AWS Updates: Parallel Computing, EC2 Status Checks & More (Sept 2, 2024)

AWS Weekly Roundup: Exciting Announcements and Updates

As we step into September, the countdown to AWS re:Invent 2024 begins, with just three months to go. This renowned tech conference, hosted by Amazon Web Services (AWS), is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas and promises an array of new services and exciting announcements. For those interested in attending, registration is already open. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to immerse yourself in five days of keynotes, breakout sessions, chalk talks, and interactive learning experiences.

Reflecting on past events, re:Invent 2019 stands out as a pre-pandemic spectacle attended by over 60,000 tech enthusiasts. The atmosphere was electrifying, and the event’s scale was truly awe-inspiring. Now, with the 2024 edition on the horizon, expectations are high for another groundbreaking event.

Last Week’s Launches

Let’s delve into the latest announcements from AWS that have captured attention over the past week:

AWS Parallel Computing Service

AWS has introduced the AWS Parallel Computing Service (AWS PCS), a managed service designed to handle high-performance computing (HPC) workloads. This service allows users to build scientific and engineering models, run simulations, and manage these tasks using a fully managed Slurm scheduler. Slurm, an open-source job scheduler, is widely used in HPC environments for resource management and job scheduling. With AWS PCS, users can customize their HPC environment, integrating it with their preferred software stack, and seamlessly scale from zero to thousands of instances. For more information, visit the AWS Parallel Computing Service page and read Channy’s blog post.

Amazon EC2 Status Checks

Amazon EC2 status checks have been enhanced to support the reachability health of attached Elastic Block Store (EBS) volumes. This new feature allows users to monitor if the EBS volumes attached to their instances are reachable and can complete input/output (I/O) operations. By integrating these status checks with Auto Scaling groups, users can ensure high availability and reliability of their applications by replacing impacted instances. This addition complements existing instance status and system status checks, providing a comprehensive health monitoring solution. For further details, refer to the Status checks for Amazon EC2 instances documentation.

Amazon Q Business IAM Federation

Amazon Q Business, a fully managed service for deploying generative AI business experts, has launched IAM federation for user identity authentication. This feature allows applications to connect directly to an identity provider, streamlining the process of sourcing user identity and attributes. Previously, users had to sync their identity information from their provider into AWS IAM Identity Center. The new IAM federation supports OpenID Connect (OIDC) and SAML2.0 protocols, enhancing connectivity options. To learn more, visit the Amazon Q Business documentation.

Amazon Bedrock Cross-Region Inference

Amazon Bedrock now supports cross-Region inference, enabling users to manage traffic bursts by utilizing compute resources across different AWS Regions. This optional feature is particularly beneficial during periods of peak demand, offering up to 2x throughput limits and enhanced resilience. By opting in, users can dynamically route traffic across multiple Regions, ensuring optimal availability and performance. This also helps in complying with data residency and sovereignty laws. For more details, refer to the Supported Regions and models for cross-Region inference and the Amazon Bedrock documentation.

Additional Regional Availability

AWS continues to expand the availability of its services across new Regions, enhancing global reach and accessibility. Noteworthy updates include:

• Amazon EC2 C6gd and R6gd Instances: Now available in the AWS Europe (Spain) Region. These instances cater to compute-intensive and memory-intensive workloads, respectively.
• Amazon OpenSearch Serverless: Available in the AWS GovCloud (US-West) Region, simplifying the deployment of search and analytics workloads without infrastructure management complexities.
• AWS Global Accelerator: Launches a new edge location in Cairo, Egypt, improving the availability and performance of global applications.
• Amazon Redshift Serverless: Now accessible in the AWS Asia Pacific (Jakarta) Region, enabling efficient analytics without the need for data warehouse infrastructure management.
• Amazon OpenSearch Service: Supports Graviton3 instances, offering up to 25% better performance compared to Graviton2-based instances.
• AWS Config Conformance Packs: Available in 12 additional AWS Regions, simplifying the deployment of compliance rules and remediation actions at scale.

  For a comprehensive list of AWS announcements, visit the What’s New at AWS page.

  Other AWS Events
  

  AWS GenAI Lofts are collaborative spaces designed to showcase AWS’s cloud and AI expertise. These events provide startups and developers with hands-on access to AI products and services, exclusive sessions with industry leaders, and valuable networking opportunities. To find a GenAI Loft location near you, visit the GenAI Loft locations page and register for an immersive experience.

  Upcoming AWS Events
  

  Mark your calendars for the upcoming AWS events:

• AWS Summits: These free events bring the cloud computing community together to connect, collaborate, and learn about AWS. The remaining AWS Summits for this year are in Jakarta (September 5), Toronto (September 11), and Ottawa (October 9). Register now to join these informative sessions.
• AWS Community Days: Featuring technical discussions, workshops, and hands-on labs led by expert AWS users and industry leaders. Upcoming AWS Community Days include Belfast (September 6), SF Bay Area (September 13), Argentina (September 14), and Armenia (September 14).

  For a full list of AWS-led in-person and virtual events, explore the AWS Events page.

  That wraps up this week’s AWS Weekly Roundup. Stay tuned for more updates next Monday!

  — Esra

  This post is part of our Weekly Roundup series. Check back each week for a quick roundup of interesting news and announcements from AWS!

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