Evaluate

Evaluate

Weigh the pros and cons of technologies, products and projects you are considering.

• AWS customers tweet their praise -- and concerns

  Praise and scorn are plentiful on social media, and Amazon is as susceptible to that treatment as any business. See some recent tweets about AWS. Continue Reading

• AWS re:Invent 2015 to focus on cloud management, security

  Capturing more attention than years past, AWS re:Invent 2015 could see a variety of new tools. Cloud users should keep an eye on the developments and consider adjustments to their services. 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

• AWS Cognito makes a mark in mobile app development

  Amazon Web Services is building a growing arsenal of mobile services. AWS Cognito is one of them, providing consistent app performance across all devices. Continue Reading

• AWS nudging users toward HVM instance type

  Only two of AWS' 11 current generation instance types use paravirtualization. The rest run on hardware virtualization, a growing preference from AWS. 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

• 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

• 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

• Forecast financial storms with AWS cost management

  Both startups and enterprises need to keep a close eye on cloud expenditures, but new AWS tools offer a glimpse into future usage.Continue Reading

• How do incremental backups on Amazon EBS work?

  Looking for the best way to back up Amazon EBS? Expert Chris Moyer clarifies how incremental backups work.Continue Reading

• AWS Lambda, ASK API cut Amazon Echo development times

  The Amazon Echo beta revealed some new uses for the popular voice-command device. Our expert explains how to configure it and why the ASK API is instrumental in its functionality.Continue Reading

• Extra effort yields ROI with a cloud services broker

  AWS offers a range of products to help IT operations succeed. A cloud services broker can manage those tools for enterprises preferring to stay hands-off.Continue Reading

• AWS poised to succeed in evolution of IoT

  The Internet of Things and cloud computing are gaining popularity hand in hand. With AWS leading the cloud field, it is a significant player in the future of the IoT.Continue Reading

• Proper tools improve AWS cloud developer productivity

  Developers can work with Amazon Machine Images to control a variety of cloud resources, and can use AWS and third-party tools to improve workflows.Continue Reading

• AWS Node.js integration eases app development

  Whether using Lambda on the front end or DynamoDB on the back end, AWS provides an SDK that eases use of Node.js for application development.Continue Reading

• Benefits of developing with Node.js in AWS

  While the Node.js JavaScript-based language is still in beta, many programmers turn to it to simplify and quicken functions in the AWS cloud.Continue Reading

• Amazon SDK promotes development depth

  Software development kit functionality is a big reason why developers flock to Amazon Web Services. AWS public cloud supports a range of SDKs and programming languages.Continue Reading

• Three preconfigured hardened OS choices for AWS

  It takes extra work and attention, but developers can better protect data in AWS using preconfigured hardened OSes.Continue Reading

• Skipping AWS testing could lead to cloud failure

  Testing resources in AWS is relatively straightforward. Businesses must understand their vulnerabilities and the computing costs to resolve them.Continue Reading

• Could container cloud action catch Amazon's attention?

  Docker and other container options are gaining popularity. And AWS is diving into the technology, possibly with an eye on native containerization.Continue Reading

• AWS T2 line adds big brother

  A new AWS T2.large instance boosts support for testing apps that need more performance, but IT pros cite several reasons the T2.large isn't for use in production.Continue Reading

• CloudHSM offers premium level of cloud security

  AWS provides numerous customizable security options for its customers, but those in search of private access to dedicated hardware turn to CloudHSM.Continue Reading

• Don't leave legacy apps behind during an AWS migration

  Avoid missteps by constructing a migration roadmap. Understanding applications and identifying migration benefits help smooth the transition to AWS.Continue Reading

• Wrangle AWS Spot Instances with Spot Fleets and save

  Amazon created Spot Fleets to manage entire sets of Spot Instances, an increasingly popular choice among cost-conscious developers.Continue Reading

• Consider size, skills in an AWS integration partner

  Cloud integration partners come in all sizes. Determining the right fit means understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each option.Continue Reading

• Implementing AWS security best practices

  AWS has improved its security features and offers a slew of resources for hardening its cloud. But admins still play a part in preventing breaches.Continue Reading

• AWS Educate arms future admins with cloud skills

  As the cloud evolution continues, IT professionals struggle to keep pace. The new AWS Educate service aims to train the future cloud workforce.Continue Reading

• Compare NoSQL-based AWS database options

  As more cloud databases become available to AWS customers, NoSQL services such as ElastiCache and DynamoDB offer advantages over relational databases.Continue Reading

• Benefits of using Amazon EC2 Container Service with Docker

  Running Docker in Amazon EC2 Container Service allows for greater cloud portability and reduced costs. We explain how to get started.Continue Reading

• How AWS compares to DigitalOcean cloud services

  How does DigitalOcean compete with AWS? We dig into the IaaS provider to see where it matches AWS and where it has an edge over the public cloud giant.Continue Reading

• Boost AWS availability with a microservice architecture

  Some large-scale enterprises are deploying microservice architectures on top of AWS. What advantages could this move offer your enterprise?Continue Reading

• Docker on AWS: It's not you, it's me

  When AWS developers weren't feeling the love for Docker, they dug deeper and discovered that the container service wasn't the root of the problem.Continue Reading

• Five important AWS Reserved Instances reports

  AWS Reserved Instances offer the ability to save money in public cloud. Tracking RI use is vital to further optimize costs as cloud complexity grows.Continue Reading

• Amazon earnings numbers show AWS success, IaaS growth

  Amazon finally broke out AWS numbers in its recent earnings report, quieting critics and proving it's a viable IaaS cloud provider for the enterprise.Continue Reading

• Which EC2 instance types are better for regression tests?

  When performing regression tests in the cloud, should we choose to run tests on one AWS EC2 instance versus another?Continue Reading

• What are the top features in AWS Machine Learning?

  Before our developers experiment with AWS Machine Learning, what are some of its main features, how much does it cost and how secure is the service?Continue Reading

• Cloud-based DR a stepping stone into AWS

  Amazon's recent earnings report shows that AWS is a hot line item. Companies testing DR in AWS could help spur its enterprise acceptance.Continue Reading

• Best ways to cost-effectively manage AWS resources

  Public cloud costs among AWS, Azure and Google are essentially a wash, so companies should manage AWS resources to get the most bang for their buck.Continue Reading

• Sizing up Google Compute Engine vs. Azure vs. AWS public cloud services

  Which public cloud comes out on top in the Google vs. AWS vs. Azure debate? It depends on what you're comparing.Continue Reading

• How do I create machine learning applications for AWS?

  Enterprises interested in AWS Machine Learning should follow these four steps to successfully create machine learning applications.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

• Should I use Amazon DynamoDB when developing mobile apps?

  Our company is developing mobile apps and looking into DynamoDB. What are the benefits of using the database service with mobile apps?Continue Reading

• Cloud pricing only one factor in bottom line

  To get an actual cost of public cloud, look at more than just price per instance. Factor in security, types of service and network costs as well.Continue Reading

• Calculating the true cost of AWS application development

  Determining the cost of running apps in the cloud is tricky. Perform cost analyses with online tools to whittle down platform choices.Continue Reading

• AWS Lambda aims to shear time off cloud development

  Developers can use AWS Lambda to target code in response to real-time “events.” However, the benefits may only exist if you use and stay on AWS.Continue Reading

• AWS blurs the lines with PaaS and IaaS

  Expert opinion varies as to whether PaaS and IaaS have converged. However, one thing made clear is that the services have blurred lines with the standard AWS cloud offerings.Continue Reading

• AWS vs. VMware in Pentagon virtualization contract

  AWS called shenanigans on the renewal of a VMware virtualization license agreement at the Pentagon, pointing to the deal's anti-compete nature.Continue Reading

• Survive and thrive in cloud DevOps

  Research shows that more companies are adopting DevOps, or the blending of an organization’s application development and systems operations teams. Cloud DevOps is a natural fit for many organizations because it enables faster development and ...Continue Reading

• Amazon Elastic Beanstalk blurs IaaS and PaaS lines

  AWS gives IaaS users an ability to build apps in Elastic Beanstalk. This strengthens its PaaS message and puts more emphasis on the applications.Continue Reading

• Buy or DIY? Get the right performance monitoring service

  You can't get around AWS app performance monitoring, but you can avoid the costs. Don't hire a third party -- experiment in-house.Continue Reading

• AWS CloudFormation and OpsWorks -- Better together?

  CloudFormation and OpsWorks seem similar but have different advantages and use cases. Which tool to choose depends on development skills and needs.Continue Reading

• Four ways DevOps can boost AWS security

  Many IT teams believe security belongs to someone else. Building security into the DevOps process can be a tricky but rewarding move.Continue Reading

• Dissecting AWS EC2 Reserved Instances for savings

  It's important to understand the differences in AWS Reserved Instance tiers to get the most return on your investment.Continue Reading

• Cloud market size numbers don't add up

  Determining AWS's true value in the cloud market has been a bit of a guessing game, especially when cloud market size appears larger than it is.Continue Reading

• Watch online: Effective approaches to AWS cloud monitoring

  AWS administrators can monitor AWS Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) instances using native tools like CloudWatch, but those native tools don’t always get to the heart of the matter. This handbook examines third-party cloud management tools that can help ...Continue Reading

• The bright future of Agile and DevOps

  DevOps has a bright future for cloud-based app development. It can improve efficiency and help companies better leverage public and private clouds.Continue Reading

• AWS resellers can put a silver lining in your cloud

  All the choices on AWS can be overwhelming, particularly if it's your first cloud effort or it's time to expand. That's where AWS partners can help.Continue Reading

• AWS vs. Google comparison guide

  AWS and Google are slugging it out in the public cloud ring -- going blow for blow on price and features. How do they compare on performance and cost?Continue Reading

• AWS vs. Google: For the love of cloud providers

  You're in the market for a new cloud provider, and you have an idea of your 'perfect match,' but do your wants and needs match up to what's available?Continue Reading

• AWS EC2 instance availability improves with Auto Recovery

  AWS will now allow instances to recover from multiple types of failure, but it's not a substitute for resilient application design in the cloud.Continue Reading

• Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud features explained

  AWS EC2 is a cloud service that's easy to use and easy to set up if companies understand its many facets and features.Continue Reading

• Using Amazon SQS for scalable applications

  AWS SQS has a few advantages over other message queuing systems. The service supports decoupled environments and eliminates queuing management tasks.Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• Experts predict a sunny outlook for the cloud in 2015

  What does 2015 hold in store for the cloud? Experts say the market will grow, with the number of available applications doubling in number.Continue Reading

• Amazon RedShift performance monitoring strategies

  The RedShift platform tackles a lot of cluster and database administration, but doesn't do it all. Some AWS tools can fill the monitoring void.Continue Reading

• Test your knowledge: Amazon Simple Queue Service quiz

  Test your knowledge of Amazon Web Services' simple queuing service with this 10-question quiz.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

• Using the AWS Partner Network to choose a technology provider

  The AWS Partner Network includes lists of vetted members to ensure organizations choose a provider whose solution will work on the AWS cloud.Continue Reading

• Do Amazon VPC benefits outweigh downsides?

  Amazon VPC lets companies quickly deploy resources and integrate them with existing IT architectures, as long IT teams can accept AWS's peculiarities.Continue Reading

• Four AWS-friendly app performance management tools

  Rethinking your APM strategy? We review four AWS-friendly application performance management tools ranging from healthcare software to monitoring.Continue Reading

• Amazon ElastiCache detects app performance bottlenecks

  How you tune an application depends on which components are the bottlenecks. And caching critical data in-memory can help improve app performance.Continue Reading

• Pros and cons of building cloud-native apps in AWS

  David Linthicum reviews the benefits and tradeoffs of building cloud-native apps in platforms like AWS, and why they tend to scale better.Continue Reading

• Amazon Web Services Security Quiz

  Test your knowledge of Amazon Web Services security best practices with this 10 question security quiz.Continue Reading

• Best practices for authentication options on AWS

  This tip reviews authentication options on AWS and best practices for using them to ensure accounts and information are well protected.Continue Reading

• AWS encryption creates a solid base for cloud compliance

  AWS made changes to data encryption features for services like S3, giving admins more flexibility and control. But many say it's still not enough.Continue Reading

• Data security in AWS: Creating a strategy that works

  Dave Linthicum discusses data security in AWS including encryption and database services, permissions, identity-based security and how users can create a strategy that works for them.Continue Reading

• Benefits of Amazon SES in the enterprise

  Marketing firms and online gaming companies often look for less expensive ways to send bulk email to customers or would-be buyers. Here's a look at what Amazon SES has to offer.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

• Four questions to ask about Amazon data warehouse services

  Data analysis allows enterprises to follow and adapt to changing market demands. Amazon Redshift and RDS are two cloud-based tools your enterprise might want to investigate.Continue Reading

• Provision regionally with AWS availability zones

  To design a highly available public cloud in AWS, it's best to provision regionally -- placing applications in regions closest to end customers. Knowing which availability zone to choose is step one.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

• Improve network availability with Amazon Route 53

  Route 53 is an Amazon service that gets less attention than some of the others, but that doesn't mean it's not important. This scalable DNS service can improve network availability and reliability.Continue Reading

• AWS vs. Azure face-off: cloud costs, commitments and SLAs

  IT pros may find it tough to compare AWS and Azure. But we decode their free and paid plans, as well as costs, SLAs and more.Continue Reading

• How to weigh Amazon DynamoDB vs. SimpleDB

  DynamoDB and SimpleDB can improve flexibility and reduce app development time. Selecting the right environment lets you get the most out of each.Continue Reading

• Google vs. AWS SSD: Which is the better deal?

  AWS shops are eager to use new EBS SSD-backed volumes, though it's still unclear whether AWS or Google has the better SSD deal.Continue Reading

• Analyzing cloud costs with AWS' TCO Calculator: Mileage may vary

  Amazon's free TCO Calculator compares its services to on-premises IT, but a look at the details reveals cloud costs remains a tricky business.Continue Reading

• How does AWS support businesses' regulatory compliance requirements?

  AWS works with organizations to provide customers with information regarding the policies, processes and controls it has established and performs.Continue Reading

• Four points of archiving data on AWS S3

  Storing archives on S3 can be a cost-effective option with proper planning and long-term management.Continue Reading

• Amazon Machine Images: HVM or PV?

  Learn the differences between HVM and PV for Amazon Machine Images.Continue Reading

• Amazon Summit showcases new cloud product initiatives

  Three Amazon Summit speakers discuss cloud computing innovations, both current and imminent.Continue Reading

• Benefits and drawbacks of app deployment with Amazon OpsWorks

  Manually configuring several VM instances can be a time-consuming task. Developers can use AWS OpsWorks to automate app deployment.Continue Reading

• Amazon cloud services: What's new?

  Expert Chris Moyer discusses whether Amazon cloud services are new or simply updates of older services.Continue Reading

• Explore new AWS offerings for developers and enterprises alike

  This Amazon Web Services guide contains expert insights on three AWS offerings -- AppStream, Kinesis and WorkSpaces -- while touching on other issues.Continue Reading

• Amazon's data flow PaaS: AppStream and Kinesis

  Learn why AppStream and Kinesis are different kinds of data flow services.Continue Reading

• Considering Amazon WorkSpaces? Balance virtual desktop pros and cons

  In this answer, expert Chris Moyer discusses concerns companies should address before moving to Amazon WorkSpaces or other virtual-desktop services.Continue Reading

• Amazon Kinesis: When to use Amazon's new big-data processing service

  In this expert answer, Chris Moyer offers advice on using Amazon Kinesis for near-real-time processing of streaming big data.Continue Reading

• FAQ: AWS takes on real-time processing with Amazon Kinesis

  Amazon Kinesis was launched at the 2013 AWS conference. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions to help you decide if it's right for you.Continue Reading

• AWS fends off 'bouncy' cloud computing performance perception

  Some Amazon Web Services customers blame 'noisy neighbors' for fluctuating cloud performance, but AWS officials say that's not what's happening.Continue Reading

• What Amazon WorkSpaces really means for DaaS

  Amazon's existing customer base puts more weight behind Desktop as a Service, even though the technology in Amazon WorkSpaces isn't such a big deal.Continue Reading