AWS Fundamentals
The Building Blocks of AWS
- Region vs availability zones: availability zone can be thought of as a data center (it may be multiple but grouped into one).
- A region is a geographical area that consists of availability zones.
- Edge locations: endpoints for AWS used for caching content. Typically consists of CloudFront.
Who Owns What In The Cloud?
Analogy initially used that speaks about the responsibility for whom when renting a car.
The "Shared Responsibility Model" is a model that is used by AWS to determine who owns what in the cloud.
Customer:
- Custom data
- Platform, Applications, IAM
- Operating System Network & Firewall Configuration
- Client-Side Data Encryption & Data Integrity Authentication
- Server-Side Encryption (FS and/or data)
- Networking traffic protection (encryption, integrity, identity)
AWS:
- Software: Compute, Storage, Database, Networking
- Hardware/AWS Global Infra: Regions, AZs, Edge Locations
Question: can you do this yourself in the AWS Management Console? If yes, you are likely responsible. Otherwise, AWS is likely responsible (ie. their data centers, etc.).
Encryption is a shared responsibility.
Compute, Storage, Databases
- Compute (things to crunch the data): EC2, Lambda, Elastic Beanstalk.
- Storage (safe place to save data): S3, EBS (Elastic Block Store), EFS (Elastic File Service), FSx, Storage Gateway.
- Database (reliable way to store and retrieve info): RDS, DynamoDB, Redshift (database warehousing tech).
- Networking (how the others communicate with each other): VPCs, Direct Connect, Route 53, API Gateway, AWS Global Accelerator.
What is the Well-Architected Framework
AWS has hundreds of whitepapers available.
Each piller of the Well-Architected Framework has its own whitepaper.
- Operational Excellence
- Security
- Reliability
- Performance Efficiency
- Cost Optimization
Read the white paper before the exam.
Exam Tips
AWS Building Blocks Tips
- Region is a physical locations that consists of two or more AZs.
- AZ is one or more discrete data centers - each with redundant power, networking and connectivity - housed in separate facilities.
- Edge locations are endpoints for AWS that are used for caching content. Typically consists of CloudFront.
Shared Responsibility Model Tips
- "Can you do this yourself in the AWS Management Console?"
Compute, Storage, Databases Tips
Review the section - it has all the tips required to know.
Well Architected Model Tips
Read the white paper before the exam.