Cloud platform
AWS cloud services
AWS has a service for almost everything, which is both its strength and its trap. We use it to build systems that are simple enough to understand, secured from the start, and watched for cost, and we say when another cloud or a simpler host would do.
- 1,200+ clients helped
- Building since 2010
- 15 services, one team
- 50+ technologies
At a glance
What it is
AWS, short for Amazon Web Services, is the largest cloud platform, offering rented servers, databases, storage, and hundreds of other services billed by use.
Problems it solves
AWS offers so many services that projects get over-built, bills surprise people, and security settings are left too open.
Who it suits
Organizations moving to or already running on AWS, and teams whose bill, security, or structure has become hard to understand.
How to choose
Pick a small set of services that fit the workload, separate environments, set budgets from the start, and review security before launch.
What it means
A very large menu
AWS is a cloud platform from Amazon. You rent computing, storage, databases, networking, and many specialist services, and pay for what you use instead of buying hardware.
The breadth means there are several ways to do almost anything, such as running code on a server, in a container, or as a function triggered by an event. The right choice depends on the workload, the team, and the budget.
It also means the defaults are not always safe or cheap. Good AWS work is mostly about restraint: choosing few services, closing access by default, and watching the bill.
Alternatives
AWS compared with other clouds
AWS
This pageSuits
Broad needs, mature tooling, and wide availability of skills.
- Trade-off
- Many choices, and pricing that needs watching.
Suits
Organizations centered on Microsoft tools and identity.
- Trade-off
- Best value inside the Microsoft ecosystem.
Suits
Data, analytics, and AI-heavy workloads.
- Trade-off
- Smaller range of services than AWS.
Simpler hosts
Suits
Small sites and applications with modest needs.
- Trade-off
- Fewer services if the project grows.
Worth knowing
The bill is a design decision
On AWS, most cost surprises trace back to design choices made early: always-on servers that could be switched off, data copied between regions, or storage that nobody cleans up. They are cheap to avoid at the start and expensive to untangle later.
We estimate cost during design, tag resources so spending can be traced to a project, and review the bill every month with the team that owns it.
Where it fits
Which way should this workload run on AWS?
The three common options trade control against effort. We recommend the simplest that fits.
How should the application run?
Choose this when
A web app or API with ordinary needs, and a small team.
- What you get
- A managed service that runs your code or container, with scaling and patching handled for you.
- Keep in mind
- Less control over the underlying machines, which is usually fine.
Choose this when
Spiky or event-driven work, such as processing uploads or running scheduled jobs.
- What you get
- Code that runs only when triggered, and costs nothing when idle.
- Keep in mind
- Long-running or latency-sensitive work can be awkward, and many small functions can be hard to follow.
Choose this when
Many services, several teams, and a need for fine control.
- What you get
- Containers run on a managed cluster service, with scaling and deployment under your control.
- Keep in mind
- More to learn and run. Do not start here unless the scale demands it.
How we work
Putting a workload on AWS
Understand the workload
We learn what runs, how much traffic it has, what data it holds, and what must never go down.
What it produces
- Workload summary
- Risk notes
Design the smallest sound set-up
We propose a simple design with a cost estimate and the security controls it needs.
What it produces
- Architecture sketch
- Monthly cost range
Build as code
We describe the infrastructure in code, so it can be reviewed, repeated, and restored.
What it produces
- Infrastructure code
- Separate test and live environments
Migrate or launch
We move in stages, test, and keep a way back until the new set-up has proved itself.
What it produces
- Migration plan
- Cut-over checklist
Watch and tune
We monitor performance and cost, and revisit the design as usage changes.
What it produces
- Dashboards
- Monthly cost review
What DECHY can do
Working with AWS
Design
- Architecture matched to the workload and team.
- Cost estimates before you commit.
Build and migrate
- New environments, built as code.
- Staged moves from servers or other hosts.
Secure
- Account structure, access limits, and encryption.
- Backups that are tested by restoring.
Run
- Monitoring, alerts, and on-call arrangements.
- Regular reviews of cost and design.
Common questions
Questions about AWS
Is AWS the best cloud?
It is a strong, mature choice with a very wide range of services. Whether it is the best for you depends on your workload, your existing tools, and your team's skills.
How do we avoid a surprise bill?
Budgets and alerts from day one, right-sized resources, switching off what is idle, and a monthly review. We estimate cost before building.
Can you move us from our own servers?
Yes, in stages. We usually move the least risky parts first, test thoroughly, and keep the old system available until the move has proved itself.
Who looks after it afterwards?
That is agreed in advance. You, we, or a mix can handle monitoring, updates, and incident response.
Have a different question?
Tell us what you are weighing up and we will answer it plainly.
Ask a questionAlready a client? Email support@dechytech.com
Technical depth
How we build with AWS
The detail a technical reviewer will ask about: accounts and access, infrastructure as code, and cost and operations.
We use separate accounts for production and testing under an organization, single sign-on for people, roles instead of long-lived keys, and least-privilege policies reviewed regularly.
- Budgets and alerts from the first day, and tagging so costs can be traced to a project.
- Metrics, logs, and alarms for what users feel, such as errors and slow pages.
Tell us what you run
Describe the workload, the traffic, and what must never go down. We will propose a simple AWS design with a rough monthly cost and the risks to manage.