Title

AWS re:Invent 2023 - APN technical validations to grow your practice & delight customers (PEX204)

Summary

AWS partners can leverage technical validations to deliver differentiated solutions to customers.
The session covers common challenges faced by partners during applications and how to address them.
Importance of customer obsession and reducing risk for AWS customers is emphasized.
Technical expertise, cost and time-saving solutions, and customer success are key reasons AWS customers and sales teams choose validated partners.
Financial incentives, recognition, early access, and expert engagement are benefits for partners undergoing technical validations.
Two main validation criteria: adherence to AWS Well-Architected best practices and a track record of customer success.
Five common challenges discussed: basic account security, access to customer accounts, resilience, workload health monitoring, and customer handover/shared responsibility.
Partners are encouraged to use AWS tools like Control Tower, IAM Access Analyzer, and Resilience Hub to meet validation requirements.
The session concludes with reminders to consult program checklists, expect updates, and strive to meet the high standards set by AWS for customer satisfaction.

AWS places a strong emphasis on partners following best practices and demonstrating technical expertise to ensure customer success.
The session highlights the importance of security, particularly in managing account access and credentials, which is a common area of concern for partners.
Resilience is not a one-size-fits-all solution; partners must balance cost and complexity with the business requirements and recovery objectives of their customers.
Workload health monitoring should be tied to business outcomes, not just technical performance, to provide meaningful insights to customers.
Clear communication and documentation of shared responsibilities between AWS, partners, and customers are crucial for successful handovers and ongoing operations.
AWS provides various tools and resources, such as the AWS Events app, to assist partners in meeting technical validation requirements and improving their offerings.
The session underscores the dynamic nature of AWS's validation programs and the need for partners to stay informed about updates and changes to maintain their validated status.