DESCRIPTION
Imagine you need to launch a website, an application, or an entire business online. Not long ago, that meant buying physical servers, renting space in a data center, hiring administrators — all before you earned your first dollar.
Amazon Web Services changed the game. Now you have access to the most powerful IT infrastructure on the planet — and you pay only for what you actually use. No server rooms, no capital expenditures, no overnight shifts babysitting hardware.
This lesson is your starting point. Here you will understand what AWS is, why it exists, and why right now is the best time to learn it.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
– What AWS is and how it came to be
– What services the platform includes
– Who competes with AWS and how the market is structured
– Why AWS specialists are among the most in-demand and highest-paid in IT
– What AWS certifications exist and where to begin
– How the AWS Free Tier works
HISTORY OF AWS: FROM INTERNAL TOOL TO MARKET LEADER
In the early 2000s, Amazon faced a classic problem of a fast-growing company: different engineering teams were rebuilding the same infrastructure over and over — databases, servers, message queues, all duplicated again and again.
The solution was elegant: standardize the infrastructure and expose it through an API. When the internal tool proved effective, Amazon made a move that reshaped the entire IT industry — it opened that infrastructure to external customers.
In 2006, AWS launched publicly. The first services were S3 (storage) and EC2 (virtual servers). Startups could suddenly launch products without purchasing servers — and the IT world never went back to the old model.
By 2026, AWS offers more than 240 services covering compute, storage, databases, networking, artificial intelligence, IoT, security, and much more.
CORE AWS SERVICE CATEGORIES
COMPUTE
EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) — virtual servers in any configuration
Lambda — serverless compute: code runs without managing servers
Elastic Beanstalk — platform for deploying and scaling applications
STORAGE
S3 (Simple Storage Service) — object storage with virtually unlimited capacity
EBS (Elastic Block Store) — block storage disks for EC2 instances
EFS (Elastic File System) — shared file storage for multiple servers
DATABASES
RDS — managed relational databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, Oracle, SQL Server)
DynamoDB — high-speed NoSQL database
Aurora — MySQL/PostgreSQL-compatible database with enterprise-grade performance
NETWORKING
VPC (Virtual Private Cloud) — isolated virtual network in the cloud
Route 53 — DNS management and domain registration
CloudFront — global Content Delivery Network (CDN)
SECURITY
IAM (Identity and Access Management) — access control and permissions
ACM (AWS Certificate Manager) — SSL/TLS certificates
Secrets Manager — secure storage for passwords and API keys
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING
SageMaker — platform for training and deploying ML models
Rekognition — image and video recognition
Bedrock — access to large language models (LLMs)
DEVOPS AND AUTOMATION
CloudFormation — Infrastructure as Code: your entire infrastructure described in files
CodePipeline, CodeBuild, CodeDeploy — CI/CD pipelines
Systems Manager — fleet management for servers
IoT
AWS IoT Core — connect and manage billions of devices
COMPETITORS: THE CLOUD MARKET IN 2026
The cloud market is a three-way race — and the gap between the players is substantial.
1. Amazon Web Services (AWS) — 32% of the global market
The leader since 2006. The broadest service portfolio, the largest number of data centers, a mature partner ecosystem. According to Gartner Magic Quadrant, AWS has held the top position in IaaS for more than a decade running.
2. Microsoft Azure — approximately 22% of the market
Dominant in the enterprise segment due to deep integration with Microsoft products (Windows Server, Active Directory, Office 365). The preferred choice for organizations already embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem.
3. Google Cloud Platform (GCP) — approximately 11% of the market
A leader in big data and machine learning. Actively investing in AI tooling, leveraging Google’s expertise in search and analytics.
One important note: AWS knowledge is valuable on its own. But a specialist who can work across multiple cloud platforms commands an even higher market value.
WHY YOU SHOULD LEARN AWS RIGHT NOW
THE MARKET IS GROWING FASTER THAN SPECIALISTS APPEAR
Global cloud computing market:
2020: $370 billion
2023: $600 billion
2026 forecast: $900+ billion
Companies are migrating their infrastructure to the cloud faster than the market can produce qualified engineers. That means one thing: demand for AWS specialists consistently outpaces supply.
SALARIES THAT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
Based on US labor market data for 2025–2026:
AWS Solutions Architect (Associate): $130,000 — $160,000 per year
AWS DevOps Engineer (Professional): $150,000 — $180,000 per year
AWS Solutions Architect (Professional): $160,000 — $200,000 per year
In Europe the numbers are lower, but AWS specialists consistently rank among the top-paid IT professionals in every region.
A UNIVERSALLY TRANSFERABLE SKILL
AWS is used by three-person startups, multinational banks, and government agencies alike. Proficiency in AWS is a passport to the job market in any country.
AWS CERTIFICATIONS: YOUR ROADMAP
AWS offers an official certification system structured by difficulty level.
FOUNDATIONAL
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Entry point for those new to AWS. Validates general understanding of cloud concepts and core services. An excellent starting point for non-technical professionals.
ASSOCIATE
AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Associate
AWS Certified Developer — Associate
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator — Associate
Practical knowledge for specific roles. The most in-demand level on the job market.
PROFESSIONAL
AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Professional
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer — Professional
Expert level. Requires deep hands-on experience.
SPECIALTY
AWS Certified Security — Specialty
AWS Certified Database — Specialty
AWS Certified Data Analytics — Specialty
Machine Learning — Specialty
And other specialized tracks.
Exam costs in 2026:
Foundational: $100
Associate: $150
Professional: $300
Specialty: $300
A detailed breakdown of certifications and exam preparation guidance is covered in the next lesson.
CLOUD SERVICE MODELS
Before going further, it is important to understand the three foundational cloud delivery models.
IaaS — Infrastructure as a Service
You receive virtual servers, networks, and storage — and manage them yourself. Maximum control, maximum responsibility.
Examples: AWS EC2, Microsoft Azure VMs
PaaS — Platform as a Service
Infrastructure is managed for you; you simply upload your code and configure application settings.
Examples: AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Google App Engine
SaaS — Software as a Service
A ready-to-use application accessed through a browser. The infrastructure is completely hidden.
Examples: Gmail, Dropbox, Salesforce
AWS spans all three models, offering services at every level.
AWS FREE TIER: PRACTICE WITHOUT RISK
AWS provides a Free Tier for new accounts, allowing you to explore real services without spending money.
What is included in the Free Tier (first 12 months):
750 hours of EC2 t3.micro per month (enough to run a server continuously)
5 GB of S3 storage
750 hours of RDS db.t2.micro per month
25 GB of DynamoDB storage
1 million Lambda requests per month (no expiration)
Important: some services are free indefinitely (Always Free); others are only free for the first 12 months. Always verify current conditions on the official page: https://aws.amazon.com/free
LEARNING RESOURCES
OFFICIAL RESOURCES
AWS Documentation: https://docs.aws.amazon.com — comprehensive technical documentation
AWS Training: https://aws.amazon.com/training — official learning programs
AWS Skill Builder: https://skillbuilder.aws — free and paid official courses
AWS Workshops: https://workshops.aws — hands-on practical guides
PAID ONLINE COURSES
A Cloud Guru — high quality, practical approach
Udemy — wide selection of courses from various instructors
PRACTICE
AWS Free Tier — your primary lab environment during training
IMPORTANT TO KNOW
Do not try to learn all 240+ services at once. That is neither possible nor necessary. Even experienced AWS architects consult the documentation regularly. Your goal is to understand the key services and learn how to pick up new ones quickly.
Watch your spending in the Free Tier. AWS will automatically start charging if you exceed free-tier limits. Set up Budget Alerts on your very first day with the account.
Practice matters more than theory. There is no substitute for hands-on work in the AWS console. Every lesson in this course includes practical assignments — do not skip them.
CHECK YOURSELF
1. In what year was AWS publicly launched?
2. Name the three main players in the cloud market and each one’s approximate market share.
3. What is the difference between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS? Give one example of each.
4. How many services does AWS offer as of 2026?
5. What are the four levels of AWS certifications?
6. What is the AWS Free Tier and what are its limitations?
CONCLUSIONS
AWS is not just a collection of services. It is an entire platform that lets you build anything — from a personal website to global infrastructure serving millions of users.
Key facts to remember:
– AWS launched in 2006 and today offers 240+ services
– Holds 32% of the global cloud market
– AWS specialists are among the highest-paid in IT
– A Free Tier is available for learning and practice
– The certification system covers four levels: Foundational, Associate, Professional, and Specialty
In the next lesson, we will take a detailed look at AWS certifications and build a preparation plan for the exam.