8.3 Hybrid Architecture — DNS, Storage, and Compute
Key Takeaways
- AWS Outposts brings AWS infrastructure and services to your on-premises data center for a truly consistent hybrid experience.
- Route 53 Resolver endpoints enable DNS resolution between on-premises networks and VPCs in both directions.
- AWS Storage Gateway (File, Volume, Tape) provides hybrid cloud storage with local caching for low-latency access.
- AWS Wavelength extends AWS compute to 5G network edges for ultra-low latency mobile applications.
- AWS Local Zones bring select AWS services closer to end users in metropolitan areas for single-digit millisecond latency.
Hybrid Architecture — DNS, Storage, and Compute
Quick Answer: Outposts = AWS infrastructure on-premises. Storage Gateway = hybrid storage with local cache. Route 53 Resolver = DNS between on-premises and VPC. Local Zones = AWS services in metropolitan areas. Wavelength = AWS at 5G network edges. Choose based on latency, data residency, and integration needs.
AWS Outposts
AWS Outposts is AWS infrastructure deployed in your own data center, managed by AWS.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Services available | EC2, EBS, S3, RDS, ECS, EKS, EMR |
| Management | AWS manages hardware, updates, patching |
| Connected | Requires network connection to parent AWS Region |
| Pricing | Capacity reservation (pay for rack, not per-use) |
| Use cases | Low latency to on-premises systems, data residency, local data processing |
When to Use Outposts
| Requirement | Solution |
|---|---|
| Run AWS services in your data center | Outposts |
| Keep data on-premises but use AWS APIs | Outposts |
| Sub-millisecond latency to on-premises systems | Outposts |
| Data sovereignty (data must stay on-premises) | Outposts |
Route 53 Resolver
Route 53 Resolver enables DNS resolution between your on-premises network and AWS VPCs.
| Component | Direction | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Inbound Endpoint | On-premises → VPC | On-premises DNS resolves AWS private hosted zone names |
| Outbound Endpoint | VPC → On-premises | VPC resources resolve on-premises domain names |
| Resolver Rules | Both | Conditional forwarding rules (forward specific domains to specific DNS servers) |
When You Need Resolver Endpoints
| Scenario | Endpoint Type |
|---|---|
| On-premises apps need to resolve private.vpc.internal | Inbound |
| VPC apps need to resolve onprem.corp.local | Outbound |
| Both directions needed | Both inbound and outbound |
AWS Storage Gateway (Recap for Hybrid)
| Gateway Type | Protocol | Backend | On-Premises Cache | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S3 File Gateway | NFS/SMB | S3 | Yes | File shares backed by S3 |
| FSx File Gateway | SMB | FSx for Windows | Yes | Windows file shares with local cache |
| Volume Gateway | iSCSI | S3 + EBS | Yes | Block storage DR, migration |
| Tape Gateway | VTL | S3 Glacier | Yes | Backup (replace physical tape) |
Edge Computing Services
AWS Local Zones
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Run latency-sensitive applications closer to end users |
| Services | EC2, EBS, VPC, ECS, EKS |
| Latency | Single-digit millisecond to nearby population centers |
| Use cases | Media creation, real-time gaming, AR/VR, live video |
AWS Wavelength
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Run applications at 5G network edges |
| Infrastructure | AWS compute inside telecom provider data centers |
| Latency | Ultra-low latency for 5G-connected devices |
| Use cases | Connected vehicles, interactive live video, ML inference at edge |
On the Exam: "Run AWS services on-premises" → Outposts. "Low-latency application for a specific city" → Local Zones. "Ultra-low latency for 5G devices" → Wavelength. "Hybrid file storage with local caching" → Storage Gateway.
A company needs to run EC2 instances in their own data center while using the same AWS APIs and tools. Which service should they use?
A company has on-premises DNS servers and wants their VPC-based applications to resolve on-premises domain names (e.g., app.corp.local). What should they configure?