Amazon Web Services is a broad set of global cloud services that organisations can use to run computing workloads, store data and deploy applications in the cloud.
It is designed to scale with demand, offering on‑demand resources with pay‑as‑you‑go pricing and a global network of data centres. The platform is suitable for a wide range of users, from developers and IT teams to startups, enterprises and public sector organisations profiting from secure, reliable infrastructure in the cloud.
With a comprehensive catalogue of services and deep tooling, AWS aims to support organisations as they build, migrate and operate in the cloud, while providing governance, security and cost management capabilities to match diverse requirements.
What is Amazon Web Services?
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a cloud platform that provides a broad catalog of services for computing, storage, databases, networking, analytics, machine learning, security and management. It offers access to computing power and storage over the internet, enabling organisations to host applications, run data-intensive workloads and build new digital services without maintaining on‑premises infrastructure.
The platform is designed to support scalable, resilient architectures, with a global footprint and a pay‑as‑you‑go approach to pricing. It includes tools and interfaces for developers, IT professionals and operators to provision resources, monitor performance and automate operations.
Key Features and Capabilities
- Global infrastructure with multiple regions and Availability Zones to run resources with low latency and high availability.
- A broad service catalog spanning compute, storage, databases, analytics, machine learning, networking, security, developer tools and management services.
- On‑demand provisioning and pay‑as‑you‑go pricing, including free usage options for certain services.
- Security, identity and access management capabilities, encryption and compliance offerings to support governance and risk management.
- APIs, software development kits (SDKs) and a management console to build, deploy and integrate AWS services with applications and existing systems.
- Hybrid and on‑premises options, including solutions that bring AWS infrastructure closer to on‑premises workloads.
- Managed and developer‑focused services that support automation, monitoring and scalable operations.
How Amazon Web Services Is Typically Used
Typical use cases for AWS include hosting and scaling websites and web applications, storing and protecting data, and performing analytics on large datasets. Organisations often migrate existing workloads to the cloud to improve resilience and cost efficiency, or to experiment with new capabilities such as machine learning and data processing at scale.
Common workflows include provisioning compute and storage resources for development, testing and production environments, automating deployment pipelines, and implementing monitoring and governance practices. AWS is also used to run serverless and containerised workloads, enabling teams to focus on application logic rather than infrastructure management.
For data-intensive workloads, AWS provides services to ingest, store, analyse and visualise data, supporting both real-time processing and batch analytics at scale. In addition, organisations leverage AWS for disaster recovery planning and business continuity, thanks to its global reach and varied deployment options.
Who Amazon Web Services Is Best Suited For
AWS is designed for a wide range of users, from individuals and small teams to large organisations. Startups can access scalable infrastructure to prototype and grow quickly, while enterprises and public sector bodies may rely on AWS for core applications, data platforms and mission‑critical workloads. IT and development teams across industries—finance, healthcare, retail, media, manufacturing and more—can engage with AWS to deploy, migrate and manage services that require reliability, security and global reach.
Deployment, Access and Integrations
AWS is primarily a cloud‑based platform, offering access via web interfaces, APIs and CLI tools. Organisations can deploy resources in the cloud and, where needed, integrate with on‑premises environments through hybrid options such as AWS Outposts. The platform supports integrating applications and systems through APIs and SDKs, enabling programmatic control and automation of AWS services. The AWS Management Console provides a graphical interface for provisioning and managing resources, while APIs and tooling support automation, monitoring and governance across workloads.
Summary
Amazon Web Services provides a comprehensive cloud infrastructure platform intended for a broad set of workloads, from simple hosting to complex data analytics and machine learning. Its global reach, extensive service catalog and emphasis on security and governance support organisations of varying sizes and industries as they design, migrate and operate in the cloud. The platform is primarily accessed via the web‑based management console, with APIs and SDKs enabling programmematic control and automation, and it offers hybrid deployment options for organisations requiring on‑premises integration.
Example workflow
An AWS billing or service alert posts to Slack and logs to your tracker. No manual work.
