The AWS Well-Architected Framework v2.0 PDF was released recently and is 102 pages long, while the v1.0 PDF was 72 pages long. So what’s in those extra 30 pages ? The new pages are due to the new sustainability pillar, the more prescriptive guidance, and the new tools and resources.
Here are some key points I pulled from the document that are all new.
Sustainability pillar-
“The sustainability pillar provides guidance on how to design and operate workloads in a way that minimizes environmental impact. This includes topics such as choosing energy-efficient resources, using renewable energy, and reducing waste.”
“When designing for sustainability, it is important to consider the entire lifecycle of the workload, from development and deployment to operation and retirement. This includes factors such as the energy consumption of the resources used by the workload, the amount of waste generated by the workload, and the ability to recycle or reuse the resources used by the workload at the end of its life.”
Prescriptive guidance-
“The new framework provides more prescriptive guidance on how to implement best practices in each of the six pillars. This makes it easier for customers to understand and apply the framework to their own workloads.”
“For example, the reliability pillar now includes specific guidance on how to design for high availability, disaster recovery, and incident response. This guidance includes specific recommendations for how to choose the right resources, configure them correctly, and monitor them for potential problems.”
New tools and resources-
“The new framework includes a number of new tools and resources, such as a self-assessment tool and a collection of case studies. These resources can help customers to assess their current architecture and identify areas for improvement.”
“For example, the self-assessment tool can help customers to identify areas where their architecture is not aligned with the AWS Well-Architected Framework best practices. The case studies can provide customers with examples of how other organizations have applied the framework to their own workloads.”
In addition to the new changes many of the existing sections have been updated as well . Here is a quick summary
The reliability pillar has been updated to include more specific guidance on how to design for high availability, disaster recovery, and incident response.
The security pillar has been updated to include more specific guidance on how to design for security, including topics such as identity and access management, data encryption, and threat detection.
It also includes a number of case studies that demonstrate how organizations have applied the security guidance to their own workloads.
The performance efficiency pillar has been updated to include more specific guidance on how to design for performance and efficiency, including topics such as choosing the right resources, configuring them correctly, and monitoring them for potential problems.
The cost optimization pillar has been updated to include more specific guidance on how to design for cost optimization, including topics such as choosing the right pricing model, using reserved instances, and automating cost management.
We can all apply the AWS Well-Architected Framework in my day-to-day work.
Here are some ideas —
Understand the framework. The first step is to understand the framework and its six pillars: operational excellence, security, reliability, performance efficiency, cost optimization, and sustainability.
Assess current architecture. Once we understand the framework, we need to assess the current architecture against the six pillars. This will help identify areas where the architecture can be improved.
Develop a plan for improvement. Once we have identified areas where the architecture can be improved, we need to develop a plan for improvement. This plan should include specific steps that can be taken to address the identified areas.
Implement your plan. Once we have developed a plan for improvement, we need to implement it. This may involve making changes to the architecture, processes, or people .
Monitor progress. We need to monitor progress to make sure that goals are being met and also be prepared to make adjustments as needed.
In any organization, just having a plan is not enough . It is important to get buy-in from your team before you start implementing changes to the architecture. Use the framework as a guide, not a rulebook. The AWS Well-Architected Framework is a guide, not a rulebook. The cloud is constantly evolving, so flexibility is key.
In summary AWS Well-Architected Framework is like a recipe for baking a cake. Each pillar of the framework is like an ingredient in the cake, and the overall goal is to create a delicious and well-balanced cake, which is cost effective , is now digestible and healthy , and comes in a recyclable box as well !
