What do we know about AWS?

Amazon Web Services (AWS) - a subsidiary of Amazon.com. AWS has revolutionized the world of cloud computing since its inception. Born out of a need to handle Amazon's massive online operations, AWS has grown into the most comprehensive, widely adopted, and broadly distributed cloud platform worldwide.

But where did it all start?

The Inception

The journey of AWS started in 2000 when Amazon was wrestling with its own infrastructure. The company was expanding rapidly and needed a more scalable and reliable infrastructure to handle its operations. Amazon's team realized that they could not only fix their own infrastructure but also offer it as a service. The idea of AWS was born.

The Launch

In 2002, AWS officially debuted, but it wasn't the AWS we know today. It was a free service that included a limited set of tools like Amazon S3 cloud storage, SQS, and others. However, the AWS that truly disrupted the tech industry was launched three years later.

On August 25, 2006, AWS launched its Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), a service that allows businesses to run applications on the cloud. This was a game-changer as it allowed companies to rent virtual computers to run their own computer applications. This meant businesses no longer had to invest heavily in setting up and maintaining their servers.

Growth and Expansion

In 2007, AWS launched Elastic Block Store (EBS) and SimpleDB, adding to its rapidly growing roster of services. By the end of 2010, AWS had over 50 services and had launched their Management Console.

In 2012, AWS reached a significant milestone by introducing Redshift, a data warehousing product, marking its commitment to Big Data analytics. The same year, AWS launched its first AWS re:Invent conference, an event where new services and features are typically announced.

A Global Presence

From 2013 to 2016, AWS expanded its data centers globally, known as "regions", opening in countries like Germany, India, South Korea, and the UK. By the end of 2016, AWS was a $12 billion business, running and maintaining a vast, globally distributed data center empire.

Recent Developments

In recent years, AWS has expanded its portfolio to include more advanced technologies, such as machine learning (SageMaker, launched in 2017), blockchain, and quantum computing. In 2020, AWS announced the general availability of Braket, a quantum computing service.

AWS offers over 200 fully featured services. These services cover a wide range of areas, including compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), security, and more. AWS continues to add new services and features to its platform regularly.

Impact and Influence

Today, AWS powers hundreds of thousands of businesses in 190 countries around the world. It has transformed the way businesses operate by providing a cheap, scalable, and secure platform for innovation. AWS's influence extends beyond just its cloud services; its innovation has spurred the entire cloud industry to grow and develop, pushing the boundaries of what is possible with technology.

In conclusion, AWS's history is a testament to the power of innovative thinking, customer obsession, and long-term focus. Its journey is far from over, and as it continues to evolve, it promises to keep pushing the boundaries of technology and shaping the future of the digital world.