The Amazon Net Companies (AWS) Re:Invent convention was held final week in Las Vegas. This yr, the tenth Re:Invent, returned to an in-person format after a yr as a digital occasion as a result of pandemic. It was additionally the primary Re:Invent beneath new CEO Adam Selipsky, who takes the helm from Andy Jassy, who had controversial some of the profitable tenures of any CEO in historical past, leaving large footwear to fill.
Going into the occasion, I wasn’t certain if we might see Jassy 2.0 or a special sort of occasion. Totally different is what we obtained, in lots of constructive methods. Under are my high takeaways from AWS Re:Invent 2021.
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AWS Begins Shift Towards Social Consciousness
For a company the dimensions of AWS, the corporate is remarkably quiet with regards to local weather change, sustainability, social justice, and different ESG points.
If one appears at shows from the likes of Cisco’s Chuck Robbins or Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, their focus is on how their expertise can be utilized to make the world a greater place. In distinction, the everyday Jassy keynote was crammed with product bulletins; and whereas we obtained a heavy dose of that, Selipsky did discuss up entrance concerning the impression AWS can have on the globe; and why that’s essential, as AWS can change the planet in methods others can’t due to its would possibly and scale.
Selipsky additionally introduced within the theme of being a “Pathfinder,” which is a person or firm that regularly challenges the established order and finds new methods to do issues, although the norm is at the moment acceptable. An instance of that is United Airways; its Chief Digital Officer, Linda Jojo, described how her firm used the AWS cloud to digitize the worldwide flying expertise – a main instance of digital transformation.
AWS is Going “All In” on Networking
Whereas there have been many merchandise unveiled, I believed the 2 most notable mirrored AWS’s entry into networking.
The corporate introduced its personal non-public 5G providing the place prospects might construct, provision and function a 5G community through the AWS console in a subscription mannequin. Begin-up Celona Networks launched an infrastructure non-public 5G resolution earlier this yr, which is nice for IT retailers that take a “do it your self” strategy to networking. In distinction, AWS Non-public 5G is a wonderful choice for corporations that favor a turnkey managed service.
The opposite community announcement was the launch of Cloud WAN, which is a WAN service that can be managed via the AWS console. Prospects can construct a community, utilizing the AWS international community, or from their service. Some extent and click on interface reduces a lot of the complexity in working a world community.
Within the close to time period, I anticipate Cloud WAN getting used to attach company areas to AWS clouds. However given AWS’s potential to disrupt markets, I can see them taking share from the standard telcos, which are likely to have excessive costs and low innovation. One of many fascinating features of Cloud WAN is that it’s consumption-based pricing versus flat charge, which might lead to important financial savings.
Accomplice Income Poised to Speed up
The Monday keynote was by AWS Head of WW Channels and Alliances, Doug Yeum, who can be transferring into a brand new function at Amazon. Taking up is Dr. Ruba Borno, previously SVP and GM of Cisco’s CX Facilities and Managed Companies. One of many fascinating features of the hiring of Borno is that AWS has elevated the place to a VP function, so clearly the corporate is anticipating large issues from Borno – and I feel she’s going to ship.
Though AWS is among the greatest IT corporations on the planet, it’s solely been promoting enterprise companies for a bit over a decade. Due to this, its accomplice program could be very primary in some ways. Juxtapose this with Cisco, which has some of the superior accomplice packages, and it’s straightforward to see why Borno was such a gorgeous rent.
Search for her to take this system to the following stage. I clearly see will increase in accomplice focus and income.
AWS Competes by Packaging New Options
AWS has been the de facto customary in cloud since there was cloud with Azure and GCP regularly trying up at them. Within the nice AWS vs. Azure vs. Google cloud competitors, AWS is the chief palms down.
AWS has, by far, the broadest set of companies, which incorporates every thing from app growth instruments to synthetic intelligence to contact heart and now networking. On the occasion it introduced updates to the second technology of its ARM-based Graviton processors, synthetic intelligence safety and even mainframe modernization software program.
What’s notable now’s that AWS is doing a greater job of packaging a number of merchandise into options. For instance, on the occasion, Goldman Sachs and AWS debuted its “Monetary Cloud for Knowledge” working on AWS, which is an information administration and analytics resolution for monetary purchasers. Beforehand, Selipsky had mentioned extra custom-made merchandise for particular industries, making this one thing to look at for quickly.
AWS Wrestle With Finish Consumer Focus
For all its success with IT professionals, AWS has but to dent making merchandise straight for finish customers, regardless of having a handful of merchandise on this space. For instance:
- WorkDocks is a completely managed, file storage and sharing product however has nowhere close to the sophistication of a product like Field.
- WorkMail is an electronic mail and calendar service however it’s arduous to search out many purchasers that use it.
- Chime is a gathering product, and is definitely superb, however the firm is shifting it to a set of SDKs for builders to make use of.
The one finish consumer centered product that does appear to be gaining traction is Join, AWS’s contact heart product, which obtained a lift from COVID. Its consumption-based pricing has helped prospects like Hilton Inns get monetary savings, whereas its AI options allow corporations like Traeger Grills to supply considerably higher customer support. I’d prefer to see AWS put an even bigger deal with its apps, as I do assume it might disrupt on this sector because it has accomplished in IT companies.
That’s a wrap on Re:Invent 2021 and I used to be glad it’s again reside. A brand new CEO, International Channel Chief and many new merchandise ought to allow AWS to not solely keep its progress trajectory however speed up it. See you in 2022.
