AWS SiteWise
AWS IoT SiteWise collects, stores, and analyzes industrial equipment data at scale. Model physical assets and monitor operations in real time.
What is SiteWise? (Simple Explanation)
SiteWise is an AWS service in the IoT category. AWS IoT SiteWise collects, stores, and analyzes industrial equipment data at scale.
When Would You Use SiteWise?
- Industrial equipment monitoring
- Predictive maintenance
- Process optimization
- Digital twin creation
- Manufacturing OEE calculations
Who Uses SiteWise?
From startups to enterprises, SiteWise powers:
What Makes SiteWise Powerful
SiteWise Pricing & Free Tier
IoT Core: first 250K messages free. 1M messages for ~$1.00 afterward. Pay-per-message pricing.
SiteWise Best Practices
- 1Use device certificates with unique per-device keys — never hardcode credentials
- 2Enable IoT Device Defender audits for continuous compliance monitoring
- 3Use IoT Rules Engine to route only relevant data to downstream services (filter noise at edge)
- 4Implement exponential backoff in device connection retry logic
- 5Monitor device connection metrics in CloudWatch — set alarms on disconnect spikes
Getting Started with SiteWise in 5 Minutes
- 1Open the AWS Console and navigate to SiteWise
- 2Click "Create" or "Get started" to begin configuration
- 3Configure the required settings — name, region, and access permissions
- 4Review and create — monitor the initial status in CloudWatch
SiteWise CLI Quick Reference
2 production-ready commands. Full CLI Library (225+ services) →
aws iot-sitewise helpView all SiteWise CLI v2 commands and subcommandsaws iot-sitewise describe-iotsitewise --helpView options for describing SiteWise resourcesPros & Cons of SiteWise
Pros
- Asset modeling for industrial equipment hierarchies
- Automatic metrics computation at the edge
- OPC-UA, Modbus, and Ethernet/IP integration
- Real-time dashboards with SiteWise Monitor
- Data export to S3 for analytics
Cons
- ✕Vendor lock-in — migrating away from AWS requires significant effort
- ✕Costs can be unpredictable without proper monitoring and budgeting
- ✕Learning curve for beginners — AWS has 200+ services with complex IAM policies
SiteWise vs Alternatives
SiteWise vs IoT Core
Choose SiteWise for Industrial equipment monitoring and Predictive maintenance. It excels at asset modeling for industrial equipment hierarchies.
Choose IoT Core as an alternative when your requirements differ. Each service in the IoT category serves different architectural patterns.
Services That Work with SiteWise
SiteWise is rarely used alone. It is typically combined with:
Compliance & Security
How AWS SiteWise fits into major compliance standards. Browse all 41 frameworks →
IoT SiteWise configuration is audited by CIS Benchmarks v1.5–v3.0 for secure cloud defaults.
NIST 800-53IoT SiteWise access controls, encryption, and audit logging map to NIST 800-53 AC, SC, and AU control families.
PCI DSS 4.0IoT SiteWise encryption, access control, and logging support PCI DSS for cardholder data environments.
SOC 2IoT SiteWise security, availability, and confidentiality controls evaluated under SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria.
ISO 27001IoT SiteWise configuration and monitoring controls map to ISO 27001 Annex A information security management.
Frequently Asked Questions About SiteWise
What is AWS SiteWise?
AWS IoT SiteWise collects, stores, and analyzes industrial equipment data at scale. Model physical assets and monitor operations in real time.
What is SiteWise used for?
SiteWise is commonly used for: Industrial equipment monitoring; Predictive maintenance; Process optimization; Digital twin creation; Manufacturing OEE calculations. It's a core service in the iot category of AWS.
Is SiteWise free?
IoT Core: first 250K messages free. 1M messages for ~$1.00 afterward. Pay-per-message pricing.
What are the key features of SiteWise?
SiteWise's most important capabilities include: Asset modeling for industrial equipment hierarchies. Automatic metrics computation at the edge. OPC-UA, Modbus, and Ethernet/IP integration. Real-time dashboards with SiteWise Monitor. Data export to S3 for analytics. Each of these is designed to help teams industrial equipment monitoring.
How does SiteWise compare to alternatives?
SiteWise competes with both AWS-native alternatives (IoT Core, Greengrass, S3) and third-party equivalents. The right choice depends on your specific requirements for scalability, cost, and operational overhead. See the comparisons section below for detailed guidance.
Which compliance frameworks apply to SiteWise?
CIS AWS v3.0: IoT SiteWise configuration is audited by CIS Benchmarks v1.5–v3.0 for secure cloud defaults. NIST 800-53: IoT SiteWise access controls, encryption, and audit logging map to NIST 800-53 AC, SC, and AU control families. PCI DSS 4.0: IoT SiteWise encryption, access control, and logging support PCI DSS for cardholder data environments. SOC 2: IoT SiteWise security, availability, and confidentiality controls evaluated under SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria. ISO 27001: IoT SiteWise configuration and monitoring controls map to ISO 27001 Annex A information security management.
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