Is Amazon’s Outage Hurting YOU?

Having trouble with your internet connection today?

Is your Nest thermostat acting up?  Can’t access Quora, Sailthru, Businss Inside, Giphy, parts of Slack…?

THE GOOD NEWS:  It’s not you.

THE BAD NEWS:  It’s Amazon in North Virginia, and they are still trying to figure it out.

Amazon Web Services (“AWS”) is partially down and customers are hurting.  AWS posted this message at 2:35 p.m. EST today:

“Update at 11:35 AM PST: We have now repaired the ability to update the service health dashboard. The service updates are below. We continue to experience high error rates with S3 in US-EAST-1, which is impacting various AWS services. We are working hard at repairing S3, believe we understand root cause, and are working on implementing what we believe will remediate the issue.”

No matter what company is at fault, or how long the outage continues, there is a HUGE problem:  Your internet is increasingly dependent on a handful of service organizations such as AWS and its rivals.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

If you are 100% hosted on AWS, then you just have to wait.

But you might want to use that wait to consider a hybrid cloud solution instead of relying on only cloud services.  Too much is at stake to have “all your eggs in one basket,” and then it breaks.

THERE IS A SOLUTION

If you have a hybrid cloud, like WCA implements and manages for its Clients, then you have diversified your online data sources and applications so you can offer up your own website and services separate of AWS’ issues.

People against a hybrid cloud approach claim it was invented by companies who wanted to keep selling servers, network devices, and storage.

Then Amazon’s AWS crashes to remind us that reality is quite different.

To be fair, reverse the argument of the hybrid cloud naysayers:  Recommendations to go 100% cloud are simply an invention of companies that want to force us to buy their cloud services.

GET REAL:  Both arguments are based on partial truths – Hardware companies want to sell hardware, and cloud companies want to sell cloud services.

The bottom line is neither is fail-proof.

Before AWS and their rival public cloud service companies (“cloud”) fail again, consider these reasons a hybrid cloud solution is best for most companies:

1. Avoid Vendor Lock:  If you host only with AWS today then you have a problem. In contrast, a hybrid cloud approach balances the benefits and risks of the cloud with increased uptime and flexibility.

2. Gradual Adoption: Moving to the cloud is not like turning on a light bulb.  It is not instantaneous.  The move should be gradual, piloting new architectures, coding, content delivery, and integrations.  You prove viability as you go.  A hybrid cloud allows you to take advantage of dedicated servers and virtualization using existing applications and structure.  Over time you move appropriate workloads, etc. to your cloud services as it proves itself.

3. Rapid Innovation: If your company relies on software development for improved efficiencies then a hybrid cloud often can improve the speed of your deployments.  It can also save money as you buy additional firepower in your cloud as needed, and cut back in non-peak periods.

4. Lower TCO:  Money is important, but don’t jump to 100% cloud just to save money. There are other considerations, such as many people are learning today with the AWS crash.  A hybrid cloud model can improve efficiencies between your cloud and existing IT investments to give you the best of both worlds.  It also better avoids costly downtime due to internet service drops by spreading your risk.

5. Performance, Security, Availability:  This may be the most important benefit of all. A well-designed, implemented, and supported hybrid cloud solution improves your application, content, and services performance for your users, clients and public.  Your hybrid cloud also allows for redundant security measures that protect your valuable digital assets more comprehensively without slowing performance, and avoids the limitations of cloud-only services.

 

Just last week we talked about how frustrating it is when your network and internet connections drop.  Now one of the best names in hosting is down and recovery unknown.  OUCH.

WHAT TO DO NOW:  Get a complimentary WCA network security assessment.

Why have unnecessary risk?  Why miss out on higher profits and productivity when you can schedule a no cost, no obligation network security assessment from WCA today.

You then have the facts to consider your cloud investments.

Then again, the assessment might confirm your approach is just fine.

MORE GOOD NEWS:  These I.T. network security assessments do not take time away from your schedule and can be included as part of a WCA managed services agreement.

At WCA, we help corporations, nonprofit organizations, and government entities assess their I.T. vulnerabilities and productivity daily.

Contact us to discuss how your technology could be doing more for you, and how a quarterly discipline of technology assessments compliment your monthly financial reconciliations.

If you are not currently one of our Clients, then we will provide one network security assessment at no charge.

WCA Technologies is a reputable, 28-year-old Manhattan team of computer experts providing IT security and managed services.  We have protected New York City businesses and nonprofits from cyber hackers for decades.

Do not assume.  Confirm.

Remove technology productivity gaps.  Confirm your backup and other systems are working properly.  Tighten security.  Train your staff.  Improve your security policies.  Know your digital assets are secure BEFORE you have to explain a security breach to your boss, board of directors, and/or shareholders.

Contact WCA online or call (212) 642-0980 to schedule a conversation with Peter Fidler, one of our founders.  He will help you get your complimentary network security assessment scheduled quickly.