Amazon Macie Revamped Adds ML Models, Pricing Modifications Amazon Web Services (AWS), has made some important changes to Macie, their machine-learning-powered security tool for Amazon S3. AWS blogs this week claim that Macie is now more capable of detecting sensitive data due to new machine learning models that can detect personally identifiable information (PII). Macie has also introduced a tiered pricing model that promises to lower costs up to 80 percent. Users pay based on the number of Amazon S3 buckets they scan and the volume of sensitive data that is scanned. AWS stated that you can lower your costs by scanning larger volumes. Macie was launched in the autumn of 2017, amid a series of data security incidents that saw millions of users’ sensitive information exposed by misconfigured Amazon S3 buckets. Machine learning is used to identify sensitive data stored on S3, their level of security, and normal user behavior related to accessing that data. It flags irregular behavior as security breaches. AWS stated that the new Macie incorporates feedback received from users. AWS added machine learning models to the Macie, as well as a simpler pricing structure. Other Macie features include support of multiple AWS accounts via AWS Organizations, an improved user experience, and “[f]ull access API coverage for programmatic usage of the service with AWS SDKs (CLI) and AWS Command Line Interface(CLI). AWS has also improved integration between Amazon S3 (Macie) and AWS Command Line Interface (CLI). AWS cites two key benefits from this:

Further reducing overall costs, enabling S3 data events in AWS CloudTrail no longer is a requirement. Security findings are […]

Researcher Says IaaS Cloud Industry in ‘State of Upheaval’ With cloud computing overtaking on-premises datacenters, the Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) arena dominated by Amazon Web Services Inc. (AWS) is in a state of upheaval, according to research firm Gartner Inc., as major industry players shake themselves out. The company released a news release regarding a presentation by Lydia Leong, an analyst, at a Sydney conference. “Many service providers have changed their strategies after not gaining enough market traction,” it said. Although AWS is the market leader, it isn’t changing its strategy due to a lackluster traction. It is among the few vendors that is grabbing more and larger shares of the IaaS pie which is growing at a rate of 33 percent. Gartner stated that market share has remained more concentrated even though the market has grown rapidly. “Gartner’s new Magic Quadrant for Cloud Infrastructure as a Services, Worldwide” featured 15 providers. However, the market is dominated only by a few global providers, including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Compute Engine. These three providers accounted for the majority of workloads that were running in public cloud IaaS during 2015. During her Sydney presentation, Leong discussed the state of IaaS. Leong stated that “the sky is not falling” — customers are gaining great value from cloud IaaS — but that the competitive landscape is changing. “Very few providers have the financial resources necessary to be competitive in the cloud IaaS marketplace. Gartner stated that 2014 was a year for reckoning in the industry. For the first time in history, workloads in IaaS public cloud exceeded workloads on-premises. Some vendors are reconsidering their strategies after failing to compete with the top players, dominated by AWS and Microsoft Azure. Some vendors are going to launch new IaaS platforms, others will substantially change their model, others will only provide managed services on top cloud platforms, while some will reduce their IaaS initiatives, while some are completely eliminating or replacing their cloud offerings. Leong stated that buyers should be cautious when choosing providers. Ask specific questions about the provider’s roadmap for the service and seek contractual commitments that don’t allow the provider to change substantially or discontinue the offering without at most 12 months notice. Gartner stated that cloud computing has seen a rapid rise in popularity since its inception, which was less than ten years ago. It is now used for workloads that can be hosted on virtualized servers based upon x86 architecture. It listed the following most popular use cases:

Environments for development and testing. High-performance computing and batch process. Internet-facing Web sites or Web applications Nonmission-critical internal business […]

Research shows cloud certifications pay off, with AWS leading the pack “The big money” is in cloud computing certifications with AWS and Google Cloud delivering high wages across all regions, according to new research from Global Knowledge. Global Knowledge recently published a new examination on IT compensation and in demand certifications. The 2019 IT Skills and Salary Report breaks up top-paying certifications into different regions. The overall global table shows “AWS Certified Solution Architect – Professional”, who has an average salary of $120,000. [Click on the image to see a larger view.] The Top-Paying Worldwide Certifications (source : Global Knowledge) “GCP Cloud Architect ($118.756) is another cloud certification. CISSP ($116.573) is the third highest-paying certification,” the report stated. “Three other AWS certifications are in the top 10, with AWS Certified SysOps Administration – Associate at No. 5, AWS Certified Developer – Associate at No. 8, and AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate at No. 9.” GCP Cloud Architect is the most popular North American job, with an average salary at $152,129. AWS certifications are the top choice in that region. 4, 5, and 6 spots respectively. [Click on the image to see a larger version.] Top-Paying North America Certifications (source : Global Knowledge). The report lists the most frequently held certifications in the AWS camp.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate – 72 percent AWS Certified Developer – Associate – 33 percent AWS Certified […]