AWS Certifications during Lockdown

AWS Certifications during Lockdown

Companies are dealing with the challenging times in different ways. Greg and Guy interview employees from AC3 to see how they are using this time to gain AWS Certifications, how they are being supported and why certifications are important. HOSTS * Greg Cockburn [https://www.ambassador-lounge.com/ambassadors/greg-cockburn/] (@gergnz on Twitter [https://twitter.com/gergnz]) * Guy Morton [https://www.ambassador-lounge.com/ambassadors/guy-morton] (@WhtsqrMusic on Twitter [https://twitter.com/WhtsqrMusic]) GUESTS * Nadja Lorenz * Dinesh Sharma * Jesus Rodriguez * Sergey Nasonov * Mark Maughan

What's New in March 2020

In this crossover with the new podcast from the Melbourne AWS User Group Arjen, Jean-Manuel, and Guy take a look at the announcements from AWS in March. HOSTS * Arjen Schwarz [https://www.ambassador-lounge.com/ambassadors/arjen-schwarz] (@ArjenSchwarz on Twitter [https://twitter.com/ArjenSchwarz]) * Jean-Manuel Becker [https://www.ambassador-lounge.com/ambassadors/jean-manuel-becker] (@jm_becker on Twitter [https://twitter.com/jm_becker]) * Guy Morton [https://www.ambassador-lounge.com/ambassadors/guy-morton] (@WhtsqrMusic on Twitter [https://twitter.com/WhtsqrMusic]) SHOWNOTES COVID-19 * Working From Home? Here’s How AWS Can Help | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/working-from-home-heres-how-aws-can-help/] * Remote Work & Learning | Amazon Web Services [https://aws.amazon.com/remote-work-learning/] * Amazon’s COVID-19 blog: daily updates on how we’re responding to the crisis [https://blog.aboutamazon.com/company-news/amazons-actions-to-help-employees-communities-and-customers-affected-by-covid-19] * COVID-19 Global Hackathon 1.0: #BuildforCOVID19 Global Online Hackathon - Devpost [https://covid-global-hackathon.devpost.com/] FINALLY IN SYDNEY * AWS Control Tower now available in Asia Pacific (Sydney) Region [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/aws-control-tower-is-now-available-in-the-aws-asia-pacific-sydney-region/] * Amazon Forecast is now available in three new regions - Asia Pacific (Sydney, Mumbai) and Europe (Frankfurt) [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amazon-forecast-is-now-available-in-three-new-regions-asia-pacific-sydney-mumbai-and-europe-frankfurt/] * AWS Migration Hub is now available in the Asia Pacific (Sydney) Region [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/aws-migration-hub-is-now-available-in-the-asia-pacific-sydney-region/] SERVERLESS * AWS Lambda@Edge now supports Node 12.x and Python 3.8 [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/lambda-at-edge-node12-python38/] * AWS Serverless Application Repository adds support for sharing applications with AWS organizations [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/aws-serverless-application-repository-adds-support-for-sharing-applications-with-aws-organizations/] * API Gateway offers private integrations with AWS ELB and AWS CloudMap as part of HTTP APIs GA release [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/api-gateway-private-integrations-aws-elb-cloudmap-http-apis-release/] * Amplify Console adds command line interface for configuring continuous deployment and hosting [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amplify-console-adds-command-line-interface-for-configuring-continuous-deployment-and-hosting/] CONTAINERS * Now proactively manage your ECR API use with CloudWatch Metrics and Service Quotas [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/now-proactively-manage-your-ecr-api-use-with-cloudwatch-metrics-and-service-quotas/] * Amazon EKS adds envelope encryption for secrets with AWS KMS [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amazon-eks-adds-envelope-encryption-for-secrets-with-aws-kms/] * Amazon EKS now supports Kubernetes version 1.15 [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amazon-eks-now-supports-kubernetes-version-1-15/] * Announcing Bottlerocket, a new open source Linux-based operating system purpose-built to run containers [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/announcing-bottlerocket-a-new-open-source-linux-based-operating-system-optimized-to-run-containers/] * AWS Elastic Beanstalk Launches Docker on AL2 Platform (Beta) [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/aws-elastic-beanstalk-launches-docker-on-al2-platform-beta/] * AWS App Mesh launches support for end to end encryption [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/aws-app-mesh-launches-support-for-end-to-end-encryption/] * Amazon ECS supports in Preview updating Placement Strategy and Constraints for existing ECS Services [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amazon-ecs-supports-in-preview-updating-placement-strategy-and-constraints-for-existing-ecs-services/] EC2 & VPC * Amazon EC2 Hibernation now Lets you Pause and Resume Your Workloads on T2 Instance Types [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amazon-ec2-hibernation-now-lets-you-pause-and-resume-workloads-on-t2-instance-types/] * Announcing 36% faster EBS-optimized performance on additional AWS Nitro System-based Amazon EC2 instances [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/02/announcing-36-percent-faster-ebs-optimized-performance-on-additional-aws-nitro-system-based-amazon-ec2-instances/] * Amazon Lightsail now supports resource monitoring, alarming and notifications [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/02/amazon-lightsail-now-supports-resource-monitoring-alarming-and-notifications/] * Use Amazon VPC Endpoint Policies for granular control of Amazon EC2 APIs [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/use-amazon-vpc-endpoint-policies-for-granular-control-of-amazon-ec2-apis/] SECURITY * AWS Secrets Manager now supports larger size for secrets and higher request rate for GetSecretValue API [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/aws-secrets-manager-now-supports-larger-size-for-secrets-and-higher-request-rate-for-getsecretvalue-api/] * Introducing AWS Config multi-account, multi-region support for advanced query [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/introducing-aws-config-multi-account-multi-region-support-for-advanced-query/] * AWS WAF adds Anonymous IP List for AWS Managed Rules [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/aws-waf-adds-anonymous-ip-list-for-aws-managed-rules/] * Amazon GuardDuty Price Reduction [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amazon-guardduty-price-reduction/] * AWS Site-to-Site VPN now supports certificate authentication for connections to AWS Transit Gateway [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/aws-site-to-site-vpn-now-supports-certificate-authentication-for-connections-to-aws-transit-gateway/] * Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager (DLM) Adds Support For 1 hour Backup Interval [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amazon-data-lifecycle-manager-adds-support-for-1-hour-backup-interval/] DEV AND OPS * AWS CodeCommit Introduces git-remote-codecommit, a New Git Credential Helper [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/aws-codecommit-introduces-open-source-remote-helper/] * Introducing Customizations for AWS Control Tower solution [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/introducing-customizations-aws-control-tower-solution/] * Execute Chef recipes on Linux with AWS Systems Manager [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/execute-chef-recipes-with-aws-systems-manager/] * AWS Control Tower now supports single-step account provisioning [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/aws-control-tower-now-supports-single-step-account-provisioning/] * AWS AppConfig announces integration with Amazon S3 [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/aws-appconfig-announces-integration-with-amazon-s3/] * Amazon CloudWatch now allows you to combine multiple alarms [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amazon-cloudwatch-now-allows-you-to-combine-multiple-alarms/] DATABASES * NoSQL Workbench for Amazon DynamoDB is now generally available [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/nosql-workbench-for-amazon-dynamodb-is-now-generally-available/] * Amazon Aurora with PostgreSQL Compatibility Supports User Authentication with Kerberos and Microsoft Active Directory [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amazon-aurora-with-postgresql-compatibility-supports-user-authentication-with-kerberos-and-microsoft-active-directory/] * New AWS Certification validates expertise in AWS databases [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/new-aws-certification-validates-expertise-in-aws-databases/] * Amazon RDS Performance Insights Supports Amazon RDS for MySQL Version 8.0 [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amazon-rds-performance-insights-supports-amazon-rds-for-mysql-version-8/] * Amazon Aurora with PostgreSQL Compatibility supports Amazon Aurora Global Database [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amazon-aurora-with-postgresql-compatibility-supports-amazon-aurora-global-database/] * Amazon Redshift launches pause and resume [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amazon-redshift-launches-pause-resume/] * Amazon ElastiCache for Redis announces Global Datastore [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amazon-elasticache-for-redis-announces-global-datastore/] * Announcing column-level access control for Amazon Redshift [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/announcing-column-level-access-control-for-amazon-redshift/] AI / ML * Amazon Transcribe now supports automatic content redaction [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/02/amazon-transcribe-now-supports-automatic-content-redaction/] * Announcing Time Expression for Amazon Comprehend Medical [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/announcing-time-expression-for-amazon-comprehend-medical/] * Amazon SageMaker Ground Truth Now Supports Multi-Label Image and Text Classification and Amazon CloudWatch Events [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amazon-sagemaker-ground-truth-now-supports-multi-label-image-and-text-classification-and-cloudwatch-events/] * Introducing Amazon Personalize Optimizer Using Amazon Pinpoint Events [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/introducing-amazon-personalize-optimizer-using-amazon-pinpoint-events/] * AWS RoboMaker simulation now supports GUI streaming for robot and simulation applications [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/aws-robomaker-simulation-now-supports-gui-streaming-for-robot-and-simulation-applications/] OTHER COOL STUFF * You can now take all AWS Certification exams with online proctoring. See the AWS Certification FAQs [https://aws.amazon.com/certification/faqs/] * AWS Cost Explorer now offers Savings Plans Recommendations for Member (Linked) Accounts [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/aws-cost-explorer-now-offers-savings-plans-recommendations-for-member-linked-accounts/] * AWS adds the ability for customers to enable AWS Local Zones themselves [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/aws-customers-enable-aws-local-zones-themselves/] * AWS Global Accelerator now supports Bring Your Own IP Addresses and Resource Tagging [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/02/aws-global-accelerator-now-supports-bring-your-own-ip-addresses/] * AWS Console Mobile Application Launches a New Android Version [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/aws-console-mobile-application-launches-a-new-android-version/] * Amazon Connect announces per-second billing, saving customers up to 5% in telephony costs [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/02/amazon-connect-per-second-billing-saving-telephony-costs/] * Amazon Connect makes it easier to customize the caller experience by adding attributes to existing contact flow blocks [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/02/amazon-connect-makes-it-easier-to-customize-the-caller-experience-by-adding-attributes-to-existing-contact-flow-blocks/] * Amazon AppStream 2.0 adds support for native application mode on Windows PCs [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/02/amazon-appstream-support-native-app-mode-windows-pcs/] * Automate index management with Amazon Elasticsearch Service [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/automate-index-management-with-amazon-elasticsearch-service/] * Amazon FSx for Lustre CSI Driver Supports New File System Deployment Options [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amazon-fsx-lustre-csi-driver-supports-new-file-system-deployment-options/] * Amazon Elasticsearch Service announces support for Elasticsearch versions 7.4 [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/amazon-elasticsearch-service-announces-support-for-elasticsearch-versions-7.4/]

The Cloud Security re:Invent Crossover

In a crossover event with the Cloud Security Podcast, Arjen and Ashish take a look at the security announcements that happened before and during re:Invent. HOSTS * Arjen Schwarz [https://www.ambassador-lounge.com/ambassadors/arjen-schwarz] (@ArjenSchwarz on Twitter [https://twitter.com/ArjenSchwarz]) * Ashish Rajan [https://www.ambassador-lounge.com/ambassadors/ashish-rajan] (hashishrajan on Twitter [https://twitter.com/hashishrajan]) SHOWNOTES * Cloud Security Podcast [https://www.kaizenteq.com/cloud-security-podcast] * AWS re:invent 2019 : Security announcements Recap — including updates that were not called security updates but you should know [https://medium.com/@ashishrajan/aws-re-invent-2019-security-releases-recap-including-updates-that-were-not-called-security-bb6dccbd5a7f] * Introducing AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) Access Analyzer [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2019/12/introducing-aws-identity-and-access-management-access-analyzer/] * Introducing Amazon Detective [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2019/12/introducing-amazon-detective/] * Nitro Enclaves [https://aws.amazon.com/ec2/nitro/nitro-enclaves/] * AWS announces Amazon CodeGuru for automated code reviews and application performance recommendations [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2019/12/aws-announces-amazon-codeguru-for-automated-code-reviews-and-application-performance-recommendations/] * Introducing Amazon Fraud Detector - Now in Preview [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2019/12/introducing-amazon-fraud-detector-now-in-preview/] * AWS Now Available from a Local Zone in Los Angeles | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/aws-now-available-from-a-local-zone-in-los-angeles/] * Announcing AWS Managed Rules for AWS WAF | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/announcing-aws-managed-rules-for-aws-waf/] * New – VPC Ingress Routing – Simplifying Integration of Third-Party Appliances | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/new-vpc-ingress-routing-simplifying-integration-of-third-party-appliances/] * Monitor, review, and protect Amazon S3 buckets using Access Analyzer for S3 | AWS Storage Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/storage/protect-amazon-s3-buckets-using-access-analyzer-for-s3/] * Easily Manage Shared Data Sets with Amazon S3 Access Points | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/easily-manage-shared-data-sets-with-amazon-s3-access-points/] * Coming Soon – Graviton2-Powered General Purpose, Compute-Optimized, & Memory-Optimized EC2 Instances | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/coming-soon-graviton2-powered-general-purpose-compute-optimized-memory-optimized-ec2-instances/] * Introducing Amazon EventBridge schema registry and discovery – In preview | AWS Compute Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/compute/introducing-amazon-eventbridge-schema-registry-and-discovery-in-preview/] * Amazon Web Services Announces AWS Transit Gateway Network Manager to Centrally Monitor Your Global Network [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2019/12/aws-announces-aws-transit-gateway-network-manager/]

I Think Breath Noise is an Interesting One

Both Arjen and Ryan got their hands on the new DeepComposer musical keyboards that AWS released and take a look at what it is and does in this episode recorded in person at re:Invent. HOSTS * Arjen Schwarz [https://www.ambassador-lounge.com/ambassadors/arjen-schwarz] * Ryan Anderson [https://www.ambassador-lounge.com/ambassadors/ryan-anderson] SHOWNOTES * AWS DeepComposer – Compose Music with Generative Machine Learning Models | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/aws-deepcomposer-compose-music-with-generative-machine-learning-models/] * DeepComposer Workshop on GitHub [https://github.com/aws-samples/aws-deepcomposer-samples] * Generative adversarial network - Wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generative_adversarial_network] * DeepRacer at the AWS User Group Melbourne [https://www.meetup.com/AWS-AUS/events/qgxqpqyzjbjc/] * Racing towards Intelligent Automation - DigIO Australia - Medium [https://medium.com/digio-australia/racing-towards-intelligent-automation-56a1f84fdb11] * AWS DeepRacer League Championship Cup Final 2019 - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL34jRhg6ME] * AWS DeepRacer Update – New Features & New Racing Opportunities | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/aws-deepracer-update-new-features-new-racing-opportunities/]

re:Invent 2019 re:Cap

After everything has been announced, Arjen and Greg are joined by special guest Jaco to take a short look at some of their favorite announcements from this re:Invent. HOSTS * Arjen Schwarz [https://www.ambassador-lounge.com/ambassadors/arjen-schwarz] * Greg Cockburn [https://www.ambassador-lounge.com/ambassadors/greg-cockburn] GUEST * Jaco Olivier [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacoolivier] SHOWNOTES * Coming Soon – Graviton2-Powered General Purpose, Compute-Optimized, & Memory-Optimized EC2 Instances | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/coming-soon-graviton2-powered-general-purpose-compute-optimized-memory-optimized-ec2-instances/] * Announcing HTTP APIs for Amazon API Gateway | AWS Compute Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/compute/announcing-http-apis-for-amazon-api-gateway/] * AWS Fargate Spot Now Generally Available | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/aws-fargate-spot-now-generally-available/] * Amazon EKS on AWS Fargate Now Generally Available | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/amazon-eks-on-aws-fargate-now-generally-available/] * AWS Now Available from a Local Zone in Los Angeles | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/aws-now-available-from-a-local-zone-in-los-angeles/] * AWS Outposts Now Available – Order Yours Today! | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/aws-outposts-now-available-order-your-racks-today/] * Amazon Transcribe Medical – Real-Time Automatic Speech Recognition for Healthcare Customers | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/amazon-transcribe-medical-real-time-automatic-speech-recognition-for-healthcare-customers/] * AWS Announces Contact Lens for Amazon Connect, a New Machine Learning-Powered Analytics Capability for Customers to Better Assess Call Contacts | Amazon.com, Inc. - Press Room [https://press.aboutamazon.com/news-releases/news-release-details/aws-announces-contact-lens-amazon-connect-new-machine-learning] * Easily Manage Shared Data Sets with Amazon S3 Access Points | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/easily-manage-shared-data-sets-with-amazon-s3-access-points/] * Amazon Athena adds support for running SQL queries across relational, non-relational, object, and custom data sources [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2019/11/amazon-athena-adds-support-for-running-sql-queries-across-relational-non-relational-object-custom-data-sources/] * Check out The Amazon Builders’ Library – This is How We Do It! | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/check-out-the-amazon-builders-library-this-is-how-we-do-it/] * New – Amazon Managed Apache Cassandra Service (MCS) | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/new-amazon-managed-apache-cassandra-service-mcs/] * Announcing Amazon Kendra: Reinventing Enterprise Search with Machine Learning [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2019/12/announcing-amazon-kendra-reinventing-enterprise-search-with-machine-learning/] * Announcing UltraWarm (Preview) for Amazon Elasticsearch Service | AWS News Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/announcing-ultrawarm-preview-for-amazon-elasticsearch-service/] * Using Amazon RDS Proxy with AWS Lambda | AWS Compute Blog [https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/compute/using-amazon-rds-proxy-with-aws-lambda/] * AWS announces Amazon CodeGuru for automated code reviews and application performance recommendations [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2019/12/aws-announces-amazon-codeguru-for-automated-code-reviews-and-application-performance-recommendations/] * Introducing Amazon Detective [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2019/12/introducing-amazon-detective/] * Introducing Amazon Fraud Detector - Now in Preview [https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2019/12/introducing-amazon-fraud-detector-now-in-preview/] * Savings Plan for Lambda Shown in a Session [https://twitter.com/therolle/status/1202693324852756480] * AC3 and AWS re:Invent Lunch and Learn [https://www.ac3.com.au/ac3-event-registration]