Amazon Web Services: 11 Thing You’re Forgetting to Do: Spring Cleaning

As a solutions architect, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of new AWS features and services. However, it’s important to regularly perform good housekeeping to ensure that your AWS environment is running at optimal levels. Here are 11 things you might be forgetting to do:

1. Delete unused resources: AWS charges you for every resource you create, whether you use it or not. Regularly check your environment for unused resources and delete them to save costs.
2. Set up billing alerts: AWS billing can quickly spiral out of control if you’re not careful. Set up billing alerts to receive notifications when costs reach a certain threshold.
3. Check security settings: Regularly review your security settings and make sure they’re up to date. Use AWS Security Hub to help identify security risks.
4. Monitor performance: Use Amazon CloudWatch to monitor performance and set up alerts for any issues.
5. Review backups: Make sure your backups are running as expected and test them regularly to ensure they’re working correctly.
6. Implement version control: Use AWS CodeCommit to manage your source code and implement version control to track changes.
7. Optimize costs: Use AWS Cost Explorer to analyze your spending and identify areas where you can optimize costs.
8. Update software: Regularly update your software to ensure you’re running the latest versions and patches.
9. Use the right services: AWS offers a wide range of services, but not all of them are suitable for every use case. Make sure you’re using the right services for your needs.
10. Set up monitoring and alerts: Use Amazon CloudWatch to monitor your environment and set up alerts for any issues.
11. Review IAM permissions: Regularly review your IAM permissions to ensure that only the necessary users and roles have access to your resources.

It’s important to note that not all of these tasks will be relevant to every organization. For example, a more established business might benefit from using AWS Organizations, which allows for centralized management of multiple accounts, while a company that’s just starting out might not need this service yet.

Regularly performing these housekeeping tasks will help ensure that your AWS environment is running smoothly and efficiently. As an IT professional, it’s your responsibility to stay on top of these tasks and make sure they’re completed regularly.