance?  Continue Reading

• What licenses do we need to run Oracle Database on AWS?

  Working in AWS has made it difficult for our enterprise to keep track of software license limitations. What restrictions should we watch for when running Oracle on AWS?  Continue Reading

• What are the complications of running Oracle on AWS?

  We'd prefer to run several Oracle products in our AWS environment to better our overall performance. Which Oracle products does AWS support, and how complicated is the migration?  Continue Reading

• What are my options for data encryption in AWS?

  We're not sure a public cloud is right for us, as we have high standards for data privacy. How does AWS encrypt data, and what key management options does it offer?  Continue Reading

• How can I put an end to AWS network issues?

  Slow bandwidth is affecting our most critical cloud workloads and app performance. What options are available to improve network connectivity to the cloud?  Continue Reading

• How can we pinpoint AWS network performance issues?

  Performance is lagging on our EC2 instances and EBS volumes. How can tools such as AWS Trusted Advisor help us identify and alleviate these network performance problems?  Continue Reading

• How can I troubleshoot AWS connectivity problems?

  Our business is having trouble connecting to our AWS resources. We're not sure if this is an availability or connectivity issue. How can we determine the problem?  Continue Reading

• How can I use microservices and containers to build an app?

  We want to scale down one of our large applications. What role do containers play in a microservices-based app, and what other services do I need?  Continue Reading

• Making an AWS Lambda function and microservices work together

  Our developers want to switch to microservices to improve scalability and ease upgrades to our AWS-based applications. How does AWS Lambda support this type of architecture?  Continue Reading

• How does data privacy in the cloud change post-Safe Harbor?

  Our global enterprise previously transferred data from the E.U. to the U.S. With Safe Harbor struck down, what is the impact on cloud providers and data privacy?  Continue Reading

• How do AWS compliance certifications stack up?

  We're a global company that needs to be sure our cloud-based workloads meet a variety of compliance standards. What certifications do AWS and other public cloud providers meet?  Continue Reading

• Mitigate AWS outages with a well-planned DR strategy

  Our enterprise uses a multisite application strategy, and we need to properly synchronize user info. What is the best way to mirror data stores in AWS?  Continue Reading

• What's needed to maintain compliance on AWS?

  We're looking for a public cloud provider that meets the compliance regulations our enterprise requires. How can we stay up to date on cloud compliance certifications?  Continue Reading

• What's the best way to secure Amazon S3 buckets?

  Our enterprise stores different types of data, including video and graphics, in Amazon S3. What options are available to secure Amazon S3 buckets and encrypt our data?  Continue Reading

• How to restore cloud bandwidth within shared resources

  We are a small company interested in AWS, but have heard we could encounter noisy neighbor issues. Are there ways to mitigate cloud bandwidth troubles?  Continue Reading

• What should an AWS cloud disaster recovery plan contain?

  Now that we're moving applications into AWS, how should our cloud disaster recovery plan differ from a traditional on-premises DR strategy?  Continue Reading

• Help me set up AWS DR to avoid performance loss

  We run critical and non-critical workloads in AWS. How do we set up regions and availability zones to minimize latency and maintain app performance?  Continue Reading

• What's the best disaster recovery strategy for AWS outages?

  With recent news of AWS outages, we want to ensure our enterprise is ready for anything. How should we design a disaster recovery plan to minimize outages?  Continue Reading

• When should we use Lambda functions as an EC2 alternative?

  Lambda functions have been helpful to respond to events within AWS, but under what circumstances can our enterprise use the service to replace EC2 instances?  Continue Reading

• How does Amazon API Gateway secure API calls?

  Our enterprise is concerned about our approach to APIs, including API throttling and DoS attacks. How does Amazon API Gateway mitigate API security risks?  Continue Reading

• What cloud analytics tools can help process and visualize data?

  AWS offers several big data analytics tools and lists more third-party tools in its marketplace. Which tool can help analyze and visualize data on an advanced level?  Continue Reading

• 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