Managed, Unmanaged and Fully Managed Services in AWS
Learn the difference between managed, unmanaged, and fully managed AWS services
Managed, Unmanaged and Fully Managed Services in AWS
Introduction
AWS provides different services to run applications, store data, and manage servers. But one important question is: Who will manage everything — AWS or the customer?
Based on this, we can understand three types of services: Unmanaged, Managed, and Fully Managed Services.
Think of it like living in a house. If you manage everything yourself, it is unmanaged. If someone helps you with some work, it is managed. If someone manages almost everything for you, it is fully managed.
1. Unmanaged Services
In unmanaged services, AWS provides the infrastructure, but the customer has to manage most of the software and configuration.
AWS is responsible for:
- Physical hardware (servers, storage devices, etc.).
- AWS global infrastructure (data centers, Regions, and Availability Zones).
- Underlying infrastructure software.
Customer is responsible for:
- Customer data and its security.
- Operating system (OS) updates and security patches.
- Installing and managing applications.
- Network and firewall configuration.
- Encryption and network traffic protection.
Example: Amazon EC2. AWS provides a virtual server, but we manage its operating system and install our applications.
Easy trick: AWS gives the server, and we manage what runs inside it.
2. Managed Services
In managed services, AWS manages the infrastructure and some additional maintenance tasks. The customer does not need to manage everything but is still responsible for data, applications, and security settings.
AWS is responsible for:
- Physical hardware.
- AWS global infrastructure.
- Underlying infrastructure software.
- Operating system or platform maintenance, depending on the service.
- Routine service maintenance.
Customer is responsible for:
- Customer data and access permissions.
- Application configuration.
- Network and firewall rules where applicable.
- Encryption settings and security permissions.
Example: Amazon RDS. AWS manages much of the database infrastructure and routine maintenance, while we manage our data and database settings.
Easy trick: AWS manages some extra work, and we manage the remaining work.
3. Fully Managed Services
In fully managed services, AWS manages almost all the underlying infrastructure. The customer mainly focuses on writing code, using the service, and protecting their data.
AWS is responsible for:
- Physical hardware.
- AWS global infrastructure.
- Servers and underlying operating systems.
- Infrastructure maintenance.
- Scaling and other service operations provided by the service.
Customer is responsible for:
- Customer data.
- Application code and business logic.
- Access permissions.
- Appropriate security and encryption settings.
- Monitoring application usage and cost.
Example: AWS Lambda. We write and upload our code, and AWS manages the servers required to run it.
Easy trick: We focus on our work, and AWS manages the underlying infrastructure.
Difference Between Unmanaged, Managed and Fully Managed
| Basis | Unmanaged | Managed | Fully Managed |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS management | Less service-level management | More management | Most underlying operations managed |
| Customer work | More | Less | Minimal server management |
| OS management | Customer | Depends on service | AWS manages underlying OS |
| Maintenance | Mostly customer | Shared | Mostly AWS |
| Example | Amazon EC2 | Amazon RDS | AWS Lambda |
Best Trick to Remember
Imagine you are running a restaurant.
- Unmanaged: You arrange the kitchen, maintain the equipment, and cook the food yourself.
- Managed: Someone maintains the kitchen equipment, but you still handle some work.
- Fully managed: Someone manages the kitchen infrastructure, and you mainly focus on preparing your menu and serving customers.
Remember this simple line:
Unmanaged = More work for us.
Managed = AWS shares more of the work.
Fully Managed = AWS handles most infrastructure work.
Conclusion
AWS provides different services according to how much control and management the customer wants. Unmanaged services provide more control but require more maintenance. Managed services reduce maintenance, while fully managed services allow customers to focus mainly on their applications and data.
However, AWS does not take responsibility for everything. Customers must still protect their data, manage permissions, and configure security according to the service.
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