Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s leading cloud infrastructure platform, offering scalable compute, storage, networking, and AI services to organisations of all sizes.
Used by startups, enterprises, and governments globally, AWS powers critical business systems, software platforms, and data ecosystems with unmatched global reach and reliability.
For organisations undergoing digital transformation, AWS is often at the core of cloud migration, modern infrastructure design, and the enablement of advanced technologies like machine learning, IoT, and automation. Whether you’re moving legacy workloads to the cloud or building cloud-native platforms, AWS offers the flexibility, performance, and ecosystem to support long-term scalability and innovation.
This page outlines AWS’s key capabilities, its role in enterprise IT strategy, and how to assess whether it supports your infrastructure and transformation goals.
Which organisations is Amazon Web Services best suited for?
- Mid-sized to large organisations modernising legacy infrastructure
- Businesses moving toward hybrid, multi-cloud, or cloud-native architectures
- Data-driven teams needing scalable storage, compute, or analytics capabilities
- Organisations investing in AI, machine learning, automation, or IoT
- Technology leaders seeking enterprise-grade cloud security and governance
Common Considerations:
- Complexity can be a barrier without experienced cloud strategy and governance
- Costs can escalate quickly without visibility and consumption controls
- Requires cloud-specific skills and operating model maturity
- Not a business application suite—must be paired with ERP, HCM, or analytics tools
Common Opportunities:
- Unmatched scalability, availability, and global reach
- Broadest set of cloud services across infrastructure, AI, analytics, and security
- Well-supported by ISVs, system integrators, and enterprise software vendors
- Flexibility to build, buy, or host enterprise workloads and platforms
- Extensive compliance certifications for public and private sector
Alternative Enterprise Platforms
- Microsoft Azure – strong for Microsoft-centric organisations and hybrid cloud
- Google Cloud Platform (GCP) – strong in AI, data analytics, and developer tools
- Oracle Cloud Infrastructure – optimised for Oracle workloads and enterprise databases
- IBM Cloud – hybrid cloud platform with AI and automation focus
- Private cloud or managed hosting solutions for regulated or latency-sensitive workloads
Relevant Guides
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These software overviews are designed to help organisations researching enterprise software understand what a platform does, where it is commonly used, and the key considerations during evaluation.
They provide an independent, high-level overview of enterprise software to support informed decision-making before engaging with software vendors or commencing a formal procurement process.
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