Amazon Redshift: a comprehensive guide

As data volumes continue to grow exponentially, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) face multiple challenges in managing, processing, and analyzing their data efficiently.

A well-structured data lake on AWS enables businesses to consolidate structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data in one location, making it easier to extract insights and inform decisions. 

According to IDC, the global datasphere is projected to reach 163 zettabytes by the end of 2025, highlighting the urgent need for scalable, cloud-first data strategies. 

This blog explores how SMBs can build effective ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes using AWS services and modernize their data infrastructure for improved performance and insight.

Key takeaways

• Importance of ETL pipelines for SMBs: ETL pipelines are crucial for SMBs to integrate and transform data within an AWS data lake.
• AWS services powering ETL workflows: Amazon Glue, Amazon S3, Amazon Athena, and Amazon Kinesis enable scalable, secure, and cost-efficient ETL workflows.
• Best practices for security and performance: Strong security measures, access control, and performance optimization are crucial to meet compliance requirements.
• Real-world ETL applications: Examples demonstrate how AWS-powered ETL supports diverse industries and handles varying data volumes effectively.
• Cloudtech’s role in ETL pipeline development: Cloudtech helps SMBs build tailored, reliable ETL pipelines that simplify cloud modernization and unlock valuable data insights.

What is ETL?

ETL stands for extract, transform, and load. It is a process used to combine data from multiple sources into a centralized storage environment, such as an AWS data lake.

Through a set of defined business rules, ETL helps clean, organize, and format raw data to make it usable for storage, analytics, and machine learning applications. 

This process enables SMBs to achieve specific business intelligence objectives, including generating reports, creating dashboards, forecasting trends, and enhancing operational efficiency.

Why is ETL important for businesses?

Businesses and mostly SMBs typically manage structured and unstructured data from a variety of sources, including:

• Customer data from payment gateways and CRM platforms
• Inventory and operations data from vendor systems
• Sensor data from IoT devices
• Marketing data from social media and surveys
• Employee data from internal HR systems

Without a consistent process in place, this data remains siloed and difficult to use. ETL helps convert these individual datasets into a structured format that supports meaningful analysis and interpretation. 

By utilizing AWS services, businesses can develop scalable ETL pipelines that enhance the accessibility and actionability of their data.

The evolution of ETL from legacy systems to cloud solutions

ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) has come a long way from its origins in structured, relational databases. Initially designed to convert transactional data into relational formats for analysis, early ETL processes were rigid and resource-intensive.

1. Traditional ETL

In traditional systems, data resided in transactional databases optimized for recording activities, rather than for analysis and reporting. 

ETL tools helped transform and normalize this data into interconnected tables, enabling fundamental trend analysis through SQL queries. However, these systems struggled with data duplication, limited scalability, and inflexible formats.

2. Modern ETL

Today’s ETL is built for the cloud. Modern tools support real-time ingestion, unstructured data formats, and scalable architectures like data warehouses and data lakes.

• Data warehouses store structured data in optimized formats for fast querying and reporting.
• Data lakes accept structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data, supporting a wide range of analytics, including machine learning and real-time insights.

This evolution enables businesses to process more diverse data at higher speeds and scales, all while utilizing cost-efficient cloud-native tools like those offered by AWS.

How does ETL work?

At a high level, ETL moves raw data from various sources into a structured format for analysis. It helps businesses centralize, clean, and prepare data for better decision-making.

Here’s how ETL typically flows in a modern AWS environment:

• Extract: Pulls data from multiple sources, including databases, CRMs, IoT devices, APIs, and other data sources, into a centralized environment, such as Amazon S3.
• Transform: Converts, enriches, or restructures the extracted data. This could include cleaning up missing fields, formatting timestamps, or joining data sets using AWS Glue or Apache Spark.
• Load: Places the transformed data into a destination such as Amazon Redshift, a data warehouse, or back into S3 for analytics using services like Amazon Athena.

Together, these stages power modern data lakes on AWS, letting businesses analyze data in real-time, automate reporting, or feed machine learning workflows.

What are the design principles for ETL in AWS data lakes?

Designing ETL processes for AWS data lakes involves optimizing for scalability, fault tolerance, and real-time analytics. Key principles include utilizing AWS Glue for serverless orchestration, Amazon S3 for high-volume, durable storage, and ensuring efficient data transformation through Amazon Athena and AWS Lambda. An impactful design also focuses on cost control, security, and maintaining data lineage with automated workflows and minimal manual intervention.

1. Event sourcing and processing within AWS services

Use event-driven architectures with AWS tools such as Amazon Kinesis or AWS Lambda. These services enable real-time data capture and processing, which keeps data current and workflows scalable without manual intervention.

2. Storing data in open file formats for compatibility

Adopt open file formats like Apache Parquet or ORC. These formats improve interoperability across AWS analytics and machine learning services while optimizing storage costs and query performance.

3. Ensuring performance optimization in ETL processes

Utilize AWS services such as AWS Glue and Amazon EMR for efficient data transformation. Techniques like data partitioning and compression help reduce processing time and minimize cloud costs.

4. Incorporating data governance and access control

Maintain data security and compliance by using AWS IAM (Identity and Access Management), AWS Lake Formation, and encryption. These tools provide granular access control and protect sensitive information throughout the ETL pipeline.

By following these design principles, businesses can develop ETL processes that not only meet their current analytics needs but also scale as their data volume increases. 

AWS services supporting ETL processes

AWS provides a suite of services that simplify ETL workflows and help SMBs build scalable, cost-effective data lakes. Here are the key AWS services supporting ETL processes:

1. Utilizing AWS Glue data catalog and crawlers

AWS Glue data catalog organizes metadata and makes data searchable across multiple sources. Glue crawlers automatically scan data in Amazon S3, updating the catalog to keep it current without manual effort.

2. Building ETL jobs with AWS Glue

AWS Glue provides a serverless environment for creating, scheduling, and monitoring ETL jobs. It supports data transformation using Apache Spark, enabling SMBs to clean and prepare data for analytics without managing infrastructure.

3. Integrating with Amazon Athena for query processing

Amazon Athena allows businesses to run standard SQL queries directly on data stored in Amazon S3. It works seamlessly with the Glue data catalog, enabling quick, ad hoc analysis without the need for complex data movement.

4. Using Amazon S3 for data storage

Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) serves as the central repository for raw and processed data in a data lake. It offers durable, scalable, and cost-efficient storage, supporting multiple data formats and integration with other AWS analytics services.

Together, these AWS services form a comprehensive ETL ecosystem that enables SMBs to manage and analyze their data effectively.

Steps to construct ETL pipelines in AWS

The how-to approach to ETL pipeline construction using AWS services, with Cloudtech guiding businesses at every stage of the modernization journey.

1. Mapping structured and unstructured data sources

Begin by identifying all data sources, including structured sources like CRM and ERP systems, as well as unstructured sources such as social media, IoT devices, and customer feedback. This step ensures full data visibility and sets the foundation for effective integration.

2. Creating ingestion pipelines into object storage

Use services like AWS Glue or Amazon Kinesis to ingest real-time or batch data into Amazon S3. It serves as the central storage layer in a data lake, offering the flexibility to store data in raw, transformed, or enriched formats.

3. Developing ETL pipelines for data transformation

Once ingested, use AWS Glue to build and manage ETL workflows. This step involves cleaning, enriching, and structuring data to make it ready for analytics. AWS Glue supports Spark-based transformations, enabling efficient processing without manual provisioning.

4. Implementing ELT pipelines for analytics

In some use cases, it is more effective to load raw data into Amazon Redshift or query directly from S3 using Amazon Athena. 

This approach, known as ELT (extract, load, transform), allows SMBs to analyze large volumes of data quickly without heavy transformation steps upfront. 

Best practices for security and access control

Security and governance are essential parts of any ETL workflow, especially for SMBs that manage sensitive or regulated data. The following best practices help SMBs stay secure, compliant, and audit-ready from day one.

1. Ensuring data security and compliance

Use AWS Key Management Service (KMS) to encrypt data at rest and in transit, and apply policies that restrict access to encryption keys. Consider enabling Amazon Macie to automatically discover and classify sensitive data, such as personally identifiable information (PII). 

For regulated industries like healthcare, ensure all data handling processes align with standards such as HIPAA, HITRUST, or GDPR. AWS Config can help enforce compliance by tracking changes to configurations and alerting when policies are violated.

2. Managing user access with AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)

Create IAM policies based on the principle of least privilege, giving users only the permissions required to perform their tasks. Use IAM roles to grant temporary access for third-party tools or workflows without compromising long-term credentials. 

For added security, enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) and use AWS Organizations to apply access boundaries across business units or teams.

3. Implementing effective monitoring and logging practices

Use AWS CloudTrail to log all API activity, and integrate Amazon CloudWatch for real-time metrics and automated alerts. Pair this with AWS GuardDuty to detect unexpected behavior or potential security threats, such as data exfiltration attempts or unusual API calls. 

Logging and monitoring are particularly important for businesses working with sensitive healthcare data, where early detection of irregularities can prevent compliance issues or data breaches.

4. Auditing data access and changes regularly

Set up regular audits of who accessed what data and when. AWS Lake Formation offers fine-grained access control, enabling centralized permission tracking across services. 

SMBs can use these insights to identify access anomalies, revoke outdated permissions, and prepare for internal or external audits.

5. Isolating environments using VPCs and security groups

Isolate ETL components across development, staging, and production environments using Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC). 

Apply security groups and network ACLs to control traffic between resources. This reduces the risk of accidental data exposure and ensures production data remains protected during testing or development.

By following these practices, SMBs can build trust into their data pipelines and reduce the likelihood of security incidents.

Also Read: 10 Best practices for building a scalable and secure AWS data lake for SMBs

Understanding theory is great, but seeing ETL in action through real-world examples helps solidify these concepts.

Real-world examples of ETL implementations

Looking at how leading companies use ETL pipelines on AWS offers practical insights for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) building their own data lakes. The tools and architecture may scale across business sizes, but the core principles remain consistent.

Sisense: Flexible, multi-source data integration

Business intelligence company Sisense built a data lake on AWS to handle multiple data sources and analytics tools. 

Using Amazon S3, AWS Glue, and Amazon Redshift, they established ETL workflows that streamlined reporting and dashboard performance, demonstrating how AWS services can support diverse, evolving data needs.

IronSource: real-time, event-driven processing

To manage rapid growth, IronSource implemented a streaming ETL model using Amazon Kinesis and AWS Lambda. 

This setup enabled them to handle real-time mobile interaction data efficiently. For SMBs dealing with high-frequency or time-sensitive data, this model offers a clear path to scalability.

SimilarWeb: scalable big data processing

SimilarWeb uses Amazon EMR and Amazon S3 to process vast amounts of digital traffic data daily. Their Spark-powered ETL workflows are optimized for high-volume transformation tasks, a strategy that suits SMBs looking to modernize legacy data systems while preparing for advanced analytics.

AWS partners, such as Cloudtech, work with multiple such SMB clients to implement similar AWS-based ETL architectures, helping them build scalable and cost-effective data lakes tailored to their growth and analytics goals.

Choosing tools and technologies for ETL processes

For SMBs building or modernizing a data lake on AWS, selecting the right tools is key to building efficient and scalable ETL workflows. The choice depends on business size, data complexity, and the need for real-time or batch processing. 

1. Evaluating AWS Glue for data cataloging and ETL

AWS Glue provides a serverless environment for data cataloging, cleaning, and transformation. It integrates well with Amazon S3 and Redshift, supports Spark-based ETL jobs, and includes features like Glue Studio for visual pipeline creation. 

For SMBs looking to avoid infrastructure management while keeping costs predictable, AWS Glue is a reliable and scalable option.

2. Considering Amazon Kinesis for real-time data processing

Amazon Kinesis is ideal for SMBs that rely on time-sensitive data from IoT devices, applications, or user interactions. It supports real-time ingestion and processing with low latency, enabling quicker decision-making and automation. 

When paired with AWS Lambda or Glue streaming jobs, it supports dynamic ETL workflows without overcomplicating the architecture.

3. Assessing Upsolver for automated data workflows

Upsolver is an AWS-native tool that simplifies ETL and ELT pipelines by automating tasks like job orchestration, schema management, and error handling. 

While third-party, it operates within the AWS ecosystem and is often considered by SMBs that want faster deployment times without building custom pipelines. Cloudtech helps evaluate when tools like Upsolver fit into the broader modernization roadmap.

Choosing the right mix of AWS services ensures that ETL workflows are not only efficient but also future-ready. AWS partners like Cloudtech support SMBs in assessing tools based on their use cases, guiding them toward solutions that align with their cost, scale, and performance needs.

How Cloudtech supports SMBs with ETL on AWS

Cloudtech is an advanced cloud modernization and AWS Tier Partner focused on helping SMBs build efficient ETL pipelines and data lakes on AWS. Cloudtech helps with: 

• Data modernization: Upgrading data infrastructures for improved performance and analytics, helping businesses unlock more value from their information assets through Amazon Redshift implementation.
• Application modernization: Revamping legacy applications to become cloud-native and scalable, ensuring seamless integration with modern data warehouse architectures.
• Infrastructure and resiliency: Building secure, resilient cloud infrastructures that support business continuity and reduce vulnerability to disruptions through proper Amazon Redshift deployment and optimization.
• Generative artificial intelligence: Implementing AI-driven solutions that leverage Amazon Redshift's analytical capabilities to automate and optimize business processes.

Cloudtech simplifies the path to modern ETL, enabling SMBs to gain real-time insights, meet compliance standards, and grow confidently on AWS.

Conclusion

Cloudtech helps SMBs simplify complex data workflows, making cloud-based ETL accessible, reliable, and scalable.

Building efficient ETL pipelines is crucial for SMBs to utilize a data lake on AWS fully. By adopting AWS-native tools such as AWS Glue, Amazon S3, and Amazon Athena, businesses can simplify data processing while ensuring scalability, security, and cost control. Following best practices in data ingestion, transformation, and governance helps unlock actionable insights and supports better business decisions.

Cloudtech specializes in guiding SMBs through this cloud modernization journey. With expertise in AWS and a focus on SMB requirements, Cloudtech delivers customized ETL solutions that enhance data reliability and operational efficiency.

 Partners like Cloudtech help to design and implement scalable, secure ETL pipelines on AWS tailored to your business goals. Reach out today to learn how Cloudtech can help improve your data strategy.

FAQs 

1. What is an ETL pipeline?
   ETL stands for extract, transform, and load. It is a process that collects data from multiple sources, cleans and organizes it, then loads it into a data repository such as a data lake or data warehouse for analysis.
2. Why are ETL pipelines important for SMBs?
   ETL pipelines help SMBs consolidate diverse data sources into one platform, enabling better business insights, streamlined operations, and faster decision-making without managing complex infrastructure.
3. Which AWS services are commonly used for ETL?
   Key AWS services include AWS Glue for data cataloging and transformation, Amazon S3 for data storage, Amazon Athena for querying data directly from S3, and Amazon Kinesis for real-time data ingestion.
4. How does Cloudtech help with ETL implementation?
   Cloudtech supports SMBs in designing, building, and optimizing ETL pipelines using AWS-native tools. They provide tailored solutions with a focus on security, compliance, and performance, especially for healthcare and regulated industries.
5. Can ETL pipelines handle real-time data processing?
   Yes, AWS services like Amazon Kinesis and AWS Glue Streaming support real-time data ingestion and transformation, enabling SMBs to act on data as it is generated.Conclusion

‍Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS) and Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (Amazon EKS) simplify how businesses run and scale containerized applications, eliminating the complexity of managing complex infrastructure. Unlike open-source options that demand significant in-house expertise, these managed AWS services automate deployment and security, making them a strong fit for teams focused on speed and growth.  

The impact is evident. The global container orchestration market reached $332.7 million in 2018 and is projected to surpass $1382.1 million by 2026, driven largely by businesses adopting cloud-native architectures. 

While both services help you deploy, manage, and scale containers, they differ significantly in how they operate, who they’re ideal for, and the level of control they offer.

This guide provides a detailed comparison of Amazon ECS vs EKS, highlighting the technical and operational differences that matter most to businesses ready to modernize their application delivery.

Key Takeaways 

• Amazon ECS  and Amazon EKS both deliver managed container orchestration, but Amazon ECS focuses on simplicity and deep AWS integration, while Amazon EKS offers portability and advanced Kubernetes features.
• Amazon ECS  is a strong fit for businesses seeking rapid deployment, cost control, and minimal operational overhead, while Amazon EKS suits teams with Kubernetes expertise, complex workloads, or hybrid and multi-cloud needs.
• Pricing structures differ: Amazon ECS has no control plane fees, while Amazon EKS charges a management fee per cluster in addition to resource costs.
• Partnering with Cloudtech gives businesses expert support in evaluating, adopting, and optimizing Amazon ECS or Amazon EKS, ensuring the right service is chosen for long-term growth and reliability.

What is Amazon ECS?

Amazon ECS is a fully managed container orchestration service that helps organizations easily deploy, manage, and scale containerized applications. It integrates AWS configuration and operational best practices directly into the platform, eliminating the complexity of managing control planes or infrastructure components.

The service operates through three distinct layers that provide comprehensive container management capabilities:

1. Capacity layer: The infrastructure foundation where containers execute, supporting Amazon EC2 instances, AWS Fargate serverless compute, and on-premises deployments through Amazon ECS Anywhere.
2. Controller layer: The orchestration engine that deploys and manages applications running within containers, handling scheduling, availability, and resource allocation.
3. Provisioning layer: The interface tools that enable interaction with the scheduler for deploying and managing applications and containers.

Key features of Amazon ECS

Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS) is purpose-built to simplify container orchestration, without overwhelming businesses with infrastructure management. 

Whether you're running microservices or batch jobs, Amazon ECS offers impactful features and tightly integrated components that make containerized applications easier to deploy, secure, and scale.

• Serverless integration with AWS Fargate: AWS Fargate is directly integrated into Amazon ECS, removing the need for server management, capacity planning, and manual container workload isolation.
  Businesses define their application requirements and select AWS Fargate as the launch type, allowing AWS Fargate to automatically manage scaling and infrastructure.
• Autonomous control plane operations: Amazon ECS operates as a fully managed service, with AWS configuration and operational best practices built in.
  There is no need for users to manage control planes, nodes, or add-ons, which significantly reduces operational overhead and ensures enterprise-grade reliability.
• Security and isolation by design: The service integrates natively with AWS security, identity, and management tools. This enables granular permissions for each container and provides strong isolation for application development. Organizations can deploy containers that meet the security and compliance standards expected from AWS infrastructure.

Key components of Amazon ECS

Amazon ECS relies on a few core components to run containers efficiently. From defining how containers run to keeping your applications available at all times, each plays an important role.

• Task definitions: JSON-formatted blueprints that specify how containers should execute, including resource requirements, networking configurations, and security settings.
• Clusters: The infrastructure foundation where applications operate, providing the computational resources necessary for container execution.
• Tasks: Individual instances of task definitions representing running applications or batch jobs.
• Services: Long-running applications that maintain desired capacity and ensure continuous availability.

Together, these features and components enable businesses to focus on building and deploying applications without being hindered by infrastructure complexity.

Amazon ECS deployment models

Amazon ECS provides businesses with the flexibility to run containers in a manner that aligns with their specific needs and resources. Here are the main deployment models that cover a range of preferences, from fully managed to self-managed environments.

• AWS Fargate Launch Type: A serverless, pay-as-you-go compute engine that enables application focus without server management. AWS Fargate automatically manages capacity needs, operating system updates, compliance requirements, and resiliency.
• Amazon EC2 Launch Type: Organizations choose instance types, manage capacity, and maintain control over the underlying infrastructure. This model suits large workloads requiring price optimization and granular infrastructure control.
• Amazon ECS Anywhere: Provides support for registering external instances, such as on-premises servers or virtual machines, to Amazon ECS clusters. This option enables consistent container management across cloud and on-premises environments.

Each deployment model supports a range of business needs, making it easier to match the service to specific use cases.

How businesses can use Amazon ECS

Amazon ECS supports a wide range of business needs, from updating legacy systems to handling advanced analytics and data processing. These use cases highlight how the service can help businesses address real-world challenges and scale with confidence.

• Application modernization: The service empowers developers to build and deploy applications with improved security features in a fast, standardized, compliant, and cost-efficient manner. Businesses can use this capability to modernize legacy applications without extensive infrastructure investments.
• Automatic web application scaling: Amazon ECS automatically scales and runs web applications across multiple Availability Zones, delivering the performance, scale, reliability, and availability of AWS infrastructure. This capability is particularly beneficial for businesses that experience variable traffic patterns.
• Batch processing support: Organizations can plan, schedule, and run batch computing workloads across AWS services, including Amazon EC2, AWS Fargate, and Amazon EC2 Spot Instances. This flexibility enables cost-effective processing of periodic workloads common in business operations.
• Machine learning model training: Amazon ECS supports training natural language processing and other artificial intelligence and machine learning models without managing infrastructure by using AWS Fargate. Businesses can use this capability to implement data-driven solutions without significant infrastructure investments.

While Amazon ECS offers a seamless way to manage containerized workloads with deep AWS integration, some businesses prefer the flexibility and portability of Kubernetes, especially when operating in hybrid or multi-cloud environments. That’s where Amazon EKS comes in.

What is Amazon EKS?

Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) is a managed Kubernetes service that simplifies running Kubernetes on AWS and on-premises environments. This eliminates the need for organizations to install and operate their own Kubernetes control plane. 

Kubernetes serves as an open-source system for automating the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications, while Amazon EKS provides the managed infrastructure to support these operations.

The service automatically manages the availability and scalability of Kubernetes control plane nodes, which are responsible for scheduling containers, managing application availability, storing cluster data, and executing other critical tasks. Amazon EKS is certified Kubernetes-conformant, ensuring existing applications running on upstream Kubernetes remain compatible with Amazon EKS.

Key features of Amazon EKS

Amazon EKS combines features that enable businesses to run Kubernetes clusters with reduced manual effort and enhanced security. Here are the key capabilities that make the service practical and reliable for a range of workloads.

• Amazon EKS Auto Mode: This feature fully automates the management of the Kubernetes cluster infrastructure, including compute, storage, and networking. Auto Mode provisions infrastructure, scales resources, optimizes costs, applies patches, manages add-ons, and integrates with AWS security services with minimal user intervention.
• High availability and scalability: The managed control plane is automatically distributed across three Availability Zones for fault tolerance and automatic scaling, ensuring uptime and reliability.
• Security and compliance integration: Amazon EKS integrates with AWS Identity and Access Management, encryption, and network policies to provide fine-grained access control, compliance, and security for workloads.
• Smooth AWS service integration: Native integration with services such as Elastic Load Balancing, Amazon CloudWatch, Amazon Virtual Private Cloud, and Amazon Route 53 for networking, monitoring, and traffic management.

Key Components of Amazon EKS

To support these features, Amazon EKS includes several key components that act as its operational backbone:

• Managed control plane: The managed control plane is the core Kubernetes control plane managed by AWS. It includes the Kubernetes Application Programming Interface server, etcd database, scheduler, and controller manager, and is responsible for cluster orchestration, health monitoring, and high availability across multiple AWS Availability Zones.
• Managed node groups: Managed node groups are Amazon EC2 instances or groups of instances that run Kubernetes worker nodes. AWS manages its lifecycle, updates, and scaling, allowing organizations to focus on workloads rather than infrastructure.
• Amazon EKS add-ons: These are curated sets of Kubernetes operational software (such as CoreDNS and kube-proxy) provided and managed by AWS to extend cluster functionality and ensure smooth integration with AWS services.
• Service integrations (AWS Controllers for Kubernetes): These controllers allow Kubernetes clusters to directly manage AWS resources (such as databases, storage, and networking) from within Kubernetes, enabling cloud-native application patterns.

Together, these capabilities and components make Amazon EKS a practical choice for businesses seeking flexibility, security, and operational simplicity, whether running in the cloud or on-premises.

What deployment options are available for Amazon EKS?

Amazon EKS provides several options for businesses to run their Kubernetes workloads, each with its own unique balance of control and convenience. Here are the primary deployment options that enable organizations to align their resources and goals.

• Amazon EC2 Node Groups: Organizations choose instance types, pricing models (on-demand, spot, reserved), and node counts, providing high control with higher management responsibility.
• AWS Fargate Integration: AWS Fargate eliminates node management but costs scale linearly with pod usage, making it suitable for applications with predictable resource requirements.
• AWS Outposts: Enterprise hybrid model with custom pricing, typically not cost-efficient for small teams but ideal for organizations requiring on-premises Kubernetes capabilities.
• Amazon EKS Anywhere: No AWS charges, but organizations manage everything and lose cloud-native elasticity unless combined with autoscalers.

These deployment choices open up a range of practical use cases for businesses across different industries and technical requirements.

How can businesses use Amazon EKS?

Amazon EKS supports a variety of business needs, from building reliable applications to supporting data science teams. These use cases demonstrate how the service enables organizations to manage complex workloads and remain flexible as requirements evolve.

• High-availability applications deployment: Using Elastic Load Balancing ensures applications remain highly available across multiple Availability Zones. This capability supports mission-critical applications requiring continuous operation.
• Microservices architecture development: Organizations can utilize Kubernetes service discovery features with AWS Cloud Map or Amazon Virtual Private Cloud Lattice to build resilient systems. This approach enables scalable, maintainable application architectures.
• Machine learning workload execution: Amazon EKS supports popular machine learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, MXNet, and PyTorch. With Graphics Processing Unit support, organizations can handle complex machine learning tasks effectively.
• Hybrid and multi-cloud deployments: The service enables consistent operation on-premises and in the cloud using Amazon EKS clusters, features, and tools to run self-managed nodes on AWS Outposts or Amazon EKS Hybrid Nodes.

Comparing these Amazon services helps businesses identify where each service excels and what sets them apart. Choosing between the two depends on your team's expertise, application needs, and the level of control you want over your orchestration layer.

Key differences between Amazon ECS and Amazon EKS

Amazon ECS is a fully managed, AWS-native service that’s simpler to set up and use. On the other hand, Amazon EKS is built on Kubernetes, offering more flexibility and portability for teams already invested in the Kubernetes ecosystem.

When comparing Amazon ECS and Amazon EKS, several key differences emerge in how they handle orchestration, integration, and day-to-day management. 

The core differences between Amazon ECS and Amazon EKS enable businesses to make informed decisions based on their technical capabilities, resource needs, and long-term objectives. However, to choose the right fit, it's just as important to consider practical use cases.

When to choose AWS ECS or AWS EKS? 

Selecting the right container service depends on your team’s expertise, workload complexity, and operational priorities. Below are common business scenarios to help you determine whether Amazon ECS or Amazon EKS is the better fit for your application needs.

Choose Amazon ECS when:

Some situations require a service that keeps things straightforward and allows teams to move quickly. These points highlight when Amazon ECS is the right match for business needs.

• Operational simplicity is the priority: Amazon ECS excels when organizations prioritize powerful simplicity and prefer an AWS-opinionated solution. The service is ideal for teams new to containers or those seeking rapid deployment without complex configuration requirements.
• Deep AWS integration is required: Organizations fully committed to the AWS ecosystem benefit from smooth integration with AWS services, including AWS Identity and Access Management, Amazon CloudWatch, and Amazon Virtual Private Cloud. This integration accelerates development and reduces operational complexity.
• Cost optimization is essential: Amazon ECS can be more cost-effective, especially for smaller workloads, as it eliminates control plane charges. Businesses benefit from pay-as-you-go pricing across multiple AWS compute options.
• Quick time-to-market is critical: Amazon ECS reduces the time required to build, deploy, or migrate containerized applications successfully. The service enables organizations to focus on application development rather than infrastructure management.

Choose Amazon EKS when:

Some businesses require more flexibility, advanced features, or the ability to run workloads across multiple environments. These points show when Amazon EKS is the better choice.

• Kubernetes expertise is available: Organizations with existing Kubernetes knowledge can use the extensive Kubernetes ecosystem and community. Amazon EKS enables the utilization of existing plugins and tooling from the Kubernetes community.
• Portability requirements are crucial: Amazon EKS offers vendor portability, preventing vendor lock-in and enabling workload operation across multiple cloud providers. Applications remain fully compatible with any standard Kubernetes environment.
• Complex workloads require advanced features: Applications requiring advanced Kubernetes features like custom resource definitions, operators, or advanced networking configurations benefit from Amazon EKS. The service supports complex microservices architectures and machine learning workloads.
• Hybrid deployments are necessary: Organizations needing consistent container operation across on-premises and cloud environments can utilize Amazon EKS. The service supports AWS Outposts and Amazon EKS Hybrid Nodes for comprehensive hybrid strategies.

Choosing between Amazon ECS and Amazon EKS can be challenging, particularly when considering the balance of cost, complexity, and future scalability. That’s where partners like Cloudtech step in.

How Cloudtech supports businesses comparing Amazon ECS vs EKS

Cloudtech is an advanced AWS partner that helps businesses evaluate their current infrastructure, technical expertise, and long-term goals to make the right choice between Amazon ECS and Amazon EKS, and support them every step of the way. 

With a team of AWS-certified experts, Cloudtech offers end-to-end cloud transformation services, from crafting customized AWS adoption strategies to modernizing applications with Amazon ECS and Amazon EKS. 

By partnering with Cloudtech, businesses can confidently compare Amazon ECS vs. EKS, select the right service for their needs, and receive expert assistance every step of the way, from planning to ongoing optimization. 

Conclusion

Selecting between Amazon ECS and Amazon EKS comes down to the specific needs, technical skills, and growth plans of each business. Both services offer managed container orchestration, but the right fit depends on factors such as operational preferences, integration requirements, and team familiarity with container technologies. 

For SMBs, this choice has a direct impact on deployment speed, ongoing management, and the ability to scale applications with confidence.

For businesses seeking to maximize their investment in AWS, collaborating with an experienced consulting partner like Cloudtech can clarify the Amazon ECS vs. EKS decision and streamline the path to modern application delivery. Get started with us!

FAQs 

1. Can AWS ECS and EKS run workloads on the same cluster?

No, ECS and EKS are separate orchestration platforms and do not share clusters. Each manages its own resources, so workloads must be deployed to either an ECS or EKS cluster, not both.

2. How do ECS and EKS handle IAM permissions differently?

ECS uses AWS IAM roles for tasks and services, making it straightforward to assign permissions directly to containers. EKS, built on Kubernetes, integrates with IAM using Kubernetes service accounts and the AWS IAM Authenticator, which can require extra configuration for fine-grained access.

3. Is there a difference in how ECS and EKS support hybrid or on-premises workloads?

ECS Anywhere and EKS Anywhere both extend AWS container management to on-premises environments, but EKS Anywhere offers a Kubernetes-native experience, while ECS Anywhere is focused on ECS APIs and workflows.

4. Which service offers simpler integration with AWS Fargate for serverless containers?

Both ECS and EKS support AWS Fargate, but ECS typically offers a more direct and streamlined setup for running serverless containers, with fewer configuration steps compared to EKS.

5. How do ECS and EKS differ in their support for multi-region deployments?

ECS provides multi-region support through its own APIs and service discovery, while EKS relies on Kubernetes-native tools and add-ons for cross-region communication, which may require extra setup and management.

Businesses are increasingly adopting AWS Lambda to automate processes, reduce operational overhead, and respond to changing customer demands. As businesses build and scale their applications, they are likely to encounter specific AWS Lambda limits related to compute, storage, concurrency, and networking. 

Each of these limits plays a role in shaping function design, performance, and cost. For businesses, including small and medium-sized (SMBs), understanding where these boundaries lie is important for maintaining application reliability. Knowing how to operate within them helps control expenses effectively.

This guide will cover the most relevant AWS Lambda limits for businesses and provide practical strategies for monitoring and managing them effectively.

Key Takeaways

• Hard and soft limits shape every Lambda deployment: Memory (up to 10,240 MB), execution time (15 minutes), deployment package size (250 MB unzipped), and a five-layer cap are non-negotiable. Concurrency and storage quotas can be increased for growing workloads.
• Cost control and performance depend on right-sizing: Adjusting memory, setting timeouts, and reducing package size directly impact both spend and speed. Tools like AWS Lambda Power Tuning and CloudWatch metrics help small and medium businesses stay on top of usage and avoid surprise charges.
• Concurrency and scaling must be managed proactively: Reserved and provisioned concurrency protect critical functions from throttling, while monitoring and alarms prevent bottlenecks as demand fluctuates.
• Deployment and storage strategies matter: Use AWS Lambda Layers to modularize dependencies, Amazon Elastic Container Registry for large images, and keep /tmp usage in check to avoid runtime failures.
• Cloudtech brings expert support: Businesses can partner with Cloudtech to streamline data pipelines, address compliance, and build scalable, secure solutions on AWS Lambda, removing guesswork from serverless adoption.

What is AWS Lambda?

AWS Lambda is a serverless compute service that allows developers to run code without provisioning or managing servers. The service handles all infrastructure management tasks, including server provisioning, scaling, patching, and availability, enabling developers to focus solely on writing application code. 

AWS Lambda functions execute in a secure and isolated environment, automatically scaling to handle demand without requiring manual intervention.

As an event-driven Function as a Service (FaaS) platform, AWS Lambda executes code in response to triggers from various AWS services or external sources. Each AWS Lambda function runs in its own container. 

When a function is created, AWS Lambda packages it into a new container and executes it on a multi-tenant cluster of machines managed by AWS. The service is fully managed, meaning customers do not need to worry about updating underlying machines or avoiding network contention.

Why use AWS Lambda, and how does it help?

For businesses, AWS Lambda is designed to address the challenges of building modern applications without the burden of managing servers or complex infrastructure.

It delivers the flexibility to scale quickly, adapt to changing workloads, and integrate smoothly with other AWS services, all while keeping costs predictable and manageable.

• Developer agility and operational efficiency: By handling infrastructure, AWS Lambda lets developers focus on coding and innovation. Its auto-scaling supports fluctuating demand, reducing time-to-market and operational overhead.
• Cost efficiency and financial optimization: AWS Lambda charges only for compute time used, nothing when idle. With a free tier and no upfront costs, many small businesses report savings of up to 85%. 
• Built-in security and reliability: AWS Lambda provides high availability and fault tolerance, and integrates with AWS IAM for custom access control. Security is managed automatically, including encryption and network isolation.

AWS Lambda offers powerful advantages, but like any service, it comes with specific constraints to consider when designing your applications.

What are AWS Lambda limits?

AWS Lambda implements various limits to ensure service availability, prevent accidental overuse, and ensure fair resource allocation among customers. These limits fall into two main categories: hard limits, which cannot be changed, and soft limits (also referred to as quotas), which can be adjusted through AWS Support requests.

1. Compute and storage limits

When planning business workloads, it’s useful to know the compute and storage limits that apply to AWS Lambda functions.

Memory allocation and central processing unit (CPU) power

AWS Lambda allows memory allocation ranging from 128 megabytes (MB) to 10,240 MB in 1-MB increments. The memory allocation directly affects CPU power, as AWS Lambda allocates CPU resources proportionally to the memory assigned to the function. This means higher memory settings can improve execution speed for CPU-intensive tasks, making memory tuning a critical optimization strategy.

Maximum execution timeout

AWS Lambda functions have a maximum execution time of 15 minutes (900 seconds) per invocation. This hard limit applies to both synchronous and asynchronous invocations and cannot be increased.
Functions that require longer processing times should be designed using AWS Step Functions to orchestrate multiple AWS Lambda functions in sequence.

Deployment package size limits

The service imposes several deployment package size restrictions:

• 50 MB zipped for direct uploads through the AWS Lambda API or Software Development Kits (SDKs).
• 250 MB unzipped for the maximum size of deployment package contents, including layers and custom runtimes.
• A maximum uncompressed image size of 10 gigabytes (GB) for container images, including all layers.

Temporary storage limitations

Each AWS Lambda function receives 512 MB of ephemeral storage in the /tmp directory by default. This storage can be configured up to 10 GB for functions requiring additional temporary space. The /tmp directory provides fast Input/Output (I/O) throughput compared to network file systems and can be reused across multiple invocations for the same function instance. The container image must be hosted in Amazon Elastic Container Registry (ECR). This reuse depends on the function instance being warm, and shouldn’t be relied upon for persistent data.

Code storage per region

AWS provides a default quota of 75 GB for the total storage of all deployment packages that can be uploaded per region. This soft limit can be increased to terabytes through AWS Support requests.

2. Concurrency limits and scaling behavior

Managing how AWS Lambda functions scale is important for maintaining performance and reliability, especially as demand fluctuates.

Default concurrency limits

By default, AWS Lambda provides accounts with a total concurrency limit of 1,000 concurrent executions per region (can be increased via support) across all functions in an AWS Region. This limit is shared among all functions in the account, meaning that one function consuming significant concurrency can affect the ability of other functions to scale.

Concurrency scaling rate

AWS Lambda implements a concurrency scaling rate of 1,000 execution environment instances every 10 seconds (equivalent to 10,000 requests per second every 10 seconds) for each function. 

This rate limit protects against over-scaling in response to sudden traffic bursts while ensuring most use cases can scale appropriately. The scaling rate is applied per function, allowing each function to scale independently.

Reserved and provisioned concurrency

AWS Lambda offers two concurrency control mechanisms:

Reserved concurrency sets both the maximum and minimum number of concurrent instances that can be allocated to a specific function. When a function has reserved concurrency, no other function can use that concurrency. 

This ensures critical functions always have sufficient capacity while preventing downstream resource overwhelm. Configuring reserved concurrency incurs no additional charges.

• Provisioned concurrency pre-initializes a specified number of execution environments to respond immediately to incoming requests. This helps reduce cold start latency and can achieve consistent response times, often in double-digit milliseconds, especially for latency-sensitive applications. However, provisioned concurrency incurs additional charges. 

3. Network and infrastructure limits

Network and infrastructure limits often set the pace for reliable connectivity and smooth scaling.

Elastic network interface (ENI) limits in virtual private clouds (VPCs)

AWS Lambda functions configured to run inside a VPC create ENIs to connect securely. The number of ENIs required depends on concurrency, memory size, and runtime characteristics. The default ENI quota per VPC is 500 and is shared across AWS services.

API request rate limits

AWS Lambda imposes several API request rate limits:

• GetFunction API requests: 100 requests per second (cannot be increased).
• GetPolicy API requests: 15 requests per second (cannot be increased).
• Other control plane API requests: 15 requests per second across all APIs (cannot be increased).

For invocation requests, each execution environment instance can serve up to 10 requests per second for synchronous invocations, while asynchronous invocations have no per-instance limit.

AWS Lambda has several built-in limits that affect how functions run and scale. These limits fall into different categories, each shaping how you design and operate your workloads.

The common types of AWS Lambda limits

AWS Lambda enforces limits to ensure stability and fair usage across all customers. These limits fall into two main categories, each with its own impact on how functions are designed and managed:

Hard limits

Hard limits represent fixed maximums that cannot be changed regardless of business requirements. These limits are implemented to protect the AWS Lambda service infrastructure and ensure consistent performance across all users. Key hard limits include:

• Maximum execution timeout of 15 minutes.
• Maximum memory allocation of 10,240 MB.
• Maximum deployment package size of 250 MB (unzipped).
• Maximum container image size of 10 GB.
• Function layer limit of five layers per function. Each AWS Lambda layer can be up to 50 MB when compressed, and up to 5 layers can be used per function.

These limits require architectural considerations and cannot be circumvented through support requests.

Soft limits (Service quotas)

Soft limits, also referred to as service quotas, represent default values that can be increased by submitting requests to AWS Support. These quotas are designed to prevent accidental overuse while allowing legitimate scaling needs. Primary soft limits include:

• Concurrent executions (default: 1,000 per region).
• Storage for functions and layers (default: 75 GB per region).
• Elastic Network Interfaces per VPC (default: 500).

Businesses can request quota increases through the AWS Service Quotas dashboard or by contacting AWS Support directly. Partners like Cloudtech can help streamline this process, offering guidance on quota management and ensuring your requests align with best practices as your workloads grow.

How to monitor and manage AWS Lambda limitations?

Effective limit management requires proactive monitoring and strategic planning to ensure optimal function performance and cost efficiency.

1. Monitoring limits and usage

Staying on top of AWS Lambda limits requires more than just setting up functions; it calls for continuous visibility into how close workloads are to hitting important thresholds. The following tools and metrics enable organizations to track usage patterns and respond promptly if limits are approached or exceeded.

• Use the AWS Service Quotas Dashboard: Track current limits and usage across all AWS services in one place. You’ll see both default values and your custom quotas, helping you spot when you’re nearing a threshold.
• Monitor AWS Lambda with Amazon CloudWatch: This automatically captures AWS Lambda metrics. Set up alerts for:

• ConcurrentExecutions: Shows how many functions are running at once.
• Throttles: Alerts you when a function is blocked due to hitting concurrency limits.
• Errors and DLQ (Dead Letter Queue) Errors: Helps diagnose failures.
• Duration: Monitors how long your functions are running.

2, Managing concurrency effectively

Effectively managing concurrency is important for both performance and cost control when running workloads on AWS Lambda.

• Reserved Concurrency: Guarantees execution capacity for critical functions and prevents them from consuming shared pool limits. Use this for:

• High-priority, always-on tasks
• Functions that others shouldn't impact
• Systems that talk to limited downstream services (e.g., databases)
  

• Provisioned Concurrency: Keeps pre-warmed instances ready, no cold starts. This is ideal for:

• Web/mobile apps needing instant response
• Customer-facing APIs
• Interactive or real-time features
  

• Requesting limit Increases: If you're expecting growth, request concurrency increases via the AWS Service Quotas console. This includes:

• Traffic forecasts
• Peak load expectations (e.g., holiday traffic)
• Known limits of connected systems (e.g., database caps)

3. Handling deployment package and storage limits

Managing deployment size and storage is important for maintaining the efficiency and reliability of AWS Lambda functions. The following approaches demonstrate how organizations can operate within these constraints while maintaining flexibility and performance.

• Use Lambda Layers: Avoid bloating each function with duplicate code or libraries. These layers help teams:

• Share dependencies across functions
• Keep deployment sizes small
• Update shared code from one place
• Stay modular and maintainable

Limits: 5 layers per function. The total unzipped size (including function and layers) must be ≤ 250 MB.

• Use Amazon ECR for large functions: For bigger deployments, use container images via Amazon ECR. These benefits include:

• Package up to 10 GB of images
• Support any language or framework
• Simplify dependency management
• Enable automated image scanning for security.
  

4. Manage temporary storage (/tmp)

Each function receives 512 MB of ephemeral storage by default (which can be increased to 10 GB). The best practice is to:

• Clean up temp files before the function exits
• Monitor usage when working with large files
• Stream data instead of storing large chunks
• Request more ephemeral space if needed

5. Dealing with execution time and memory limits

Balancing execution time and memory allocation is crucial for both performance and cost efficiency in AWS Lambda. The following strategies outline how businesses can optimize code and manage complex workflows to stay within these limits while maintaining reliable operations.

• Optimize for performance and cost

• Use AWS X-Ray and CloudWatch Logs to profile slow code
• Minimize unused libraries to improve cold start time
• Adjust memory upwards to gain CPU power and reduce runtime
• Use connection pooling when talking to databases
  

• Break complex tasks into smaller steps: For functions that can’t finish within 15 minutes, use AWS Step Functions to:

• Chain multiple functions together
• Run steps in sequence or parallel
• Add retry and error handling automatically
• Maintain state between steps

How does AWS Lambda help SMBs?

Businesses can use AWS Lambda to address a wide range of operational and technical challenges without the overhead of managing servers. However, SMBs find this needful for agile, cost-effective solutions that scale with their growth, without the burden of managing servers or complex infrastructure.

The following examples highlight how AWS Lambda supports core SMB needs, from providing customer-facing applications to automating internal processes.

• Web and mobile backends: AWS Lambda enables the creation of scalable, event-driven Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and backends that respond almost in real-time to customer activity. The service can handle sophisticated features like authentication, geo-hashing, and real-time messaging while maintaining strong security and automatically scaling based on demand. SMBs can launch responsive digital products without investing in complex backend infrastructure or dedicated teams.
• Real-time data processing: The service natively integrates with both AWS and third-party real-time data sources, enabling the instant processing of continuous data streams. Common applications include processing data from Internet of Things (IoT) devices and managing streaming platforms. This allows SMBs to unlock real-time insights from customer interactions, operations, or devices, without high upfront costs.
• Batch data processing: AWS Lambda is well-suited for batch data processing tasks that require substantial compute and storage resources for short periods of time. The service offers cost-effective, millisecond-billed compute that automatically scales out to meet processing demands and scales down upon completion. SMBs benefit from enterprise-level compute power without needing to maintain large, idle servers.
• Machine learning and generative artificial intelligence: AWS Lambda can preprocess data or serve machine learning models without infrastructure management, and it supports distributed, event-driven artificial intelligence workflows that scale automatically. This makes it easier for SMBs to experiment with AI use cases, like customer personalization or content generation, without deep technical overhead.
• Business process automation: Small businesses can use AWS Lambda for automating repetitive tasks such as invoice processing, data transformation, and document handling. For example, pairing AWS Lambda with Amazon Textract can automatically extract key information from invoices and store it in Amazon DynamoDB. This helps SMBs save time, reduce manual errors, and scale operations without hiring more staff.

Navigating AWS Lambda’s limits and implementing the best practices can be complex and time-consuming for businesses. That’s where AWS partners like Cloudtech step in, helping businesses modernize their applications by optimizing AWS Lambda usage, ensuring efficient scaling, and maintaining reliability without incurring excessive costs.

How Cloudtech helps businesses modernize data with AWS Lambda

Cloudtech offers expert services that enable SMBs to build scalable, modern data architectures aligned with their business goals. By utilizing AWS Lambda and related AWS services, Cloudtech streamlines data operations, enhances compliance, and opens greater value from business data. 

AWS-certified solutions architects work closely with each business to review current environments and apply best practices, ensuring every solution is secure, scalable, and customized for maximum ROI.

Cloudtech modernizes your data by optimizing processing pipelines for higher volumes and better throughput. These solutions ensure compliance with standards like HIPAA and FINRA, keeping your data secure. 

From scalable data warehouses to support multiple users and complex analytics, Cloudtech prepares clean, well-structured data foundations to power generative AI applications, enabling your business to harness cutting-edge AI technology. 

Conclusion

With a clear view of AWS Lambda limits and actionable strategies for managing them, SMBs can approach serverless development with greater confidence. Readers now have practical guidance for balancing performance, cost, and reliability, whether it is tuning memory and concurrency, handling deployment package size, or planning for network connections. These insights help teams make informed decisions about function design and operations, reducing surprises as workloads grow.

For SMBs seeking expert support, Cloudtech offers data modernization services built around Amazon Web Services best practices. 

Cloudtech’s AWS-certified architects work directly with clients to streamline data pipelines, strengthen compliance, and build scalable solutions using AWS Lambda and the broader AWS portfolio. Get started now!

FAQs

1. What is the maximum payload size for AWS Lambda invocations?

For synchronous invocations, the maximum payload size is 6 megabytes. Exceeding this limit will result in invocation failures, so large event data must be stored elsewhere, such as in Amazon S3 , with only references passed to the function.

2. Are there limits on environment variables for AWS Lambda functions?

Each Lambda function can store up to 4 kilobytes of environment variables. This limit includes all key-value pairs and can impact how much configuration or sensitive data is embedded directly in the function’s environment.

3. How does AWS Lambda handle sudden traffic spikes in concurrency?

Lambda supports burst concurrency, allowing up to 500 additional concurrent executions every 10 seconds per function, or 5,000 requests per second every 10 seconds, whichever is reached first. This scaling behavior is critical for applications that experience unpredictable load surges.

4. Is there a limit on ephemeral storage (/tmp) for AWS Lambda functions?

By default, each Lambda execution environment provides 512 megabytes of ephemeral storage in the /tmp directory, which can be increased up to 10 gigabytes if needed. This storage is shared across all invocations on the same environment and is reset between container reuses.

5. Are there restrictions on the programming languages supported by AWS Lambda?

Lambda natively supports a set of languages (such as Python, Node.js, Java, and Go), but does not support every language out of the box. Using custom runtimes or container images can extend language support, but this comes with additional deployment and management considerations.