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Thread: AWS Sales and Support... Hello, anybody there?

  1. #21
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    Default Re: AWS Sales and Support... Hello, anybody there?

    I must admit it can be confusing. Along with they keep dropping the prices about every 3 months it seems. Believe me it was a LOT worse in years past. Now if you want to really blow your mind throw in the reserved instance pricing which is based on the type and size of machine you run. My advice - start out small at first (IMHO small or medium is minimum needed) with On-Demand, do some benchmarking (like Steven showed at DISD), try different sizes and types (m1 and m3). And then maybe even run for 2-3 months and see if you need to get bigger. Once you have a machine that you know will do the job then get a Reserved Instance to save money. IMPORTANT - make sure if you buy a RI that you get it in the same zone and size of your machine. This might seem obvious, but I had a case when RI had just come out that I bought a RI and Amazon put it in the wrong zone and I didn't find out for a couple of months that I wasn't getting the reduced price. Eventually they made good on it. That was before they allow selling your RI in the marketplace. ROI on a Reserved instance is about 5 months.
    Chuck Atkinson

    "No matter how confounding the case, Bob Worsley always finds the quaesitum."

  2. #22
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    Default Re: AWS Sales and Support... Hello, anybody there?

    Thanks Chuck

    It all seems so "murky" at this point. I think the only way for me to figure it out is just to jump in. Your recommendations are like gospel right now.

    M

  3. #23
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    Default Re: AWS Sales and Support... Hello, anybody there?

    If you need help get in touch. I am willing to help in any way you need.
    Chuck Atkinson

    "No matter how confounding the case, Bob Worsley always finds the quaesitum."

  4. #24
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    Default Re: AWS Sales and Support... Hello, anybody there?

    This just in - Amazon has dropped their prices AGAIN ! And have now also rolled out two new services that might appeal to you. One is the Amazon Workspaces - which is a virtual pc in the cloud. The other is they now are providing AD services running in the cloud primarily for Workspaces, but also available to integrate with on-premises AD. Really exciting times in the AWS world these days.

    Link
    Chuck Atkinson

    "No matter how confounding the case, Bob Worsley always finds the quaesitum."

  5. #25
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    Default Re: AWS Sales and Support... Hello, anybody there?

    Hmmmm... now if only I could understand what it means - I still don't speak Amazon I guess.

    Chuck, have you done a cost analysis between having/maintaining your own hardware based database and using AWS? I mentioned doing this yesterday to my customer and the systems guy who's selling him the server and of course the systems guy came back immediately with the statement that doing it locally is cheaper than the cloud.
    Bob Worsley
    203-249-2633
    rlworsley at gmail.com

    Do or do not. There is no try. — Yoda

  6. #26
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    Default Re: AWS Sales and Support... Hello, anybody there?

    As if the guy selling hardware is unbiased........

    However, there are other considerations besides just cost, IMO. Here in Vermont, for example, internet connections simply aren't reliable enough to only use a cloud solution. Elsewhere may be fine. I have a client in Florida who has run from Terminal Services for years. He has a cable connection and DSL as backup to ensure closer to 100% connectivity. It's still not 100% - but very good - though he has the expense of 2 connections.
    Garret

    Time for an oldie but goodie:

    "If it ain't broke, you're not trying." - Red Green

  7. #27
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    Default Re: AWS Sales and Support... Hello, anybody there?

    True, but the customer I'm referring to here is in Dallas so you would think connectivity would be good and it mostly is.
    Bob Worsley
    203-249-2633
    rlworsley at gmail.com

    Do or do not. There is no try. — Yoda

  8. #28
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    Default Re: AWS Sales and Support... Hello, anybody there?

    Bob - we did a complete cost analysis for the project in MA with the State. I don't have access to it anymore. But overall the upfront cost seems more, but almost always you can't compare just hardware costs of a new server to cloud. When you start to factor in all the ancillary costs associated with running an on-premises data center - the cloud will win in most case. It is difficult to quantify without knowing the size of the system. But when you add in backup power system, security, air-conditioning, cabling and long term hardware maintenance cost (ext. warranty), backups and personnel to water and feed the system - these add up pretty quickly. I don't know if it's still in place, but TX used to have a nice fat rebate program in place for energy savings that can be applied to cloud deployment of IT assets.
    Chuck Atkinson

    "No matter how confounding the case, Bob Worsley always finds the quaesitum."

  9. #29
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    Default Re: AWS Sales and Support... Hello, anybody there?

    Thanks Chuck, makes sense. OTOH, I'm not there and haven't been asked to do the analysis so I think the decision has already been made to stick with the local hardware. Maybe I'll go sit under a tree and contemplate my new granddaughter...
    Bob Worsley
    203-249-2633
    rlworsley at gmail.com

    Do or do not. There is no try. — Yoda

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