Foundations on My AWS Rocks!

Setting up your AWS account

Sun, 24 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000

So you want to get your own AWS account and get started with hands on deployments. What should you do?

Getting Started

Firstly take a look at the AWS Getting Started Guide. In particular follow at least the first 3 steps of the setting up your environment. This will go through account creation, securing your root account and creating an admin account for you to use on a daily basis.

How to Setup Your Development Environment for AWS | Introduction
Learn how to setup your development environment for AWS. This tutorial includes setting up and securing your account, installing the AWS CLI, and getting started with Cloud9.

CloudFormation 101

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

In this post we will look at the basics of CloudFormation, what you need to know and how to get started in writing templates.

AWS CloudFormation Template

So you may be asking why I am writing a post about template basics when I have said I’ll try not repeat information available on AWS.

Two reasons. Primarily to demystify the template and secondly to provide pointers to resources you might find useful as you improve your CloudFormation knowledge.

Security 101

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Following on from the foundational architecture post I thought I’d give a dive into security of the AWS cloud. For me this is the most important element to understand before even creating an AWS account as if you get this wrong it can be costly in more ways than one. There are a few items that need to be looked at when considering security. These include, but are not limited to:

Why use the AWS Well-Architected Framework

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 00:00:00 +0000

This is the second in a three part series on the AWS Well-Architected Framework. It is based on my presentation at the AWS Thames Valley user group “How to design well when there is no rule book” . In the first part of this series I looked at what the Well-Architected Framework is. In this part we will look at why you should use the Well-Architected Framework.

I split the what of the framework into 3 categories; Cloud Roadmap, Design Principle; Cloud Assessment.

What is the AWS Well-Architected Framework

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 00:00:00 +0000

AWS Well Architected elements

This is the first in a three part series on the AWS Well-Architected Framework. It is based on my presentation at the AWS Thames Valley user group “How to design well when there is no rule book”.

This first part looks at what the Well-Architected Framework is.

On the AWS websitethey describe the framework as:

The AWS Well-Architected Framework describes the key concepts, design principles, and architectural best practices for designing and running workloads in the cloud. By answering a set of foundational questions, you learn how well your architecture aligns with cloud best practices and are provided guidance for making improvements.

AWS Foundational Architecture

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

When building a house, the most important thing to get right is the foundations. With out a good foundation everything that is built on top will have issues and, worse case, completely fail. Building IT solutions is no different. We have to ensure the basic foundations are in place in order to build good solutions for the business we are working for.

Often I see organizations trying to implement the foundations once they have built the first few systems or they realize that “this cloud craze is real”. Many times it is after a proof of concept has suddenly become a production system. What ever the reason for the delay it always causes rework, at a cost to the business, and can cause friction or resentment from engineers who implemented the first solutions.