Six Reasons Why AWS is Perfect for Microsoft Workloads

As we discussed in an earlier blog post, Microsoft has announced that they will end support for SQL Server 2008/2008 R2 on July 9, 2019, and for Windows Server 2008/2008 R2 on Jan 14, 2020. Now is the time to start strategizing and creating a plan of action for migrating your Microsoft workloads to Amazon Web Services (AWS). Here are six specific reasons why AWS is the best cloud infrastructure for Windows workloads.

1. Unmatched Depth and Breadth

AWS runs nearly 2x more Windows Server Instances than the next largest cloud provider, and has the widest selection of cloud services for Microsoft technologies within one seamless ecosystem. This includes a variety of compute, database, application, and deployment services as well as a comprehensive set of management tools for your Microsoft workloads. No matter your business needs, AWS has a solution.

2. Higher Availability

The AWS Cloud has 61 Availability Zones (AZ) across 20 regions to ensure your workloads are up and running when they need to be. In contrast, the next largest cloud provider had 7x more downtime hours compared to AWS in 2018.

If you’re migrating your Microsoft workloads to AWS, a managed service provider like Mission will be on the frontlines, actively monitoring the transition to ensure interruptions to business activity are kept to a minimum.

3. More Secure

AWS offers 210 security, compliance, and governance services and key features, about 40 more than the next largest cloud provider. AWS also offers encryption across 116 different AWS services, 5X more than the next largest cloud provider.

Managed services providers like Mission can then help customers leverage this suite of security offerings in order to maintain and optimize the security of their environment. As an example, Mission worked with event ticketing software company VBO Tickets to move their database from a single, monolithic EC2/Microsoft SQL database to a managed AWS RDS database with a Microsoft SQL instance, and provided several ongoing management services focused on security. This included: deploying AWS CloudWatch for monitoring the infrastructure, alerting with SNS, Python Lambda EC2 instance backup scripts, CloudTrail logging, and setting up a Virtual Private Network (VPN) server. As a result, VBO Tickets now has a secure cloud development environment equipped for handling spikes in traffic.

4. Reduced Costs

AWS helps customers lower the costs of running Windows in the cloud with a variety of EC2 instances and unique pricing models.  Additionally, customers can also save money by moving their Microsoft licenses to dedicated hosts on AWS. The licensing is included in the cost of an instance, so it not only reduces licensing cost, but the management overhead of maintaining those licenses. Xero, the accounting software platform for small and medium-sized businesses, saved 30% on their SQL Server Licensing Costs with AWS.

With AWS, you can reduce overall cost of running Windows workloads with the most comprehensive family of EC2 instances. Amazon’s unique Spot pricing model can get you up to 90% discount on your Windows compute costs. AWS helped Xero save up to 30% in SQL licensing fees by moving their Microsoft licenses to dedicated hosts on AWS. Such license migrations aren’t possible at the next largest provider.

5. Enhanced Performance

According to ZK Research, AWS has at least a 2X price/performance advantage over the next largest cloud provider when comparing the price of a workload, including storage, compute and networking. eMarketer, a market research firm that enables thousands of companies around the world to better understand markets and consumer behavior, has certainly noticed a difference migrating workloads to AWS: “We chose to move our Microsoft Workloads to AWS because of your extensive migration experience, higher availability, and better performance. We are seeing 35% cost savings and thrilled to see 4x greater launch times now,” eMarketer’s Senior Vice President of Engineering Ryan Hoffman said.

Thanks to Mission’s partnership with VBO TIckets, working closely to help the event ticketing software company improve the performance of its AWS environment, the company is now ready to scale operations and serve clients in Europe. “We can easily add more web servers and expand our database capacity. These capabilities are vital because the bigger we grow, the more prepared we need to be for events that can cause sudden increases in ticket-buying capacity,” Co-founder and Developer David Boehme said.

6. Easy Migration

AWS has enabled thousands of enterprises across the globe, such as Sysco, Hess, Sony DADC, Ancestry and Expedia, to migrate their Windows workloads to the cloud. The proven AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP) methodology and deep expertise from AWS partners empowers customers to assess, right size, and move their Windows and SQL Server workloads to AWS.

Why Mission?

Mission is an AWS managed services partner with deep know-how in launching and harnessing the power of the cloud. The team of experts at Mission can help you lay the foundation for a successful migration, reduce disruptive downtime, and unlock the potential of the cloud while optimizing for agility, availability, and cost.

Don’t wait till your legacy Windows and SQL servers reach the end of their usefulness before you make the switch.

Request a free 60-minute consultation today.