In the fast-paced world of cloud computing, it’s crucial for businesses to ensure their AWS (Amazon Web Services) infrastructure is designed and implemented in a “well-architected” manner. To help organisations achieve this, AWS developed the Well-Architected Framework. This framework provides a structured approach to building secure, high performing, resilient, and efficient infrastructure in the AWS cloud. It covers key architectural areas known as pillars: these pillars are operational excellence, security, reliability, performance efficiency, cost optimisation, and sustainability.

To ensure their infrastructure aligns with the Well-Architected Framework, organisations often undergo a Well-Architected review. This process involves assessing the architecture of an application or workload against the framework’s pillars. The review examines various aspects such as the architecture’s adherence to best practices, identification of potential risks, and recommendations for improvement.

The Value of the AWS Well-Architected Framework

The AWS Well-Architected Framework serves as a guide to help businesses align their infrastructure with best practices. It provides a common language and set of principles to evaluate and improve cloud architectures. By following this framework, organisations can optimise their AWS environments, reduce risks, and enhance overall operational efficiency.

Time investment

While a full Well-Architected review is comprehensive, it can be a time consuming process. Conducting a thorough review, especially when considering additional lenses such as SaaS or Serverless, may take up to a day or even longer. This poses a challenge as it becomes a significant time investment for all stakeholders involved.

Focusing the review by priorities

To address the time investment issue, we recommend that organisations prioritise specific pillars based on their pain points and requirements. By ordering the Well-Architected pillars by priority, businesses can focus their review efforts on the areas that resonate most with their current needs. For example, if cost optimisation is a pressing concern, dedicating time to the cost optimisation pillar can yield immediate benefits.

Maximizing value for the time invested

The approach of prioritising specific pillars enables organisations to maximise the value they derive from the Well-Architected review within a limited timeframe. By focusing on the areas that directly impact their pain points, businesses can quickly identify potential optimisations and implement necessary changes. This targeted approach allows for a more efficient use of resources and time while still deriving significant benefits from the Well-Architected Framework.

Future expansion

While focusing the review on priority pillars addresses immediate pain points, it’s important to acknowledge that a holistic assessment of all pillars is essential for long-term success. Organisations can continue working on other pillars and gradually expand their review efforts over time. This iterative approach ensures continuous improvement, allowing businesses to address architectural weaknesses and optimise their AWS infrastructure comprehensively.

Working with an AWS partner

When it comes to conducting a Well-Architected review, partnering with an experienced AWS consulting firm can provide numerous advantages. Here’s why you should consider working with an AWS partner like The Scale Factory:

• Navigating the framework: The AWS Well-Architected Framework encompasses various architectural aspects and best practices. An AWS partner can help you navigate the nuances of the framework, ensuring a thorough and accurate assessment of your infrastructure. Their expertise and in-depth knowledge will guide you through the review process, offering valuable insights tailored to your specific needs.
• Leveraging experience: An AWS partner brings a wealth of experience in reviewing workloads similar to yours. Their team of experts has likely encountered a wide range of challenges and has the knowledge to address them effectively. By partnering with an experienced consultant, you can benefit from their lessons learned, industry best practices, and innovative solutions that have been proven in real-world scenarios.
• Access to funding: Identifying areas for improvement through a Well-Architected review is just the first step. Implementing those improvements often requires resources, both financial and operational. An AWS partner can assist you in accessing funding programs or incentives provided by AWS, such as the Well-Architected Review Funding, to drive the necessary improvements. This can significantly support your journey towards a more optimised and cost-effective AWS environment.
• Track record: At The Scale Factory, we have a strong track record of conducting Well-Architected reviews. With over 700 different workload reviews under our belt, our team has gained unparalleled experience across a wide range of industries and use cases. We understand the unique challenges faced by various workloads and can provide tailored recommendations and strategies to optimise your AWS infrastructure.

---

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to benefit from the expertise and guidance of an AWS partner like The Scale Factory. Reach out to us today and leverage our extensive experience to conduct a Well-Architected review for your AWS environment.

---

This blog is written exclusively by The Scale Factory team. We do not accept external contributions.