AWS Knowledge Base

Cloud Services

Everything you need to know about 126 AWS services — what they do, key features, and how they map to compliance frameworks.

Explore by Category

13 categories covering every layer of the AWS cloud stack.

Analytics

10 services

Kinesis

Amazon Kinesis makes it easy to collect, process, and analyze real-time streaming data. Ingest video, audio, application logs, website clickstreams, and IoT telemetry.

5 features·5 frameworks

Athena

Amazon Athena is an interactive query service that makes it easy to analyze data in S3 using standard SQL. Serverless — no infrastructure to manage.

5 features·5 frameworks

Glue

AWS Glue is a serverless data integration service for discovering, preparing, and combining data for analytics, machine learning, and application development.

5 features·5 frameworks

EMR

Amazon EMR is a cloud big data platform for processing vast amounts of data using open-source tools like Apache Spark, Hive, HBase, Flink, and Presto.

5 features·5 frameworks

OpenSearch

Amazon OpenSearch Service is a managed service for search, analytics, and visualization. Forked from Elasticsearch, it powers log analytics, full-text search, and observability.

5 features·5 frameworks

QuickSight

Amazon QuickSight is a fast, serverless business intelligence service. Create interactive dashboards and embed analytics into applications.

5 features·5 frameworks

DataZone

Amazon DataZone is a data management service for cataloging, discovering, sharing, and governing data across organizational boundaries.

5 features·5 frameworks

Clean Rooms

AWS Clean Rooms helps companies analyze combined datasets without sharing underlying raw data. Collaborate while protecting sensitive information.

5 features·5 frameworks

MSK

Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (MSK) runs Apache Kafka clusters for ingesting, processing, and analyzing streaming data at scale.

5 features·5 frameworks

Kinesis Firehose

Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose captures, transforms, and loads streaming data into AWS data stores with zero administration.

5 features·5 frameworks

Compute

11 services

EC2

Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) provides resizable virtual servers in the cloud. Launch instances with your choice of OS, networking, and storage in seconds, and scale capacity up or down as your computing requirements change.

5 features·5 frameworks

Lambda

AWS Lambda lets you run code without provisioning or managing servers. Pay only for the compute time you consume. Automatically scales from zero to thousands of concurrent executions.

5 features·5 frameworks

ECS

Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS) is a fully managed container orchestration service. Run Docker containers on EC2 or with AWS Fargate for serverless compute.

5 features·5 frameworks

EKS

Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) runs Kubernetes control plane across multiple Availability Zones. Deploy, manage, and scale containerized applications without operating your own control plane.

5 features·5 frameworks

Elastic Beanstalk

AWS Elastic Beanstalk is a PaaS that automatically handles capacity provisioning, load balancing, scaling, and health monitoring. Simply upload your code.

4 features·5 frameworks

Lightsail

Amazon Lightsail offers easy-to-use virtual private servers, containers, storage, and databases with predictable monthly pricing. Ideal for simple web apps and dev/test.

5 features·5 frameworks

Auto Scaling

AWS Auto Scaling monitors applications and automatically adjusts capacity to maintain steady, predictable performance at the lowest possible cost.

5 features·5 frameworks

ECR

Amazon Elastic Container Registry (ECR) is a fully managed container registry. Store, manage, and deploy container images with integrated vulnerability scanning.

5 features·5 frameworks

Batch

AWS Batch dynamically provisions compute resources based on job volume. Run hundreds of thousands of batch computing jobs without managing clusters.

5 features·5 frameworks

Fargate

AWS Fargate is a serverless compute engine for containers. Run ECS and EKS tasks without managing EC2 instances.

5 features·5 frameworks

Outposts

AWS Outposts delivers AWS infrastructure and services on-premises for a consistent hybrid experience. Run compute, storage, database, and ML services locally.

5 features·5 frameworks

Database

10 services

RDS

Amazon RDS makes it easy to set up, operate, and scale a relational database. Supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, Oracle, and SQL Server with automated backups and Multi-AZ.

5 features·5 frameworks

DynamoDB

Amazon DynamoDB is a serverless, NoSQL, fully managed database with single-digit millisecond performance at any scale. Supports key-value and document data models.

5 features·5 frameworks

ElastiCache

Amazon ElastiCache provides fully managed Redis and Memcached in-memory data stores for sub-millisecond latency applications.

5 features·5 frameworks

Redshift

Amazon Redshift is a fast, fully managed, petabyte-scale data warehouse. Run complex analytical queries against structured and semi-structured data using standard SQL.

5 features·5 frameworks

DocumentDB

Amazon DocumentDB is a fast, scalable, fully managed MongoDB-compatible database service. Store, query, and index JSON data.

5 features·5 frameworks

Neptune

Amazon Neptune is a fast, reliable, fully managed graph database service. Build applications with highly connected datasets using property graph and RDF models.

5 features·5 frameworks

MemoryDB

Amazon MemoryDB for Redis is a Redis-compatible, durable, in-memory database service. Delivers microsecond read and millisecond write latency with data durability.

5 features·5 frameworks

Aurora

Amazon Aurora is a MySQL and PostgreSQL-compatible relational database built for the cloud. Up to 5x throughput of standard MySQL and 3x of PostgreSQL.

5 features·5 frameworks

QLDB

Amazon Quantum Ledger Database (QLDB) is a fully managed ledger database with a built-in immutable journal. Track every data change with cryptographic verification.

5 features·5 frameworks

Keyspaces

Amazon Keyspaces is a scalable, serverless Apache Cassandra-compatible database. No servers to manage — pay only for the capacity you use.

5 features·5 frameworks

Developer Tools

7 services

End User Computing

2 services

Integration

11 services

SNS

Amazon Simple Notification Service (SNS) is a fully managed pub/sub messaging service. Send messages to distributed systems, mobile devices, and email endpoints.

5 features·5 frameworks

SQS

Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS) is a fully managed message queuing service. Decouple and scale microservices, distributed systems, and serverless applications.

5 features·5 frameworks

EventBridge

Amazon EventBridge is a serverless event bus that connects applications using data from AWS services, SaaS partners, and custom applications.

5 features·5 frameworks

Step Functions

AWS Step Functions is a serverless workflow orchestration service. Coordinate multiple AWS services into resilient, visual workflows for applications and data pipelines.

5 features·5 frameworks

SES

Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) is a cloud-based email sending service. Send marketing, notification, and transactional emails at scale.

5 features·5 frameworks

MQ

Amazon MQ is a managed message broker service for Apache ActiveMQ and RabbitMQ. Migrate existing message broker applications to the cloud without rewriting code.

5 features·5 frameworks

AppSync

AWS AppSync is a fully managed GraphQL and pub/sub API service. Connect applications to data and events with real-time updates and offline data access.

5 features·5 frameworks

EventBridge Pipes

Amazon EventBridge Pipes connects sources to targets with optional filtering and transformation. Point-to-point integrations without code.

5 features·5 frameworks

Managed Blockchain

Amazon Managed Blockchain creates and manages blockchain networks using Hyperledger Fabric or Ethereum. No manual infrastructure provisioning.

5 features·5 frameworks

Pinpoint

Amazon Pinpoint enables multi-channel customer engagement with targeted email, SMS, push, voice, and in-app messages at scale.

5 features·5 frameworks

IVS

Amazon Interactive Video Service is a managed live streaming solution for building interactive video experiences with ultra-low latency.

5 features·5 frameworks

IoT

6 services

Machine Learning

16 services

SageMaker

Amazon SageMaker is a fully managed machine learning service. Build, train, and deploy ML models at scale using integrated Jupyter notebooks, debuggers, and model monitors.

5 features·5 frameworks

Bedrock

Amazon Bedrock is a fully managed service that provides access to foundation models from leading AI companies via a single API. Build generative AI applications without managing infrastructure.

5 features·5 frameworks

Rekognition

Amazon Rekognition provides pre-trained computer vision APIs. Analyze images and videos for objects, faces, text, content moderation, and more.

5 features·5 frameworks

Transcribe

Amazon Transcribe converts speech to text using deep learning. Supports batch and real-time transcription in 100+ languages and dialects.

5 features·5 frameworks

Comprehend

Amazon Comprehend uses NLP to extract insights from documents. Identify language, entities, key phrases, sentiment, and topics.

5 features·5 frameworks

Textract

Amazon Textract extracts text, handwriting, and structured data from documents. Go beyond OCR — identify tables, forms, and key-value pairs.

5 features·5 frameworks

Translate

Amazon Translate is a neural machine translation service. Translate text between 75+ languages with high accuracy using deep learning models.

5 features·5 frameworks

Braket

Amazon Braket is a fully managed quantum computing service. Build, test, and run quantum algorithms on simulators and real quantum hardware.

5 features·5 frameworks

Polly

Amazon Polly turns text into lifelike speech using deep learning. Synthesize natural-sounding voices in dozens of languages.

5 features·5 frameworks

Lex

Amazon Lex builds conversational interfaces using the same deep learning technology that powers Alexa.

5 features·5 frameworks

Kendra

Amazon Kendra is an intelligent enterprise search service powered by ML that finds answers across documents, wikis, and databases.

5 features·5 frameworks

Personalize

Amazon Personalize creates real-time personalized recommendations using the same ML technology as Amazon.com.

5 features·5 frameworks

Lookout for Metrics

Amazon Lookout for Metrics automatically detects anomalies in business and operational data — no ML experience required.

5 features·5 frameworks

Forecast

Amazon Forecast uses ML to generate highly accurate time-series forecasts. Same technology Amazon uses for inventory and demand planning.

5 features·5 frameworks

Lookout for Vision

Amazon Lookout for Vision detects defects and anomalies in visual representations using computer vision. Train models with as few as 30 images.

5 features·5 frameworks

HealthLake

AWS HealthLake stores, transforms, and analyzes health data using the FHIR standard for healthcare interoperability.

5 features·5 frameworks

Management

13 services

CloudTrail

AWS CloudTrail records AWS API calls for audit, security analysis, and operational troubleshooting. Provides a complete history of activity in your account.

5 features·5 frameworks

CloudWatch

Amazon CloudWatch monitors AWS resources and applications. Collect metrics, logs, and events; set alarms; and automatically react to changes in your environment.

5 features·5 frameworks

CloudFormation

AWS CloudFormation lets you model your entire infrastructure in text files. Provision and manage AWS resources using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) templates.

5 features·5 frameworks

Config

AWS Config assesses, audits, and evaluates your resource configurations continuously. Track configuration changes and evaluate against desired policies.

5 features·5 frameworks

SSM

AWS Systems Manager is an operations hub for AWS resources. Gain operational insights, automate tasks, and manage instances at scale.

5 features·5 frameworks

Control Tower

AWS Control Tower sets up multi-account AWS environments with pre-configured guardrails. Automate account provisioning with best-practice blueprints.

5 features·5 frameworks

Organizations

AWS Organizations centrally manages multiple AWS accounts. Consolidate billing, apply SCP guardrails, and automate account creation at scale.

5 features·5 frameworks

Resource Explorer

AWS Resource Explorer is a managed search service for discovering AWS resources across all regions with a single unified query.

5 features·5 frameworks

Service Quotas

AWS Service Quotas lets you view and manage AWS service limits from a central console and request increases without support cases.

5 features·5 frameworks

Compute Optimizer

AWS Compute Optimizer recommends optimal AWS compute resources using ML analysis of historical utilization metrics from CloudWatch.

5 features·5 frameworks

Trusted Advisor

AWS Trusted Advisor inspects your environment and provides real-time recommendations following AWS best practices across cost, security, and performance.

5 features·5 frameworks

Well-Architected Tool

AWS Well-Architected Tool reviews workloads against 6 pillars: Operational Excellence, Security, Reliability, Performance, Cost, and Sustainability.

5 features·5 frameworks

DevOps Guru

Amazon DevOps Guru uses ML to detect anomalous application behavior and operational issues before they impact customers.

5 features·5 frameworks

Migration

1 services

Network

12 services

VPC

Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) lets you provision a logically isolated section of the AWS cloud where you launch resources in a virtual network you define.

5 features·5 frameworks

CloudFront

Amazon CloudFront is a fast content delivery network (CDN) that securely delivers data, videos, applications, and APIs to viewers globally with low latency.

5 features·5 frameworks

ELB

Elastic Load Balancing automatically distributes incoming traffic across EC2 instances, containers, Lambda functions, and IP addresses in multiple Availability Zones.

5 features·5 frameworks

Route 53

Amazon Route 53 is a highly available and scalable cloud DNS service. Register domains, route traffic with multiple policies, and monitor resource health.

4 features·5 frameworks

API Gateway

Amazon API Gateway is a fully managed service for creating, publishing, maintaining, monitoring, and securing REST, HTTP, and WebSocket APIs at any scale.

5 features·5 frameworks

Direct Connect

AWS Direct Connect establishes a dedicated network connection from on-premises to AWS. Bypass the public internet for consistent, low-latency private connectivity.

5 features·5 frameworks

Global Accelerator

AWS Global Accelerator improves application availability and performance by directing traffic through the AWS global network to the optimal regional endpoint.

5 features·5 frameworks

Transit Gateway

AWS Transit Gateway connects VPCs, VPNs, and Direct Connect in a hub-and-spoke architecture. Simplifies network management at scale.

5 features·5 frameworks

Network Firewall

AWS Network Firewall is a managed firewall and IDS/IPS service for VPCs. Filter traffic with stateful deep packet inspection at the subnet level.

5 features·5 frameworks

VPN

AWS VPN establishes secure IPSec connections between on-premises networks and AWS. Site-to-Site and Client VPN options.

5 features·5 frameworks

Client VPN

AWS Client VPN is a managed remote access VPN service using OpenVPN-based clients to connect remote users to AWS and on-premises networks.

5 features·5 frameworks

Route 53 Resolver

Amazon Route 53 Resolver enables DNS resolution between VPCs and on-premises networks with conditional forwarding rules.

5 features·5 frameworks

Security

19 services

IAM

AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) lets you securely control access to AWS services and resources. Create users, groups, and roles with fine-grained permissions.

5 features·5 frameworks

KMS

AWS Key Management Service (KMS) lets you create and control cryptographic keys. Integrated with CloudTrail for auditing and most AWS services for encryption.

5 features·5 frameworks

Secrets Manager

AWS Secrets Manager helps protect access to applications, services, and IT resources. Rotate, manage, and retrieve database credentials, API keys, and other secrets.

4 features·5 frameworks

GuardDuty

Amazon GuardDuty is a threat detection service that continuously monitors for malicious activity and unauthorized behavior across AWS accounts and workloads.

5 features·5 frameworks

WAF

AWS WAF is a web application firewall that monitors HTTP(S) requests to CloudFront, ALB, API Gateway, and AppSync with customizable security rules.

5 features·5 frameworks

Shield

AWS Shield provides managed DDoS protection. Standard is included free. Advanced provides enhanced protection, 24/7 response team access, and cost protection.

4 features·5 frameworks

Cognito

Amazon Cognito provides authentication, authorization, and user management for web and mobile apps. Supports social login and enterprise SAML/OIDC federation.

5 features·5 frameworks

ACM

AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) provisions, manages, and deploys public and private SSL/TLS certificates for use with AWS services. Certificates renew automatically.

5 features·5 frameworks

Macie

Amazon Macie is a data security service that uses machine learning and pattern matching to discover, classify, and protect sensitive data stored in Amazon S3.

5 features·5 frameworks

Inspector

Amazon Inspector is an automated vulnerability management service that continuously scans AWS workloads for software vulnerabilities and unintended network exposure.

5 features·5 frameworks

Security Hub

AWS Security Hub provides a comprehensive view of your security state across AWS accounts. Aggregates, organizes, and prioritizes security findings from multiple services.

5 features·5 frameworks

Firewall Manager

AWS Firewall Manager centrally configures and manages firewall rules across accounts and applications in AWS Organizations.

5 features·5 frameworks

Verified Permissions

Amazon Verified Permissions is a scalable, fine-grained permissions management and authorization service for custom applications. Uses Cedar policy language.

5 features·5 frameworks

Detective

Amazon Detective uses ML and graph theory to help conduct faster security investigations across AWS workloads.

5 features·5 frameworks

Artifact

AWS Artifact provides on-demand access to AWS security and compliance reports. Download SOC, PCI, ISO, FedRAMP, and HIPAA attestations.

4 features·5 frameworks

IAM Roles Anywhere

AWS IAM Roles Anywhere extends IAM roles to on-premises, hybrid, and multicloud environments using X.509 certificate-based authentication.

5 features·5 frameworks

RAM

AWS Resource Access Manager lets you share resources across AWS accounts within your organization without creating duplicates.

5 features·5 frameworks

CloudHSM

AWS CloudHSM provides FIPS 140-2 Level 3 validated, single-tenant hardware security modules in the cloud for cryptographic operations.

5 features·5 frameworks

Signer

AWS Signer is a fully managed code-signing service for digitally signing code, containers, and documents to ensure trust and integrity.

5 features·5 frameworks

Storage

8 services

S3

Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) is an object storage service with industry-leading scalability, data availability, security, and performance.

5 features·5 frameworks

EBS

Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) provides persistent block-level storage for EC2. Each volume is automatically replicated within its Availability Zone.

5 features·5 frameworks

EFS

Amazon Elastic File System (EFS) provides scalable, elastic NFS file storage for Linux workloads. Grows and shrinks automatically as files are added and removed.

5 features·5 frameworks

S3 Glacier

Amazon S3 Glacier provides extremely low-cost archival storage with three archive classes optimized for different access patterns and retrieval times.

5 features·5 frameworks

Backup

AWS Backup is a fully managed backup service that centralizes and automates data protection across AWS services. Define backup policies and monitor compliance.

5 features·5 frameworks

FSx

Amazon FSx provides fully managed, high-performance file systems. Choose from NetApp ONTAP, OpenZFS, Windows File Server, or Lustre for HPC workloads.

4 features·5 frameworks

Storage Gateway

AWS Storage Gateway provides hybrid cloud storage integration. Bridge on-premises environments with AWS storage services.

5 features·5 frameworks

Snowball

AWS Snowball is a petabyte-scale data transport solution using physical ruggedized devices for offline data transfer into and out of AWS.

5 features·5 frameworks