Quick answer: AWS (Amazon Web Services) is Amazon’s cloud computing platform. Instead of buying and running your own servers, you rent computing power, storage, databases and hundreds of other services over the internet and pay only for what you use. UK businesses use AWS to host websites and apps, store and back up data, run analytics and AI, and scale quickly. AWS has a UK region in London, so data can be kept in the UK.
What is cloud computing?
Cloud computing means using IT resources, such as servers, storage and software, delivered over the internet by a provider. The three main models are:
| Model | What you get | AWS example |
|---|---|---|
| IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) | Virtual servers, storage and networks you manage | Amazon EC2 |
| PaaS (Platform as a Service) | A managed platform to run your code | AWS Elastic Beanstalk |
| SaaS (Software as a Service) | Ready-to-use software | Amazon WorkMail, Amazon Connect |
The core AWS services explained
| Service | What it does | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon EC2 | Virtual servers | Hosting websites and applications |
| Amazon S3 | Object storage | Files, images, backups, static websites |
| Amazon RDS | Managed relational databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL and others) | App and website databases |
| AWS Lambda | Runs code without managing servers (serverless) | Automations and lightweight APIs |
| Amazon CloudFront | Content delivery network | Faster websites worldwide |
| Amazon Lightsail | Simple virtual servers at a fixed monthly price | Small websites and WordPress |
| AWS IAM | Users, roles and permissions | Controlling who can access what |
| Amazon Bedrock | Access to AI foundation models | Chatbots and generative AI features |
Benefits for UK businesses
- No big upfront cost: pay as you go instead of buying hardware.
- Scalability: add capacity in minutes during busy periods such as Black Friday, then scale down.
- Reliability: regions are split into multiple Availability Zones, so you can design for high uptime.
- UK data residency: the London region (eu-west-2) lets you keep data in the UK, which can help with UK GDPR requirements.
- Security tools: encryption, access controls and monitoring are built in.
- Innovation: analytics, machine learning and AI services ready to use.
How AWS pricing works
- On-demand: pay by the second or hour with no commitment.
- Savings Plans and Reserved Instances: lower prices for committing to usage for 1–3 years.
- Spot Instances: spare capacity at big discounts for work that can be interrupted.
- Free offers: new accounts get free-tier usage and credits to try services; check the AWS website for current terms.
Use the AWS Pricing Calculator before you build, and set up AWS Budgets alerts so costs never surprise you.
Security: the shared responsibility model
AWS secures the underlying infrastructure (data centres, hardware, network). You are responsible for what you put on it: user access, passwords, data encryption settings, and software updates on your servers. Turn on multi-factor authentication for the root account, use IAM roles with the least access needed, and enable logging with AWS CloudTrail.
How to get started
- Create an AWS account and secure the root user with MFA.
- Create an IAM user or use IAM Identity Center for daily work.
- Set a budget alert.
- Choose the London region for UK workloads.
- Start small, for example a Lightsail server for a website or S3 for backups.
- Learn with free AWS Skill Builder courses, or consider the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam.
AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud
| Provider | Often chosen for |
|---|---|
| AWS | The widest range of services and a large global community |
| Microsoft Azure | Organisations already using Microsoft 365 and Windows Server |
| Google Cloud | Data analytics, Kubernetes and AI |
Frequently asked questions
Is AWS suitable for small businesses?
Yes. Simple services like Lightsail and S3 are affordable and easy to start with, and you only pay for what you use.
Does AWS store data in the UK?
If you choose the London region, your data is stored there unless you configure it otherwise.
Do I need a developer to use AWS?
For simple hosting and storage, no. For custom apps and secure architectures, technical help is recommended.
Working in the cloud? Read about DevOps careers in the UK and AI cloud business tools.
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