Managed services in AWS refer to services that AWS maintains and operates for you. This means the AWS team takes care of the routine activities, including deployment, maintenance, scalability, and security. Examples of AWS managed services include Amazon RDS, Amazon DynamoDB, and Amazon S3.
Amazon RDS, for instance, automates time-consuming administration tasks such as hardware provisioning, software patching, setup, configuration, or backups. Here’s how you can create an Amazon RDS instance:
aws rds create-db-instance \
–db-instance-identifier mydbinstance \
–db-instance-class db.m1.small \
–engine mysql \
–master-username masterawsuser \
–master-user-password masteruserpassword \
–allocated-storage 5
This code is an example of how you can delegate the DB maintenance tasks to AWS.
Here are the key characteristics of managed services:
| Characteristics | Description |
|---|---|
| Operating System updates | AWS is responsible for keeping the system software up to date. |
| Capacity Provisioning | Automated capacity provisioning and scaling are provided by AWS. |
| Backup and Recovery | AWS manages the backup, restore, and disaster recovery processes. |
| High Availability | AWS ensures high availability and redundancy of your applications. |
| Access Control | AWS handles user authentication and authorization. |
Unmanaged Services
Unmanaged services, on the other hand, refer to services where most of the management tasks are left up to the user. This means responsibility for installation, configuration, management, and monitoring falls to you. An example of this service is Amazon EC2.
For instance, if you create an EC2 instance on AWS, you have to manage the underlying OS updates, security patches, monitor the server health, setup backups, etc.
aws ec2 run-instances \
–image-id ami-0abcdef1234567890 \
–count 1 \
–instance-type t2.micro \
–key-name MyKeyPair \
–security-groups MySecurityGroup
The above AWS-CLI command spins up an EC2 instance but the responsibility of managing it is yours.
Here are the key characteristics of unmanaged services:
| Characteristics | Description |
|---|---|
| Operating System updates | Customers are generally responsible for updating the OS with latest patches. |
| Capacity Provisioning | Manual configuration and management of capacity is required. |
| Backup and Recovery | Customers manage the backup and restore processes. |
| High Availability | Customers must implement strategies for high availability and redundancy. |
| Access Control | Customers are responsible for the user authentication and authorization. |
The choice between managed and unmanaged services mainly depends on your specific needs, skills, resources, and the complexity of your application. Managed services are generally more expensive but save you time and effort by handling many administrative tasks, enabling you to concentrate more on your application development. Unmanaged services are less expensive but require more effort and expertise from your team. Knowing the core differences and applicability of each is crucial for both real-world AWS implementations and your AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01) exam.
Practice Test
True or False: Managed services are more cost-effective than unmanaged services.
• True
• False
Answer: False.
Explanation: While managed services might seem more expensive upfront, they could save money in the long run due to included maintenance, support, and security provisions. Unmanaged services may appear cheaper but may incur additional costs over time due to professional inputs for upgrades or problem-solving.
True or False: In managed services, the service provider takes the responsibility for maintenance and security.
• True
• False
Answer: True.
Explanation: In managed services, the service provider assumes responsibility for the function and maintenance of the system, including ensuring the system’s security.
Which of the following services requires the customer to handle system maintenance?
• a) Managed services
• b) Unmanaged services
• c) Both
• d) None
Answer: b) Unmanaged services.
Explanation: In unmanaged services, the client is responsible for maintaining and securing their system.
The _______ has less control over the system in managed services.
• a) Service provider
• b) Customer
• c) Both
• d) None
Answer: b) Customer.
Explanation: In managed services, the service provider has more control to maintain and update the system. The customer has less control compared to unmanaged services.
True or False: Unmanaged services are better for businesses with robust internal IT teams.
• True
• False
Answer: True.
Explanation: Unmanaged services might be more suitable for businesses with capable IT teams that can handle system maintenance and security independently.
Managed services provide _______
• a) Regular system updates
• b) Increased system control
• c) Technical independence
• d) Less system reliability
Answer: a) Regular system updates.
Explanation: Managed services providers regularly maintain and update the systems as part of their service.
Unmanaged services are more fit for _______.
• a) Small businesses without a dedicated IT team
• b) Tech-savvy users or businesses with IT teams
• c) Businesses that want full dependence on the service provider
• d) Large corporations with complex IT needs
Answer: b) Tech-savvy users or businesses with IT teams.
Explanation: Businesses with savvy users or IT teams can take advantage of unmanaged services to maintain control over systems and customize them as needed.
True or False: Both managed and unmanaged services provide full support 24/
• True
• False
Answer: False.
Explanation: Managed services usually come with 24/7 support, while unmanaged services do not.
When using ________, businesses have to install updates and patches themselves.
• a) Managed services
• b) Unmanaged services
• c) Both
• d) None
Answer: b) Unmanaged services.
Explanation: In unmanaged services, businesses are responsible for updating and maintaining the system on their own.
Which service type provides more technical freedom: Managed or Unmanaged services?
• Managed services
• Unmanaged services
Answer: Unmanaged services.
Explanation: Unmanaged services provide more technical freedom, as users have control over their system and can customize it based on their requirements.
True or False: Managed services are generally easier to set up and start using than unmanaged services.
• True
• False
Answer: True.
Explanation: Managed services are typically easier to start using because the service provider handles the setup, making it convenient for the client.
Managed services are typically more ________ than unmanaged services.
• a) Reliable
• b) Costly
• c) Customizable
• d) Both a and b
Answer: d) Both a and b.
Explanation: Managed services are typically more reliable due to regular monitoring and maintenance by the service provider, but they also tend to be more costly than unmanaged services.
True or False: Management of applications and data is the responsibility of the service provider in unmanaged services.
• True
• False
Answer: False.
Explanation: In unmanaged services, the customer is responsible for management and maintenance of applications and data.
Which service type ensures potential problems are detected and resolved quickly: Managed or Unmanaged services?
• Managed services
• Unmanaged services
Answer: Managed services.
Explanation: Due to continuous monitoring in managed services, potential problems can be detected and resolved swiftly by service providers.
Managed services require less _________ from the customer.
• a) Technical skill
• b) Time investment
• c) Both
• d) None
Answer: c) Both.
Explanation: As the service provider handles most aspects in managed services, customers require less technical skill and spend less time maintaining the systems.
Interview Questions
What is the primary difference between managed services and unmanaged services in AWS?
Managed services are fully overseen by AWS, including features such as automatic scaling, patching, and backups, while unmanaged services require the end user to manage, configure, and administer the services.
In managed services, who is responsible for the service maintenance and server-side issues?
In managed services, all server-side issues and service maintenance are the responsibility of AWS.
How does AWS handle patch management in the case of managed services compared to unmanaged services?
In the case of managed services, AWS handles patch management. In contrast, for unmanaged services, the responsibility of patch management falls on the user.
What is the billing difference between managed services and unmanaged services?
With managed services, you pay for the service usage based on the pricing model of each AWS service. For unmanaged services, in addition to the service usage, you may incur extra costs for resources such as EC2 instances, EBS volumes, etc., used to manage and run those services.
Which AWS service would be classified as a managed service?
Services such as Amazon DynamoDB, AWS Lambda, and Amazon RDS are classified as managed services.
In terms of responsibility, what is a difference between AWS managed services and unmanaged services?
With AWS managed services, AWS is responsible for tasks such as backups, patch management, and automatic scaling. With unmanaged services, these tasks fall on the user’s responsibilities.
What is a significant benefit of using managed services in AWS?
A primary benefit is reduced operational complexity, as AWS handles most of the management tasks, freeing up users to focus more on application development.
Can managed and unmanaged services in AWS be used together in the same application?
Yes, it is possible to use both managed and unmanaged services together within the same application depending on the application’s requirements and the user’s management capabilities.
Is direct access to the underlying servers provided in both managed services and unmanaged services in AWS?
No, only unmanaged services give the users full access to the underlying servers.
How does the level of control vary in managed services compared to unmanaged services in AWS?
With managed services, AWS controls a major part of the environment such as security configurations, patching, backups etc. and provides less user control over infrastructure. With unmanaged services, users have full control over their infrastructure which includes the server, operating system, and software.
What are the advantages of unmanaged services for users with specific requirements?
Unmanaged services offer a higher degree of customization and control. They can meet specific requirements that managed services cannot because they allow users to access and manipulate lower-level infrastructure components.
Are the administrative tasks handled by AWS in case of unmanaged services?
No, in the case of unmanaged services, all the administrative tasks are handled by the user rather than AWS.
Can users install custom software on AWS managed services?
No, users cannot install custom software on AWS managed services. This is a feature only available with unmanaged services.
How is scalability handled in managed vs unmanaged services in AWS?
In managed services, AWS handles the scalability automatically whereas, in unmanaged services, the user needs to manually manage the scalability of the services.
Is hardware failure detection and recovery a user’s responsibility in AWS managed services?
No, in AWS managed services, hardware failure detection and recovery is handled by AWS, not the user. However, in unmanaged services, it is the user’s responsibility to detect and recover from hardware failures.
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