AWS Glossary

Introduction

Whether you're stepping into cloud computing or seeking to enhance your expertise, this glossary simplifies intricate AWS jargon.

Unravel the mysteries of EC2, S3, VPC, and beyond with concise definitions and explanations. Stay current in the dynamic cloud environment with this user-friendly resource tailored for simplicity and convenience. Explore the capabilities of AWS and expand your cloud computing knowledge.

AWS Terms

A

AAD (Additional Authenticated Data): Data verified for accuracy without encryption, like headers or additional contextual metadata.

ACL (Access Control List): An ACL is a record specifying authorized individuals for a given bucket or item within Amazon S3. It delineates the permissions granted to different user categories, dictating actions like reading and writing.

Access Identifiers: Also called as either access credentials or security credentials, in authentication and authorization processes, credentials are employed to ascertain the entity seeking access and determine permission allowance. In AWS, these credentials usually consist of the access key ID and the secret access key.

Access Key: An access key ID (e.g., AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE) and corresponding secret access key (e.g., wJalrXUtnFEMI/K7MDENG/bPxRfiCYEXAMPLEKEY) are utilized to sign API requests made to AWS.

Access Key ID: A distinct identifier linked to a confidential access key; the access key ID and secret access key work in tandem to cryptographically sign programmatic AWS requests.

Amazon Machine Image (AMI): An Amazon Machine Image (AMI) is a secured machine image stored in Amazon EBS or Amazon S3. AMIs serve as a blueprint for a computer's root drive, encompassing the operating system and potentially additional components like software, database servers, middleware, and web servers.

Amazon Web Services (AWS): A cloud-based platform for delivering infrastructure web services, catering to businesses of all scales.

API Gateway: Amazon API Gateway is a comprehensive service managed by AWS, enabling developers to create, publish, monitor, secure, and maintain APIs of any size.

Amazon Resource Name (ARN): An Amazon Resource Name (ARN) provides a standardized method for referencing an AWS resource, such as arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/division_abc/subdivision_xyz/Bob.

AWS Management Console: The AWS Management Console is a visual interface for managing various cloud resources, including compute and storage.

C

Cache Node: A cache node is a fixed-size segment of secure, network-attached RAM that hosts a Memcached service instance, each with its own DNS name and port. Different types of cache nodes are available, offering varying memory capacities to suit different application needs.

CloudFormation: AWS CloudFormation is a service that enables the creation and deletion of interconnected AWS resources as a single unit, using templates that can be written or modified.

CloudFront: Amazon CloudFront is an AWS content delivery service designed to enhance the performance, reliability, and availability of your websites and applications.

CloudSearch: Amazon CloudSearch is a fully managed service within the AWS Cloud that allows you to establish, manage, and scale a search solution for your website or application.

CloudTrail: AWS CloudTrail is a web-based service that records API calls for your account and provides log files containing details such as the caller's identity, API call time, source IP address, request parameters, and response elements returned by the AWS service.

Container Instance: A container instance refers to an EC2 instance, on-premises server, or virtual machine (VM) that operates the Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS) container agent and has been registered in a cluster. Container instances serve as the infrastructure for running Amazon ECS workloads.

D

Data Pipeline: AWS Data Pipeline is a web-based service for processing and transferring data between various AWS compute and storage services, as well as on-premises data sources, at defined intervals.

DMS: AWS Database Migration Service is a web-based service that facilitates data migration to and from numerous popular commercial and open-source databases.

DynamoDB: Amazon DynamoDB is a fully managed NoSQL database service that offers fast and consistent performance, along with seamless scalability.

E

EC2: Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) is a web-based service that enables the launch and management of Linux/UNIX and Windows Server instances in Amazon data centers.

Elastic Beanstalk: An application instance is a specific execution of an application, which has a CNAME, consists of an application version, and can be customized with a configurable configuration based on the default container type.

ElastiCache: The port number used by a cache node.

Elastic File System: Amazon Elastic File System (EFS) is a file storage service designed for EC2 instances. With Amazon EFS, you can easily create and customize file systems using its user-friendly interface. The storage capacity of Amazon EFS dynamically adjusts as files are added or removed, ensuring seamless scalability for your storage needs.

Elastic Transcoder: Amazon Elastic Transcoder is a cloud-based media transcoding service that offers high scalability for converting media files from their original format into versions optimized for various devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and personal computers.

EMR: Amazon Elastic MapReduce (EMR) is a web-based service that enables the efficient processing of large volumes of data. By leveraging Hadoop processing and integrating with various AWS products, Amazon EMR facilitates tasks such as web indexing, data mining, log file analysis, machine learning, scientific simulation, and data warehousing.

G

Glacier: Amazon S3 Glacier is a secure, long-term data storage service designed for archiving and infrequent access, offering low costs and high durability. It is suitable for storing large or small volumes of data at a fraction of the cost of on-premises solutions, with retrieval times of several hours.

I

IAM: AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a web-based service that enables Amazon Web Services (AWS) customers to manage user identities and permissions within their AWS environment.

Inspector: Amazon Inspector is a security assessment service that automates the evaluation of applications deployed on AWS to enhance their security and compliance. It conducts automated assessments to identify vulnerabilities and deviations from best practices. Following an assessment, Amazon Inspector generates a comprehensive report outlining prioritized remediation steps.

K

Kinesis: Amazon Kinesis is an AWS platform designed for streaming data, providing services that streamline the ingestion and analysis of real-time data streams.

L

Lambda: AWS Lambda is a serverless web service that enables you to execute code without the need for server provisioning or management. It supports a wide range of application and backend service code execution, with zero administration required. You can configure your code to automatically trigger from other AWS services or invoke it directly from any web or mobile application.

O

OpsWorks: AWS OpsWorks is a configuration management service that uses Chef to manage and orchestrate groups of instances and applications. It allows you to define your application's architecture and specify each component, including package installation, software configuration, and resources such as storage. Additionally, you can automate tasks based on time, load, or lifecycle events.

R

RDS: Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS) is a web-based service that simplifies the setup, operation, and scaling of relational databases in the cloud. It offers cost-effective, scalable capacity for standard relational databases and automates common database administration tasks.

Redshift: Amazon Redshift is a fully managed, cloud-based data warehouse service that provides petabyte-scale data analysis capabilities using existing business intelligence tools.

Route 53: Amazon Route 53 is a web-based service that enables you to create a new Domain Name System (DNS) service or migrate your existing DNS service to the cloud.

S

SES: The sandbox environment is a testing and evaluation area for developers to explore the Amazon SES service. It provides full access to the Amazon SES API, but message sending is restricted to verified email addresses and the mailbox simulator. To transition from the sandbox to a production environment, you must apply for production access. Sandbox accounts also have lower sending limits compared to production accounts.

SNS: Amazon Simple Notification Service (SNS) is a web-based service that enables applications, users, and devices to send and receive notifications in real-time, leveraging the cloud for instant communication.

SQS: Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS) is a dependable and scalable cloud-based messaging service that stores messages as they move between different computing systems.

Storage Gateway: AWS Storage Gateway is a hybrid cloud storage service that offers on-premises access to nearly limitless cloud storage, bridging the gap between local and cloud storage environments.

S3: Amazon S3 serves as internet storage, allowing users to store and access data of any size at any moment and from any location on the internet.

V

VPC: Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) is a web-based service that enables the creation of a logically isolated section of the AWS Cloud's virtual network, which you can define and control. You can customize your virtual networking environment by selecting your own IP address range, creating subnets, and configuring route tables and network gateways.

AWS VPN: AWS Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a service that establishes secure connections between your network or device and AWS. It includes two offerings: AWS Client VPN and AWS Site-to-Site VPN, which provide encrypted connections for various use cases.

W

Wavelength: AWS Wavelength is an AWS service that integrates AWS compute and storage capabilities within 5G networks, offering mobile edge computing infrastructure. This service enables developers to create, deploy, and scale ultra-low-latency applications for mobile devices and end-users.