AWS Solutions Architect Associate Certification
Services Compute
Outposts
AWS Outposts is an innovative solution designed to bridge the gap between cloud and on-premise environments. As businesses increasingly adopt cloud technologies for scalability, cost savings, and rapid delivery, many organizations still retain on-site data processing to meet compliance and security mandates. AWS Outposts enables you to leverage the same AWS services, APIs, and tools on-premise that you use in the cloud, delivering a seamless hybrid experience.
Key Benefit
With AWS Outposts, you no longer need to manage separate environments for on-premise and cloud-based workloads. Instead, you can run applications and workloads locally while interfacing directly with additional AWS services in a nearby AWS Region.
How AWS Outposts Works
AWS Outposts is a family of fully managed solutions that delivers AWS infrastructure and services directly to almost any data center or edge location. AWS experts deliver and install the Outposts rack in your data center, while you ensure the setup has the necessary power and network connectivity. Once deployed, the Outposts system connects to the nearest AWS Region using AWS Direct Connect or a VPN, providing a direct link between your on-premise resources and the cloud environment.
Extending Your Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)
By extending your VPC to include an Outposts subnet, instances running locally on Outposts can securely communicate with other instances in your VPC via private IP addresses. This setup essentially creates two parallel AWS environments—one in the cloud and one on-premise—that operate identically.
Supported Services and Key Features
AWS Outposts supports a comprehensive range of AWS services, including:
- EC2 Instances
- S3 Storage
- Lambda Functions
- DynamoDB
- RDS
- And many other familiar services
This ensures that whether your workloads are in the cloud or on-premise, they are managed consistently.
Key Features and Benefits
| Feature | Benefit | Example/Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Fully Managed Service | AWS delivers, installs, maintains, and updates your Outposts hardware. | No need for on-site hardware lifecycle management. |
| Hardware Rack at Your Site | AWS Outposts is a physical product installed at your location, complete with servers, switches, and network components. | Delivery and installation by AWS professionals. |
| Consistent Hybrid Experience | On-premise operations with Outposts mirror AWS cloud operations, simplifying management and operational tasks. | Uniform API, tools, and services across environments. |
| Support for On-Premises Workloads | Tailored for workloads requiring low latency or adherence to strict data residency and regulatory requirements. | Ideal for industries with compliance mandates. |
Important
Ensure that your data center meets the power and connectivity requirements before deploying AWS Outposts. Also, consider redundancy and backup planning to guarantee uninterrupted service.
Summary
AWS Outposts offers a robust solution for organizations wishing to combine the flexibility and scalability of cloud computing with the security and compliance advantages of on-premise infrastructures. By using AWS Outposts, you can modernize your IT environment and empower your teams to operate consistently across both environments without the complexity of managing disparate systems.
For more information, visit the AWS Outposts product page and explore additional AWS documentation.
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