AWS Well-Architected Framework: Why you should know it to work with AWS
Tags: beginners, aws, design, tutorial
Published: 2022-08-14 07:27:00

Building applications and infrastructure in the cloud is becoming easier everyday, it is very important to understand the need for better design that is scalable and efficient.

> The AWS Well-Architected Framework helps you understand the pros and cons of decisions you make while building systems on AWS. Having well-architected systems greatly improves technical debt of your AWS landscape and the likelihood of business success.

The AWS Well-Architected framework focuses on the six pillars, namely:
- Operational excellence
- Security
- Reliability
- Performance efficiency
- Cost optimization
- Sustainability

## Purpose and Focus of each pillar

### <u>Operational excellence</u>

**Purpose**
_Understand the importance of operations to effectively manage, monitor and support cloud workloads._

**Key Focus**
- Perform operations as code
- Make frequent, small, reversible changes
- Refine operations procedures frequently
- Anticipate failure
- Learn from all operational failures

[Learn more about Operational Excellence Pillar](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitected/latest/operational-excellence-pillar/welcome.html)

### <u>Security</u>

**Purpose**
_Secure your workload in AWS by following best practices_

**Key Focus**
- Identity foundation
- Traceability
- Detection
- Data protection
- Incident response

[Learn more about Security Pillar](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitected/latest/security-pillar/welcome.html)

### <u>Reliability</u>

**Purpose**
_The reliability pillar focuses on the ability of a workload to perform its intended function correctly and consistently. This includes the ability to operate and test the workload through its total lifecycle._

**Key Focus**
- Recover from failure automatically
- Test recovery procedures
- Scale horizontally to eliminate a single point of failure
- Automate changes
- Stop guessing capacity

[Learn more about Reliability Pillar](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitected/latest/reliability-pillar/welcome.html)

### <u>Performance Efficiency</u>

**Purpose**
_Make better use of resources in the cloud to manage requirements. Understand how to handle efficiency as demand changes and technologies evolve._

**Key Focus**
- Effectively use better technology and tools in AWS
- Use AWS Regions to provide better capabilities at lower latency
- Go server-less and eliminate overhead work with servers/applications
- Experiment to find your best match
- Use technology that aligns with your goals

[Learn more about Performance Efficiency Pillar](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitected/latest/performance-efficiency-pillar/welcome.html)

### <u>Cost Optimization </u>

**Purpose**
_Build and operate cost-aware workloads that achieve business outcomes while minimizing costs and allowing your organization to maximize its return on investment._

**Key Focus**
- Implement cloud financial management
- Adopt a consumption model
- Measure overall efficiency

[Learn more about Cost Optimization Pillar](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitected/latest/cost-optimization-pillar/welcome.html)

### <u>Sustainability </u>

**Purpose**
_Understand the long-term environmental, economic, and societal impact of the services used. Quantify and apply design principles and best practices to reduce these impacts_

**Key Focus**
- Understand your impact
- Establish sustainability goals
- Maximize utilization
- Anticipate and adopt new, more efficient hardware and software offerings
- Use managed services
- Reduce the downstream impact of your cloud workloads

[Learn more about Cost Optimization Pillar](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitected/latest/sustainability-pillar/sustainability-pillar.html)