Discover the AWS Service Categories
Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:
- Describe the different AWS service categories.
- List examples of services included in various AWS service categories.
Global Cloud Based Options
AWS offers many services for building or expanding your cloud environment, ranging from compute, storage, networking, and databases, to game tech and robotics. These services are designed to help you move faster, lower IT costs, and scale. You can use the service stand-alone, or combine them to create a custom solution that meets your needs.
There are over 165 AWS services, organized into service categories. Here is a quick introduction.
Key AWS Service Categories
| Service Category |
Description |
Service Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Compute |
Compute services are the processing power needed to run your application. The AWS compute portfolio provides tools to develop, deploy, run, and scale your applications in the AWS Cloud. |
|
| Storage |
Storage is one of the core building blocks of AWS. These services hold the information used by your applications. They provide reliable, scalable, and secure options to store, transmit, and back up your data. |
|
| Networking & Content Delivery |
Your network is the foundation of your infrastructure. AWS Networking & Content Delivery services are used to support your content delivery network, such as virtual private cloud, direct connections, and load balancing needs. |
|
| Database |
Database services range from relational databases that are easy to set up and operate, to NoSQL databases built for higher demand and low latency—AWS offers a solution for all database needs. |
|
| Analytics |
Analytics services enable you to transform raw data into meaningful information. They help you collect, visualize, and analyze your data to get the answers you need to run your business. |
|
| AWS Cost Management |
Use these services to access information about your costs and usage, organize your costs across business lines, understand cost drivers and usage trends, set budgets, and optimize your AWS usage. |
|
| Management & Governance |
This category includes end-to-end IT lifecycle management—control and secure your environment, reduce costs, simplify compliance, and enhance operational efficiency. |
|
| Migration & Transfer |
AWS offers services for migrating any workload—application, website, database, storage, physical or virtual server (or even an entire data center) to AWS. |
|
| Security, Identity & Compliance |
These services provide tools to achieve compliance and protect your infrastructure and data from both internal and external threats and exposures. |
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Want to learn more? Check out the resources below to explore the AWS services in more detail. In the next unit, you learn about the components that make up the AWS Global Infrastructure.