AWS VPC Lattice
Amazon VPC Lattice is an application networking service that connects services across VPCs and accounts without managing complex routing. Define service-to-service communication policies centrally. Think of it like a universal phone system for your microservices — services call each other by name, regardless of which VPC or account they are in.
What is VPC Lattice? (Simple Explanation)
VPC Lattice is an AWS service in the Network category. Amazon VPC Lattice is an application networking service that connects services across VPCs and accounts without managing complex routing.
When Would You Use VPC Lattice?
- Cross-VPC service communication without peering
- Multi-account service mesh networking
- Zero-trust service-to-service networking
- Blue/green and canary traffic shifting
- Centralized service discovery and routing
Who Uses VPC Lattice?
From startups to enterprises, VPC Lattice powers:
What Makes VPC Lattice Powerful
VPC Lattice Pricing & Free Tier
Free Tier: 1GB data transfer out (12 months), 750 hours of ELB (12 months). Pay-as-you-go from ~$0.025/GB for CloudFront.
VPC Lattice Best Practices
- 1Use VPC Flow Logs for network traffic monitoring and threat detection
- 2Restrict security group inbound rules to specific CIDR ranges (never 0.0.0.0/0 for SSH/RDP)
- 3Use VPC Endpoints to keep traffic to AWS services off the public internet
- 4Enable WAF with managed rules (AWS Managed Core Rule Set) on all public-facing load balancers
- 5Use Transit Gateway instead of VPC peering mesh for >5 VPCs
Getting Started with VPC Lattice in 5 Minutes
- 1Open the AWS Console and navigate to VPC Lattice
- 2Click "Create" and define your network scope (VPC, subnets, region)
- 3Configure routing, security, and access controls
- 4Review and create — test connectivity before routing production traffic
VPC Lattice CLI Quick Reference
2 production-ready commands. Full CLI Library (225+ services) →
aws vpc-lattice helpView all VPC Lattice CLI v2 commands and subcommandsaws vpc-lattice describe-vpclattice --helpView options for describing VPC Lattice resourcesPros & Cons of VPC Lattice
Pros
- Service Directory — register services by name (not IP)
- Fine-grained auth policies (IAM and resource-based)
- Automatic service discovery across accounts and VPCs
- Weighted routing for traffic shifting
- CloudWatch and VPC Flow Logs integration
Cons
- ✕Data transfer costs are notoriously difficult to predict — egress is the #1 hidden cost
- ✕Network ACL and Security Group rules can conflict in complex multi-tier apps
- ✕VPC design mistakes (overlapping CIDRs) are painful to fix after resources are deployed
VPC Lattice vs Alternatives
VPC Lattice vs VPC
Choose VPC Lattice for Cross-VPC service communication without peering and Multi-account service mesh networking. It excels at service directory — register services by name (not ip).
Choose VPC as an alternative when your requirements differ. Each service in the Network category serves different architectural patterns.
Services That Work with VPC Lattice
VPC Lattice is rarely used alone. It is typically combined with:
Compliance & Security
How AWS VPC Lattice fits into major compliance standards. Browse all 41 frameworks →
VPC Lattice configuration is audited by CIS Benchmarks v1.5–v3.0 for secure cloud defaults.
NIST 800-53VPC Lattice access controls, encryption, and audit logging map to NIST 800-53 AC, SC, and AU control families.
PCI DSS 4.0VPC Lattice encryption, access control, and logging support PCI DSS for cardholder data environments.
SOC 2VPC Lattice security, availability, and confidentiality controls evaluated under SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria.
ISO 27001VPC Lattice configuration and monitoring controls map to ISO 27001 Annex A information security management.
Frequently Asked Questions About VPC Lattice
What is AWS VPC Lattice?
Amazon VPC Lattice is an application networking service that connects services across VPCs and accounts without managing complex routing. Define service-to-service communication policies centrally. Think of it like a universal phone system for your microservices — services call each other by name, regardless of which VPC or account they are in.
What is VPC Lattice used for?
VPC Lattice is commonly used for: Cross-VPC service communication without peering; Multi-account service mesh networking; Zero-trust service-to-service networking; Blue/green and canary traffic shifting; Centralized service discovery and routing. It's a core service in the network category of AWS.
Is VPC Lattice free?
Free Tier: 1GB data transfer out (12 months), 750 hours of ELB (12 months). Pay-as-you-go from ~$0.025/GB for CloudFront.
What are the key features of VPC Lattice?
VPC Lattice's most important capabilities include: Service Directory — register services by name (not IP). Fine-grained auth policies (IAM and resource-based). Automatic service discovery across accounts and VPCs. Weighted routing for traffic shifting. CloudWatch and VPC Flow Logs integration. Each of these is designed to help teams cross-vpc service communication without peering.
How does VPC Lattice compare to alternatives?
VPC Lattice competes with both AWS-native alternatives (VPC, IAM, Cloud Map) 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 VPC Lattice?
CIS AWS v3.0: VPC Lattice configuration is audited by CIS Benchmarks v1.5–v3.0 for secure cloud defaults. NIST 800-53: VPC Lattice access controls, encryption, and audit logging map to NIST 800-53 AC, SC, and AU control families. PCI DSS 4.0: VPC Lattice encryption, access control, and logging support PCI DSS for cardholder data environments. SOC 2: VPC Lattice security, availability, and confidentiality controls evaluated under SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria. ISO 27001: VPC Lattice configuration and monitoring controls map to ISO 27001 Annex A information security management.
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