How to buy a new car using the "Six Pillars of the AWS Well-Architected framework."

One of the aspects of writing on technical topics that I love is when I get an opportunity to explain seemingly technical and complex subjects in a simplified way using real-life examples.

A couple of days back, I bumped into a video on YouTube about a DevOps interview (probably staged). In the video, the interviewer asked a prospective candidate about the “AWS Well-Architected framework.” The hapless interviewee was tying himself into knots and using jargon to answer the question.?

It made me think, “There has to be a simple way to explain this! This post is about that!

Namely, the "Six Pillars of the AWS Well-Architected Framework.”

I have been away on personal leave for a few months, hence the long hiatus from my posts. Hopefully, I will get back to regular posts from now on. Let's get back to the topic at hand.

I would like to believe that the AWS Well-Architected Framework is very similar to you trying to buy a new car.

Let’s see how

You usually look for a car that lets you control the various features of the car efficiently, be it the temperature or the height of the seats, etc. You also look for a car with a great dashboard and information panel to get the exact status of the functioning of your car.

“Operational Excellence Pillar”

stands exactly for this.?Managing day-to-day operations efficiently, running and monitoring systems, and automating repetitive tasks.

Needless to say, you need the safest car your money can buy. No compromises for you and your loved ones. You look for airbags, ABS, hazard-detecting features, and whatnot. You want a car that complies with the highest safety standards.

“Security Pillar”

focuses exactly on that. Safety of your workloads, identity, and access management, data integrity, and confidentiality. The list goes on and on.

You will be taking your car on long and arduous adventures. You need a car that can take a beating and passes every test that you put it through. You want a car that does not leave you stranded when you need it the most.

"Reliability Pillar"

covers topics about your workloads performing their intended job without outages and faster service recoveries in case of an outage. It focuses on distributed system design, disaster recovery, and adapting to new and changing requirements.

You want a car that is optimum for your requirements in all aspects. From size and space to performance. A car that can also meet your foreseeable future requirements. A car that is an exact fit for your life needs. You do not want a 4X4 monster truck for a school drop or a Chiron for a grocery run. Maybe you do, but you get the point.

"Performance Efficiency Pillar"

deals with exactly this. It is about streamlining resource allocation. Selecting resource types and sizes optimized for workload requirements and maintaining efficiency as your business evolves.

The cost of ownership is a vital thing to consider when you are looking for a new ride. You do not want to sell your kidney for some fun. You want a car that meets all your requirements and standards and does not strain your resources. Neither upfront nor ongoing. Think capex and opex.

"Cost Optimization Pillar"

focus on avoiding overspending and understanding cost allocation over time. It also deals with ways to cut costs and keep an eye on your ongoing spending.

If the long waiting periods for hybrid cars and the popularity of musk melons are anything to go by, then there is no denying that having a green car has become important. While the topic attracts passionate debate, it can be a very relevant factor for you.

"Sustainability Pillar"

focuses on minimizing the environmental impacts of running cloud workloads. It addresses the shared responsibility model for sustainability and maximizing utilization to minimize required resources and reduce downstream impacts.

That is all there is to it. So you see how all the six pillars of the AWS well-architected framework get covered when you go out to get a new ride for yourself.

However, one thing it does not cover is the amount of love lost arguing over the car colors. Glittering lilac, anyone?