AWS and re:Invent - So Much More than Services!
I’ve recently returned from my first AWS re:Invent conference and yes, I feel initiated. Not only were there over 24,000 attendees and over 250 sponsors, but there were 8 new services announced by Amazon including Internet of Things, Analytics, Databases, Storage & Content Delivery, and Mobile Services, just to name a few.
How often do you get to have an experience with fresh eyes; from a perspective that is brand new? Once! So here are a few untainted, non-colored, eyes wide-open observations about AWS re:Invent and the AWS eco-system coming from an industry veteran who has worked for Microsoft, SAP, and HP.
Top 4 impressions from a first-timer at AWS re:Invent
1. The company is Amazon Web Services, not Amazon Web Cloud. There’s a difference. This company has laser focus determination to provide an evolving catalog of services to empower everyone from the garage shop entrepreneur to Fortune 500 organizations to ensure they deliver the services required to add value to their respective customer bases.
2. Everyone wants in. I kind of felt like I was at a convention of really smart, motivated, determined people who wanted in. In on the next wave (well, now the current wave). In on what is obviously a more efficient and cost effective way to serve up an enabling service such as compute and storage. It is pretty much that simple. Which is why in ten years or less we’ll look back and say, “oh wow, people used to provide compute and storage out of servers at their buildings. That’s weird”. And to continue making this a reality, we need all the thinkers, innovators and developers (and more) who were at re:Invent.
3. It’s about the business not IT. Yes, the Amazon Web Services catalog currently has 18 services. No sense in counting because it keeps expanding. But why? To meet the needs of the business. I did in fact become mesmerized by how elegantly simple AWS makes it to learn their services and become certified at various levels. I passed the IAM introductory course myself in the lab while at re:Invent. But all of this exists to host and serve applications to the business and for the end users.
4. It’s about the applications, not the services. And that’s my full circle. The incredible eco-system of services and community AWS has put together in the end is about serving the business. It is not about, ‘services for services’ sake. It is about applications which make it easier for everyone whether it’s King County, Washington to better serve local citizens through cost savings by using AWS, or allowing you and I to view a wider selection of faster videos on Netflix, or making it easier for people to do mobile banking more securely from Capital One.
Looking forward, I’ll be bringing you more insight and references to how the services from AWS impact the business and people in your world.
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