AWS Architecture: Why an AWS architect is unable to fix your cost and performance issues long term

What causes bottlenecks in AWS performance and increases in cost (IS my AWS well-architected)?

AN AWS architecture is designed to provide you with the flexibility to deploy your applications in a wide variety of configurations. You can choose to deploy your application in a single Availability Zone or across multiple Availability Zones. Availability Zones are physically separate data centres that are located in different areas of the world. By deploying your application in multiple Availability Zones, you can protect your application from localized outages. In addition, you can also choose to deploy your application on an Auto Scaling group, which will automatically scale your application based on demand. As a result, AWS architecture provides you with the ability to deploy your applications in a manner that is both highly available and scalable.

There are many potential causes of performance bottlenecks and cost increases in AWS. However, the most common cause is an incorrect or poorly designed AWS architecture. A well-designed AWS architecture will take into account the needs of the applications and workloads it will support, as well as the anticipated growth of those applications and workloads. In contrast, a poorly designed AWS architecture is often the result of a "one size fits all" approach that fails to take into account the specific needs of the applications and workloads it will support. As a result, bottlenecks can develop that slow down performance and increase costs.

How do I know if my AWS architecture is the problem?

If you're experiencing persistent problems with performance or cost, then it's likely that your AWS cloud architecture is the root of the problem. To determine if your architecture is the cause of your problems, you can ask yourself the following questions:

• Is my AWS cloud architecture well designed for the applications and workloads it supports?
• Have I taken into account the anticipated growth of my applications and workloads when designing my AWS architecture?
• Have I checked if there are any areas of my architecture that seem inefficient or unnecessary?

If you answered "No" to any of these questions, then it's likely that your AWS architecture is the cause of your problems. To fix these problems, you'll need to rework your architecture configuration. All the time reference your issues to your architecture diagram and see where they could be related.

Should I have an AWS architecture diagram or blueprint?

As any IT professional knows, a well-designed architecture is essential for any cloud-based system. By creating a clear and concise architecture diagram, of your deployment, you can ensure that all parts of your system are properly connected and that your resources are being used efficiently. AWS architecture diagrams can also help you to troubleshoot problems and pinpoint areas for improvement.

If you are a SaaS or ISV business and run multiple implementations of the same environment then a set of architecture diagrams documenting the known differences between development, testing and live deployments are a must.

In short, architecture diagrams are a valuable tool for any organization that relies on Amazon Web Services. If you're responsible for managing resources, then you should absolutely create architecture diagrams. To operate your AWS infrastructure for the long term this is a must. Doing so will save you time, money and frustration in the long run.

Should an architect be AWS certified and what resources and media are available?

Any architect worth their salt should be AWS certified. Amazon Web Services certification is in high demand across industries, and the, pay premiums for those who have the credential can be upwards of 20-30% more than their non-certified counterparts. Furthermore, employers are increasingly looking for candidates who are certified in AWS, as the platform is becoming more and more popular for businesses of all sizes.

There are a plethora of resources and media available to help potential candidates study for and obtain their AWS certification on the AWS website as well as many forums and guides covering a broad range of AWS-related topics and news. In addition, there are many tutorials and API references (Documentation for AWS services) available free of charge. There are also live online presentations covering documentation for popular services aiming to bring the AWS computing community together online. With so many resources at their disposal, there is no excuse for any architect not to be AWS certified.

If you are using an AWS-certified third party like an AWS Partner, then they should always have a level of certification.

What impact does this have on your software deployment in AWS?

If you have a poorly designed AWS architecture, it can lead to bottlenecks in performance and increases in cost. As a result, it's important to make sure that your AWS architecture is well designed before deploying your software in AWS.

Otherwise, you will end up spending more money than necessary, or you may not be able to scale your software as your business grows. The end result of this is that although your workloads have moved to the cloud you have not realised any of the benefits of moving to the cloud. You will not be able to accelerate your business outcomes and goals for the cloud.