Whether running Microsoft SQL Server, SharePoint, Exchange, or custom .NET applications, customers can rely on the reliable, secure global infrastructure of Amazon Web Services to easily run any Microsoft Windows Server applications in the cloud. Without the cost and complexity of purchasing servers or managing data centers, you have more resources to focus on your solution providing value to your customers.
AWS provides pre-configured machine images (AMIs), which enable customers to start running fully supported Windows Server virtual machine instances in minutes. You have a choice of many versions of the software, with or without SQL Server. By using one of our AMIs, the Microsoft software licensing is handled by AWS and included in the monthly bill. For other licensing options, and details about how to run other Microsoft software on AWS, please see our Microsoft License Mobility page.
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November 2014
This whitepaper demonstrates using various services on AWS to deploy Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 as a Network Address Translation (NAT) device and deploy the Microsoft DirectAccess Windows Server role. Tools such as AWS Toolkit for Microsoft Visual Studio and AWS Toolkit for Windows PowerShell are used to automate the deployments. The target audience is IT infrastructure administrators and developer operations personnel.
The AWS Cloud is designed to deliver the resources needed to support Microsoft enterprise applications and workloads, with efficient pricing. It eliminates the hassle of overprovisioning and buying hardware you don't need.
AWS provides many instance types and storage options to tailor a solution to your needs. Amazon EBS volumes now use SSD by default.
You can get started quickly with Windows Server virtual machine images, as well as many other publicly available, pre-configured virtual machines images that are pre-bundled with Microsoft products.
AWS provides a secure, durable and scalable global infrastructure designed to support rigorous Microsoft Exchange, SQL Server and SharePoint environments.
Amazon EC2 running Microsoft Windows Server (2008, 2008 R2, 2012 and 2012 R2) is a fast and dependable environment for deploying Windows and .NET-based applications to the AWS Cloud.
SQL Server on AWS offers you the flexibility to run a database for as much or as little time as you need. We offer many versions of SQL on Amazon EC2 and Amazon RDS.
Amazon EC2 running Windows Server is a secure and dependable environment for customers to quickly and cost effectively deploy Microsoft SharePoint Server.
License Mobility through Software Assurance allows customers to use Microsoft Server application licenses that they already own on AWS without any additional Microsoft software license fees. Looking to run MSDN licenses on AWS? Go here to learn more.
Dole Foods
By running on AWS, Dole can launch a new SharePoint website in minutes to host global business intelligence and mobile applications, while saving $350,000 in operating expenses. (read more)
Dole worked with APN Premier Consulting Partner Smartronix to help architect their solution. To learn more about the AWS Partner Network, please go to http://aws.amazon.com/partners/.
Ideomed
Ideomed provides a web and mobile application to help health care patients better manage chronic diseases. The flexibility, security, and HIPAA compliance of the Amazon Cloud were a few of the reasons why they chose AWS. (read more)
Ideomed worked with APN Partner Cloudticity to help build their application. To learn more about the AWS Partner Network, please go to http://aws.amazon.com/partners/.
To see all Microsoft on AWS customer case studies, please go to http://aws.amazon.com/microsoft/case-studies/.
Here is a selection of whitepapers covering Windows on the AWS Cloud. For a complete list of technical papers about Microsoft software on AWS, please go to http://aws.amazon.com/microsoft/whitepapers/.
This reference deployment guide shows how to build a Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 environment on the AWS Cloud, using services such as Amazon EC2 and Amazon VPC. It includes an AWS CloudFormation template designed to help you deploy the highly available infrastructure predictably and repeatedly. The template can also be launched directly from the AWS Quick Start page. To learn more about SharePoint on AWS, click here.
Windows Server and SQL Server provide built-in capabilities to run highly available solutions. This updated Quick Start Deployment Guide covers failover clusters and the AlwaysOn Availability Groups feature in SQL 2012 and 2014, including configuration steps and testing instructions, as well as an AWS CloudFormation template to automate deployment. The template can also be launched directly from the AWS Quick Start page.
Learn how to deploy Remote Desktop Gateway on AWS, including best practices for securely accessing your Windows-based instances using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) for remote administration. Also provided are AWS CloudFormation templates to help automate deployment.
Learn how to deploy Active Directory on AWS in about an hour. This reference implementation guide includes architectural considerations and configuration steps for deploying highly available AD Domain Services in the AWS Cloud. Two scenarios are covered, one all cloud and one hybrid. Included are AWS CloudFormation templates to help automate deployment.
The APN Competency Program is designed to provide AWS Customers with top quality APN Partners who have demonstrated technical proficiency and proven success in specialized solutions areas. APN Competency Partners offer a variety of services, software, and solutions on the AWS Cloud.
Partners with the Microsoft Competency are APN Consulting Partners who have demonstrated expertise in helping customers evaluate and deploy Microsoft workloads on AWS. We currently have competencies for SharePoint and Exchange.
Learn more about Microsoft Competency Partners »
Learn more about the APN Competency Program »
Many IT professionals are using Amazon Web Services (AWS) to deploy, scale and manage fully supported Microsoft Windows Server workloads and Windows Server applications such as SharePoint Server, SQL Server, and Microsoft Exchange Server that are fully supported on the AWS Cloud. Cloud computing allows you to reduce costs and increase agility by taking advantage of on-demand resources that require no up-front capital investment and can instantly scale from small test environments to hundreds or even thousands of servers.
- Learn more about Windows Server and SQL Server instance pricing at http://aws.amazon.com/windows/#pricing
- Learn more about the economic benefits of Windows on AWS at http://aws.amazon.com/economics/
- Microsoft License Mobility through Software Assurance - The Microsoft License Mobility through Software Assurance (SA) Program allows Microsoft Volume License customers to move their Windows Server applications licenses to AWS, without paying any additional Microsoft licensing costs. Learn more about the eligibility requirements and how to sign up on the Microsoft License Mobility page on AWS.
- MS License Mobility Webinar: In this webinar you will learn more about License Mobility and how to utilize Windows Server applications to deploy AWS cloud-based solutions. Webinar: Microsoft License Mobility
Amazon Web Services (AWS) enables you to run any compatible Windows Server-based solution using the Microsoft Web Platform, including ASP.NET, ASP.NET AJAX, Silverlight, and Internet Information Server (IIS) on AWS’ high-performance, reliable, cost-effective, cloud computing platform. Because we support the .NET platform, there is no need to re-architect: you can leverage your existing Windows knowledge base, tools, and skills on AWS.
Learn how to launch a Windows Server-based Amazon EC2 instance:
http://docs.amazonwebservices.com/AWSEC2/latest/WindowsGuide/ This link will launch in a new browser window or tab.
Learn how to host .NET-based Web applications on Amazon EC2:
http://docs.amazonwebservices.com/gettingstarted/latest/wah/web-app-hosting-intro.html
Learn how to launch a .NET application on AWS Elastic Beanstalk and connect it to Amazon RDS for SQL Server:
http://docs.amazonwebservices.com/elasticbeanstalk/latest/dg/create_deploy_NET.quickstart.html
AWS SDK for .NET – AWS has developed this tool to make it easy for Windows developers to build .NET applications that tap into the cost-effective, scalable and reliable AWS Cloud.
http://aws.amazon.com/sdkfornet/
AWS Toolkit for Visual Studio – An extension for Microsoft Visual Studio that makes it easier for developers to develop, debug, and deploy .NET applications using AWS.
http://aws.amazon.com/visualstudio/
Windows & .NET Developer Center – contains sample code, documentation, tools, and additional resources to help you build applications on AWS.
http://aws.amazon.com/net/
Windows High Performance Computing (HPC) Cluster – Set up and run a scalable Windows HPC Cluster using Amazon EC2 Instances. Learn more in the HPC section of the Amazon EC2 Windows Guide.
Microsoft SQL 2014 – Microsoft SQL Server 2014 is the next major release of Microsoft SQL Server and related components. Start using Microsoft SQL Server 2014 on AWS. Learn more at the SQL 2014 page.
Windows Server-Based AMIs – Run fully-licensed and supported Microsoft Windows Server-based instances on AWS. Use any of the publicly available pre-configured virtual machine images to reduce the time required to provision and launch Windows Server-based instances. To find the most current images and their contents for the Windows platform, please visit http://aws.amazon.com/windows/amis/.
Microsoft BizSpark – Run your BizSpark-related Windows Server and SQL Server products on AWS with no additional Microsoft software licensing costs. Designed for startup companies that want to build on Microsoft technologies. Please visit the BizSpark page for more information.
Learn more about Windows Server and SQL Server instance pricing at http://aws.amazon.com/windows/#pricing
Learn more about the economic benefits of Windows on AWS at http://aws.amazon.com/economics/
Microsoft and Amazon Web Services (AWS) are cooperating to bring you the scalability, elasticity, and flexibility of AWS to fully supported software you know and trust from Microsoft. AWS offers Microsoft partners a choice of cloud-based licensing options, resources, training, and support for a variety of development platforms, which include Windows .NET to build, integrate, manage, or even resell AWS services. Working with AWS on Windows lets you leverage your existing Microsoft knowledge base or expertise and your customer’s investments in Windows technologies on the AWS Cloud.
Learn more about what AWS has to offer partners from around the world and how to become an AWS Partner at: http://aws.amazon.com/partners/.
Download the AWS Partner paper to learn more about partner opportunities and programs on AWS.
Find a solution provider among the growing ecosystem of Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and Systems Integrators (SIs) that are providing services and solutions on cloud computing with AWS at: http://www.aws-partner-directory.com.
Datapipe, a member of the Amazon Web Services Partner Network (APN), develops enterprise-ready solutions that combine the flexibility and convenience of AWS with award-winning managed IT services for customers such as Lionsgate and many other Fortune 500 companies.
AWS Partners, Smartronix and Synteractive, develop and offer cloud-based solutions using a variety of AWS infrastructure services, including Microsoft Windows technologies, such as SharePoint Server, on AWS.
