Introducing the latest AWS Well- Architected IoT Lens

Introduction 

We are pleased to introduce the latest version of AWS Well-Architected IoT Lens. IoT projects can be complex due to a combination of many factors, including devices, software, use case scenarios, environments, processing patterns, network connectivity technologies, communication protocols, security issues, technical risks, compliance requirements and standards. The AWS Well-Architected IoT Lens provides simple and detailed guidance when building IoT workloads on AWS.

Since 2015, the AWS Well-Architected Framework (WAF) has been helping AWS customers and partners improve their cloud architectures and reduce their technical risk. The framework consists of questions, design principles, and best practices across the six pillars: Operational Excellence, Security, Reliability, Performance Efficiency, Cost Optimization, and Sustainability.

The AWS Well-Architected Framework helps you understand the pros and cons of the design decisions you make when building systems on AWS. Using WAF, you can learn architectural best practices for designing and operating reliable, secure, efficient, and cost-effective systems in the cloud. The framework provides a way for you to consistently measure your architecture against industry best practices, and help you identify potential areas for improvement. We believe that having well-architected systems greatly increases the likelihood of business success.

In 2019, we introduced AWS Well-Architected Lens for IoT workloads.  The IoT Lens provides you with a consistent approach to evaluate your IoT architectures, implement scalable designs, and identify and mitigate technical risks. The IoT Lens covers common IoT implementation scenarios and identifies key workload elements to allow you to architect your IoT device, edge and cloud-based applications and workloads according to the best practices that we have gathered from supporting thousands of customer implementations.

Today, we are delighted to introduce the latest version of the AWS Well-Architected Internet of Things (IoT) Lens white paper. Here’s an overview of what’s new in the IoT Lens.

What’s new in the IoT Lens?

1. Improved best practices and implementation guidance — Notably, it provides you with actionable guidance that you can use to improve your workloads in the areas that matter most to your business.
2. Updated guidance on new features and services — AWS IoT continues to evolve with new services, features, and emerging best practices. A set of updated IoT features and services announced to-date have been incorporated into the IoT Lens whitepaper to help you create more well-architected workloads. Some of the new services and features include: AWS IoT ExpressLink, AWS IoT FleetWise, AWS IoT TwinMaker, AWS IoT SiteWise Edge, and Fleet Hub for AWS IoT Device Management. These and other improvements will make it easier for your development team to create innovative IoT workloads in your enterprise.
3. Updated architectures and links — Many new documents, blogs, instructional and video links have been provided to reflect a host of new products, features, and current industry best practices to assist with your IoT projects.
4. Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) – New Lens guidance has been provided for industrial IoT, manufacturing, and critical infrastructure. Although general best practices still apply, there are some additional considerations that you should consider to be put into place to support the greater criticality and larger impact of Operational Technology (OT) and IIoT systems. These issues are outlined in detail in the new Lens.
5. Updated Well-Architected questions – combining the IoT Lens Checklist and the questions in the original IoT Lens.

Who should use the IoT Lens?

The IoT Lens will be useful for many roles, including:

• Business Leaders — to widen your appreciation of the end-to-end implementation and benefits of IoT
• Chief Technology Officers — to understand how to use the new AWS services and implementation guidance
• IoT solution architects — to learn to build solutions according to the tenets of the Well-Architected Framework
• IoT embedded engineers — to design IoT devices according to the tenets of the Well-Architected Framework
• Operations team — to monitor and manage innovative infrastructures that drive the operation of a broader range of IoT workloads
• Security team members – to incorporate security requirements in their IoT projects

Conclusion

The new Well-Architected IoT Lens white paper is available now. Use the Lens whitepaper to improve your IoT workloads according the tenets of the Well-Architected Framework.

Applying the AWS Well-Architected IoT Lens to your architecture can help you validate the stability and efficiency of your design, and also provide recommendations to address the gaps that may be identified. AWS is committed to the IoT Lens as a living tool; as new AWS services become generally available and new pillars like sustainability are added, we’ll update the IoT Lens appropriately. Our mission will always be to help you design and deploy well-architected IoT applications so that you can focus on delivering on your business objectives.

Special thanks to everyone across the AWS Solution Architecture, AWS Professional Services, and IoT communities, who contributed to the Lens. These contributions encompassed a wide cross-section of perspectives, expertise, backgrounds, and experiences in developing the new AWS Well-Architected IoT Lens.

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