Jeremy Kaplan
Amazon Web Services is a popular cloud platform that has slowly become a crucial part of the e-commerce ecosystem — here’s why that is important.
Whether you are a boutique jewelry store owner or the manager at a large tech corporation, you probably rely on data storage and security services in some capacity. You may have even researched different storage options for your data and come across the concept of cloud-based storage platforms like Amazon Web Services.
Cloud-based storage has grown in popularity over the past few years, and for good reason. Not only can it store large quantities of data, but it is also cost-efficient and incredibly secure. Looking for a cloud storage platform to use for your organization? Amazon Web Services is one of the top cloud storage providers on the market. In our latest blog post, we’ll review:
- The basics of Amazon Web Services
- AWS vs. other cloud providers on the market
- Different companies that use AWS
- Tips for deciding whether AWS is a good fit for your business
Brief Overview of Amazon Web Services
Amazon Web Services is an inexpensive cloud computing service that is known for its security and reliability.
So, what does Amazon Web Services do? A lot of things, actually. By providing a reliable, low-cost cloud platform, Amazon Web Services allows businesses to scale costs according to their storage needs, experiment with new applications, protect their information, and customize a development platform that best suits their unique needs. Regardless of your industry, you can use Amazon Web Services to:
- Power up internal applications and Software as a Service (SaaS) products
- Manage web hosting needs
- Host different IT applications
- Distribute content to customers
Why Companies Are Switching to Cloud Platforms
Rather than deal with the tediousness and high costs associated with managing a physical data center, companies are starting to switch over to cloud-based services. With cloud computing platforms like Amazon Web Services, users can access data from any location in the world and collaborate with team members working from different locations. Using cloud-based storage platforms can also help companies cut down on energy costs while also increasing their web application and data protection capabilities.
That said, most companies need to hire a special IT person or team to handle their cloud platform. You will also need to make sure that you trust whatever cloud platform you use, as you will be relying on it for security and reliability.
AWS vs. Other Cloud Computing Platforms
Some of Amazon Web Services’ top competitors include Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure, and IBM Cloud.
Of course, Amazon Web Services isn’t the only cloud computing out there. Some of the company’s top competitors include the Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure, and IBM Cloud. These cloud platforms offer similar features to AWS, such as world-class security, scalability, remote access capabilities, and flexible pricing.
In terms of size, Amazon Web Services offers a much larger server capacity than its competitors. Many people would argue that it enjoys a pretty high spot as the top cloud service currently available. In fact, AWS holds over a third of the cloud computing market with Azure and Google Cloud falling far behind. Amazon Web Services is also larger than all three of its top competitors combined. So it’s safe to say that Amazon Web Services is going to enjoy its top spot for a long time into the foreseeable future.
Industries and Companies That Use Amazon Web Services
Amazon Web Services counts top companies like Netflix, LinkedIn, ESPN, and Twitch on its prestigious list of clients.
Amazon Web Services enjoys a long and prestigious list of clientele. Companies like Netflix, ESPN, LinkedIn, Adobe, and Comcast all rely on Amazon Web Services for its cutting-edge capabilities. All of these companies pay millions of dollars to make the most of AWS’s features.
Of course, Amazon Web Services isn’t catered exclusively to large companies. Small businesses have also found great success from using Amazon Web Services and have noticed substantial growth after switching to the platform. One of the most attractive features of the platform is its incredibly low price. Everyone from a burgeoning start-up to a Fortune 500 company can enjoy Amazon Web Services and all of its attractive features.
How to Decide is Amazon Web Services is Right for Your Business
Not sure if Amazon Web Services is right for your company? Here’s how you can decide.
Are you thinking about switching to Amazon Web Services? Making such a large and important decision is no mean feat. But if you’ve found that your current storage platform is expensive and difficult to manage, it might be time to finally make that switch to a cloud storage platform. AWS offers numerous benefits such as:
- Easy-to-use applications
- Flexible payment structures
- Scalability
- Security
It doesn’t matter how large your company is. Businesses of all sizes have enjoyed the benefits of Amazon Web Services. If you have the capability to train yourself in AWS or hire someone who is well-versed in the program, you will find that the benefits of using the service far outweigh any potential cons.
Since its start in 2006, Amazon Web Services has skyrocketed to the top as one of the best cloud storage providers around. Are you planning on joining the hundreds of top-tier companies that use Amazon Web Services? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!
