The need for cloud-native applications continues to grow, and businesses are keen on understanding the best cloud practices. This is where services like Amazon Web Services capture the market, and more people are shifting towards these solutions.
Being the top cloud service provider for eight years, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a highly preferred IAAS service for businesses. But there are some areas where people may be skeptical about AWS services.
Likewise, when businesses shift to cloud solutions, one of the significant challenges is how to optimize the cost with AWS. So, how can companies manage their operating expenses more efficiently, and what kind of challenges do they face with AWS in this regard?
This post will talk about the cost and security challenges with AWS. Here are some valuable insights:
- Security Over Control and Tools
Generally, businesses that use AWS security find it challenging how they should approach cloud security. They find it tough to prioritize the right tools and controls over a security strategy for a start.
Data security strategy must come before controls and other tools in most cases. Implementing a security strategy makes it easier to integrate it into different aspects of the business functions, for developing workflows and operations, etc.
When you have a security strategy that oversees business operations, it is easier to implement monitoring at different stages and areas of your business. As far as controls and tools are concerned, there are good options from AWS which can be integrated later.
- Lack of Security Visibility
AWS provides sufficient control and access tools for businesses. Even then, considering that there are so many cloud applications and control options, businesses can’t track who access what information. If companies don’t implement a security strategy, visibility becomes a significant problem on AWS platforms.
But thankfully, AWS provides a few control options to manage visibility more efficiently.
The Host-Based Intrusion Detection (HIDS) from AWS allows the owners to gain information about who, when, and where during and after a malware attack.
HIDS is an essential upgrade from Network Intrusion Detection (NIDS) because the latter only provides information about who enters or leaves the network. But, unfortunately, it doesn’t give much chance to the users to understand intruder behavior.
- Hard to Forecast Cloud Costs
AWS uses traditional financial models. It means that you must sign off expenses before they even occur. But because of the varying nature of cloud costs, it’s not easy to forecast how much you will need to spend on your cloud services.
So, it’s a significant problem regarding budgeting, and you are likely to engage in conflicts with the finance department. At times, the operating costs may be incredibly high. For instance, data outflow, metric compilation, and charging models can cost appreciably higher.
Ultimately, it induces billing complexity for the finance teams.
- Billing Complexity
Since finance teams are there to save every penny for the business, they are more careful when spending on the right tools. But, unfortunately, you can’t say the same for development teams.
Like most cloud services, AWS often evolves its pricing policies, continually changing its invoices. It creates a mess for the customers, who often struggle with billing transparency.
- Architectural Design
AWS formulated the AWS Well-Architected Framework to make it easier to design cloud security solutions. The structure helps users understand the good and bad sides of architectural designs, primarily when they work with complex solutions.
The AWS framework is critical for the system, potentially making or breaking the infrastructure of a cloud solution for any business. Therefore, in addition to the framework, the AWS Well-Architected Tool helps cloud managers to track and measure workloads.
Conclusion
The cloud challenges with AWS can be different for every business. However, AWS provides optimum solutions for most customer queries, enabling them to understand the need and use of such cloud solutions for their business needs.
