I've passed my AWS Solutions Architect Associate exam and I'm now diving into the Professional-level certifications. However, I still feel lost when it comes to understanding how companies structure their cloud networks and what services they typically use. I can operate individual AWS services just fine, but if someone asked me to create a comprehensive environment for a large enterprise or educational institution, I wouldn't know where to start. Besides hoping to land a cloud-related job soon, can anyone recommend good resources—like study materials, PDFs, or guides—that focus on high-level AWS network and service architecture? I'm looking for insights on the overall design rather than specific configuration steps. Thanks!
3 Answers
When you're looking at AWS architecture in real-life scenarios, think about multiple accounts under an AWS Organization and external provider authorization like SSO or SAML. The networking you learned for the SAA is a good start, but in enterprise situations, it's a bit more complex because you're dealing with multiple accounts and designs around best practices, not just one account as per the certification.
It's important to clarify that when discussing enterprises versus AWS accounts, we're really talking about applications rather than sprawling physical networks. If you want a job where you're designing applications, focus there. But if you're really aiming for a complete environment understanding, you'll need to think bigger.
Check out the AWS Well-Architected Framework [here](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitected/latest/framework/welcome.html). It's a great starting point for understanding best practices in AWS architecture, though, honestly, I haven't seen too many places where it’s implemented perfectly. Many companies build their environments just enough to get by, with future rearchitecting plans rarely prioritized.
I work at a Fortune 500 company, and I can tell you that about 95% of our vast network operates on AWS technology—VPCs, Transit Gateways, and CloudWAN, for instance. We've transitioned from MPLS and now use site-to-site VPNs for other cloud providers. AWS is a lot more than just a platform for applications; it’s integral to our entire network strategy.