AWS Well-Architected Labs

The AWS Well-Architected Labs address the core challenge of ensuring cloud architectures are secure, high-performing, resilient, and efficient. This is achieved through a structured framework that guides architects in evaluating and implementing best practices.

Technically, the labs are organized around the six pillars of the Well-Architected Framework: Operational Excellence, Security, Reliability, Performance Efficiency, Cost Optimization, and Sustainability. Each pillar is supported by hands-on labs and code examples that demonstrate how to build and measure architectures using these best practices.

Operationally, these labs require careful planning and execution. For instance, the labs often involve setting up multiple AWS services such as IAM roles, S3 buckets, Lambda functions, and CloudWatch triggers. This necessitates having the appropriate permissions and access rights within the AWS management account and sub-accounts.

Key technical details include the use of Terraform modules to automate the deployment of well-architected patterns. For example, the aws_tf_organisation_data module collects AWS Organization data and stores it in an S3 bucket, which can then be queried using Amazon Athena. This module requires specific inputs such as the destination bucket name, management account ID, and tags, and it also involves configuring Lambda functions with defined memory sizes and timeouts.

The labs also emphasize the importance of periodic data collection and analysis. For instance, the pricing model analysis lab uses Lambda to download and extract AWS pricing data, which is then updated periodically via CloudWatch Events to ensure the data remains current.

Overall, these labs provide a comprehensive approach to building well-architected cloud infrastructures, but they require a deep understanding of AWS services and the ability to manage complex deployments.