Basic AWS concepts
AWS is a public cloud. It provides a range of IT services that can be used as building blocks for creating cutting-edge, robust, and scalable enterprise-grade solutions. It can be used to host everything from simple static websites to complex three-tier architectures, scientific applications to modern ERPs, online training to live broadcasting events (that is, sports events, political elections, and so on).
According to Gartner's Magic Quadrant, AWS is a leader in cloud IaaS (this term is explained further on in this chapter). AWS is way ahead of its competitors after it pioneered the cloud IaaS market in 2006:
Figure 2.2: Gartner's Magic Quadrant, rates various public cloud providers
Image source : https://www.gartner.com/doc/reprints?id=1-2G2O5FC&ct=150519
The Magic Quadrant (MQ) is a series of market research reports published by Gartner, the United States-based research and advisory firm. It aims to provide a qualitative analysis into a market, its direction, maturity...