Module 4 - Going Global

Question 1

AWS edge locations

Answer 1

AWS edge locations are data centers that deliver AWS services with minimal latency to end users. They are part of the Amazon CloudFront content delivery network (CDN) and are used to cache and distribute content closer to users geographically.

Like our coffee franchise could expand with smaller versions of the shop such as mobile coffee carts, AWS has smaller footprint facilities called edge locations. Edge locations cache items like images, videos, and other resources, so that users can access the content they need with lower latency.

Question 2

AWS CloudFormation

Answer 2

AWS CloudFormation is an infrastructure-as-code (IaC) service that lets you define and provision AWS resources using declarative templates (in JSON or YAML).

Infrastructure-as-code (IaC) means managing and provisioning computing infrastructure—servers, networks, databases—through machine-readable configuration files instead of manual setup.

Question 3

What to take into account when choosing a region

Answer 3

• Compliance: Different geographical locations have varying regulatory requirements and data protection laws that organizations must follow. For example, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is designed to protect the personal data and privacy of individuals within the European Union (EU). An online retail company operating in the EU would be required to meet GDPR compliance to protect customer data. GDPR compliance includes obtaining proper consent for data collection and providing mechanisms for data access and deletion.
• Proximity: Regions closer to your user base minimize data travel time, which reduces latency and enhances application responsiveness.
• Feature availability: AWS is constantly expanding features and services to multiple locations, but not all Regions contain all AWS offerings. For example, AWS GovCloud Regions are specifically designed to meet the compliance and security requirements of US government agencies and their contractors. These Regions have stringent physical, operational, and personnel security controls in place.
• Pricing: Some Regions have lower operational costs than others. Tax laws and regulations can also play a role in cost. Some Regions might offer tax incentives or have lower tax rates, which can affect customer pricing. Additionally, data sovereignty laws in certain Regions might require data to be stored locally, affecting both compliance and cost.

Question 4

High availability

Answer 4

High availability refers to the capability of a system to operate continuously without failing. In the context of AWS infrastructure, it means that your applications can handle the failure of individual components without significant downtime.

Question 5

Agility

Answer 5

Agility refers to the ability to quickly adapt to changing requirements or market conditions. With AWS infrastructure in place, you can modify and deploy services rapidly.

Question 6

Elasticity

Answer 6

Elasticity refers to the ability of a system to scale resources up or down automatically in response to changes in demand. AWS infrastructure is set up for you to scale resources up and down on demand.

Question 7

Edge locations

Answer 7

In addition to AWS Regions that contain Availability Zones, AWS has a global edge network that provides quicker content access to users outside of standard Regions. These edge locations are strategically placed in areas like Atlanta, Georgia, USA or Shanghai, China to provide low-latency access to AWS services and content delivery.

Edge locations offer multiple services to run closer to end users, including AWS networking services like Amazon CloudFront. CloudFront is a content delivery network (CDN) and caching system that you learn more about later in this training.

Question 8

AWS CloudFormation

Answer 8

AWS CloudFormation is an Infrastructure as Code (IaC) service that allows you to define, provision, and manage AWS resources using simple text files (templates) written in YAML or JSON.

Question 9

Interacting with AWS resources

Answer 9

To interact with AWS resources, you must invoke AWS APIs.

To interact with these APIs, you can use the AWS SDKs, the AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI), the AWS Management Console, or IaC tools such as CloudFormation.

• Programmatic access: Icludes options like the AWS CLI and AWS SDKs. These options are best suited for developers and those familiar with coding languages.
• AWS Management Console: Is a web interface that you use for managing AWS services, offering quick access to services, search functionality, and simplified workflows.
• Infrastructure as Code: With IaC tools such as CloudFormation, you can automate resource management across your organization with AWS service integrations offering efficient and repeatable resource creation and management.