Please note that this post, first published over a year ago, may now be out of date.
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has emerged as the undisputed world leader in cloud computing, providing unmatched flexibility, scalability, and innovation. Since its inception in 2006, AWS has grown from offering just two services, Amazon S3 (object storage), and Amazon EC2 (compute), to boasting over 200 services, making the AWS ecosystem vast and diverse.
For organisations embarking on their cloud journey or those managing existing cloud environments, navigating this expansive AWS landscape while ensuring a robust and well-governed foundation can be a daunting task. This is precisely where a well-crafted landing zone comes into play. While AWS Control Tower offers a foundational starting point, achieving a comprehensive landing zone solution entails implementing a holistic ecosystem of supporting services to deliver the level of governance and robustness required for success in the cloud.
Landing zone foundation Photo by Scott Blake
Beyond AWS Control Tower: Orchestrating the ideal Landing Zone
While AWS Control Tower provides a standardised approach for setting up and managing a secure, multi-account AWS environment, it represents only a portion of the complete landing zone story. There are various configuration options to consider as part of the initial Control Tower deployment, and rectifying misconfigurations down the line can be both challenging and costly. Engaging with an AWS Control Tower Partner ensures the prevention of misconfigurations and guarantees that your landing zone architecture aligns precisely with your specific needs. It also ensures that it integrates seamlessly with your organisation’s best practices, security imperatives, and operational workflows.
Retrofitting for existing AWS estates
For organisations with established AWS environments, introducing a new landing zone can be a particularly intricate process. AWS Control Tower Partners bring their wealth of experience in deploying landing zones into existing AWS estates, ensuring a smooth rollout without disruptions. Specialised partners offer expert guidance to seamlessly merge your new landing zone with your pre-existing AWS infrastructure.
A one time operation
Implementing AWS Control Tower is typically a one-time operation for your business. Thus, investing in training and experimentation for your staff in designing, deploying, and integrating a landing zone solution may not offer significant value. A specialist partner can collaborate with your existing team to support implementation, eliminating the need for extensive training and resource allocation.
Cost assistance
An additional advantage of working with a specialist partner is the potential for AWS to provide funding to cover the costs of the design and implementation. This financial support from AWS underscores their recognition of specialist partners and the value they bring to your organization’s transformation journey.
In the ever-evolving realm of AWS, a robust landing zone serves as the bedrock of your cloud journey. While AWS Control Tower offers a foundation, crafting a landing zone that genuinely meets your organisational needs necessitates expertise, experience, and a profound understanding of your distinct requirements.
AWS Control Tower Partners excel in providing comprehensive landing zone implementations that anticipate future challenges and seamlessly integrate with your existing AWS infrastructure. By partnering with us, you’re not merely implementing a landing zone - you’re laying the groundwork for your organisation’s cloud success.
Like the sound of all that but want some expert help implementing Control Tower in your AWS estate? Our SaaS Foundations package includes a bespoke Control Tower design and installation by our experienced AWS consultants for a simple fixed price.
This blog is written exclusively by The Scale Factory team. We do not accept external contributions.
