The Pros and Cons of an AWS Support Plan direct from Amazon

If you’re in need of AWS support, there are a range of options to choose from. One of those is relying on your cloud provider, as Amazon does offer free cloud support for its customers.

AWS support is mostly delivered through a range of online resources such as forums, wikis, documentation, and a (typically very busy) help desk. However, this doesn’t give you much more than just the basics, which is far from sufficient for most businesses.

Here, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of getting your cloud support directly from your provider, to help you understand whether it’s the best option within your business.

The Pros

• You’ll always get a prompt response to your initial enquiry
• 24-hour support is available
• They have extensive man-power, resources, and technical capabilities
• In-depth documentation is available for you to leverage
• They have intimate knowledge of their own Azure cloud platform and ecosystem
• Any updates or changes to the platform won’t be a problem for you.

The Cons

• You’ll join a long queue every time you contact them
• You’ll deal with a different rep every time as well
• They’ll know very little about your business or cloud infrastructure
• They’ll only offer impersonal service, not specific to your unique issue or need
• The support available is limited to the common ground between all their customers
• If you do take on a more substantial support package, the cost will be extremely high
• They do not work like an AWS partner who takes the time to understand your business and goals for your cloud deployment

The Verdict

Amazon is vast! They have the biggest market share of the cloud market globally. So don't expect that you will get a tailored service or be able to negotiate with them for differing service levels. 

They provide support for their products, not your custom workloads, so if you want a more hands-on approach then you need a partner that's a similar size.

It’s unwise to depend solely on a global tech giant like Amazon to take care of your AWS support, as it will leave your organisation exposed to a high level of risk. Furthermore, you’ll eventually begin to experience a number of challenges with both cloud performance and over-spending.

We’d recommend exploring your other options to find a more personal, attentive, and cost-effective approach to cloud support.

To discover the other options available for AWS support, their pros and cons, and advice for which is best suited to your business, read our related article here.