Title

AWS re:Invent 2022 - Scaling AWS Well-Architected Reviews through the enterprise (ARC204)

Summary

• Andrew Robinson, a senior manager for solutions architecture, introduces the session on scaling AWS Well-Architected reviews.
• Ray Ayers from TUI and Duncan Bell from the AWS Well-Architected team also present.
• The AWS Well-Architected Framework consists of six pillars: operational excellence, security, reliability, performance efficiency, cost optimization, and sustainability.
• The framework helps build better workloads, learn best practices, and understand design principles.
• The Well-Architected Tool, available in the AWS console, helps identify high-risk areas and suggests improvement plans.
• TUI's journey with the Well-Architected Framework began in 2017, leading to the creation of TUI Cloud Standard.
• TUI adopted the Well-Architected Tool in 2018 and saw benefits in technology and engineering metrics.
• TUI's global re-platform program, TRIPS, uses the Well-Architected Framework to assess maturity levels and apply consistent configurations across the enterprise.
• TUI has more than 700 AWS accounts applying the Well-Architected Framework.
• Duncan Bell discusses custom lenses, reporting and dashboards, and streamlining the review process with templated answers.
• Custom lenses allow for the creation of specific best practice frameworks, and these can be shared across AWS organizations.
• An automated pipeline can be set up for custom lenses, and a centralized dashboard can provide insights across all AWS workloads.
• Templated answers can streamline the review process for workloads with repeat answers.

Insights

• The AWS Well-Architected Framework is a comprehensive guide that helps organizations build and operate workloads more effectively in the cloud.
• The Well-Architected Tool is a no-cost resource that provides a structured way to assess and improve cloud workloads, which can be particularly beneficial for enterprises with multiple workloads and complex architectures.
• TUI's adoption of the Well-Architected Framework and Tool demonstrates the practical application of AWS best practices in a large, global enterprise with significant cloud infrastructure.
• The introduction of custom lenses allows organizations to tailor the Well-Architected Framework to their specific needs, including compliance with industry standards or internal best practices.
• The ability to share custom lenses across AWS organizations and automate the deployment process with CI/CD pipelines ensures consistency and efficiency in applying best practices across multiple teams and workloads.
• Integrating the Well-Architected Tool API with reporting systems like Tableau or Amazon QuickSight can provide valuable insights for different stakeholders, from C-level executives to workload owners, enabling data-driven decision-making.
• Templated answers for the Well-Architected reviews can save time and ensure consistency when conducting reviews across many workloads that share common configurations or practices.
• The session highlights the importance of continuous improvement and iteration in developing custom lenses, suggesting a development cycle that includes planning, implementation, measurement, and application of findings.