Title

AWS re:Invent 2023 - Build with the efficiency, agility & innovation of the cloud with AWS (STG103)

Summary

• Christian Smith and Rajesh Vijayaraghavan presented on AWS Cloud Storage, focusing on efficiency, agility, and innovation for various use cases.
• AWS offers 14 storage services and 37 storage classes, designed to be scalable, secure, performant, fully managed, cost-optimized, and globally deployed.
• The primary data storage services are categorized into block (EBS), object (S3 and S3 Glacier), and file services (FSx family and EFS).
• Additional services include the transfer family, Snow family, Gateway, DataSync, and data protection services like AWS Backup, native snapshot capabilities, and Elastic Disaster Recovery.
• The session covered the importance of right-sizing storage to save costs and improve performance, with examples of customers who have benefited from AWS's storage solutions.
• Data is likened to the new oil, with businesses facing challenges in security, privacy, and compliance while trying to leverage data for insights through analytics and machine learning.
• AWS Storage supports the journey from lift-and-shift migrations to modernization and optimization, with cost reductions and improved productivity as key benefits.
• The storage value proposition for workloads was discussed, including the importance of choosing the right storage class for data lakes and the savings achieved through S3 Intelligent Tiering.
• The session highlighted customer use cases, such as Thomson Reuters and Workday, showcasing how AWS Storage solutions have enabled them to meet their business needs effectively.
• The presenters encouraged attendees to continue learning about AWS Storage through AWS Skill Builder, ramp-up guides, and storage badges.

Insights

• AWS's approach to storage is customer-centric, with services developed by working backward from customer needs, emphasizing the importance of aligning storage solutions with specific applications and use cases.
• The complexity of cloud storage has increased, but AWS aims to simplify the selection process for customers by providing a wide range of services and classes tailored to different needs.
• Cost optimization remains a critical concern for AWS customers. AWS's storage solutions offer significant cost savings by enabling customers to right-size their storage based on actual usage rather than over-provisioning.
• Data lakes are becoming increasingly central to business strategies, with S3 serving as the foundation due to its scalability, security, and integration with analytics and machine learning services.
• AWS Backup has become a comprehensive solution for data protection, supporting a wide range of AWS services and allowing for centralized management and governance of backup activities.
• The session's focus on real-world customer use cases and the tangible benefits they've experienced underscores the practical value of AWS's storage offerings.
• AWS encourages continuous learning and skill development in cloud storage, highlighting the availability of educational resources and certification programs to help customers and professionals stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and best practices.