AWS Landing Zone Accelerator - Part 2: Organizational Units and Account Configuration

In Part 1 of our AWS Landing Zone Accelerator (LZA) series, we introduced the LZA and its benefits. Now, we’ll explore configuring OUs and other essential organizational settings, along with the process of creating AWS accounts within your LZA environment.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure you have the following:

• Access to the AWS Management account with the necessary permissions to modify the LZA setup.
• Permissions to update the LZA configuration, including editing files in the aws-accelerator-config repository.
• A brand-new email address for the new AWS account you’ll be creating.
• Git access to download and upload LZA configuration files.
• AWS Command Line Interface (CLI) installed and configured on your computer.
• The required permissions in Microsoft Entra ID to create and manage groups, and connect them to AWS IAM Identity Center for access control.

Important Note: I’m assuming you’ve already set up the LZA in your AWS environment by following the official guide: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/solutions/latest/landing-zone-accelerator-on-aws/step-1.-launch-the-stack.html. This means you’ve got the basic LZA structure in place.

AWS Landing Zone Accelerator - Part 1: Introduction & Overview

Migrating to the cloud can feel like a giant leap into the unknown. Where do you even begin? How can you ensure your cloud environment is secure, scalable, and compliant from the get-go? The AWS Landing Zone Accelerator (LZA) is your trusted launchpad for a smooth and successful cloud journey.

What is the LZA?

Think of the LZA as an open-source blueprint provided by AWS for building a well-architected, multi-account AWS environment. It’s more than just a template; it’s a framework encompassing pre-configured security controls, network configurations, and account structures, forming a robust foundation for your cloud deployments. The LZA leverages Infrastructure as Code (IaC) principles, primarily using AWS CloudFormation, to automate the deployment and configuration of these foundational components.

re:Invent 2024: My Top Takeaways From a Whirlwind Week in Vegas!

Wow, what a week! Just got back from AWS re:Invent 2024 and my head is still spinning from all the announcements. Thousands of sessions, incredible keynotes, and enough new services and features to make your head spin. But re:Invent is more than just tech – it’s about the people! This year was extra special because I got to connect with so many amazing folks in the AWS community.

Community Vibes (and SWAG!)

Huge shoutout to Jason Dunn for organizing the AWS Community Builders meetup at Buddy V’s! It was fantastic catching up with fellow builders, sharing experiences, and geeking out over all the new announcements. And the swag was top-notch! Big thanks to the Community Builders program for hooking us up.

How to Set Up AWS CDK for Python

In this guide, I’ll walk through setting up AWS CDK with Python, including all the required dependencies and steps, and demonstrate how to deploy a simple app that provisions an Amazon S3 bucket.

What is the AWS CDK?

The AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) is an open-source software development framework designed to facilitate the creation and management of cloud infrastructure using familiar programming languages. Here are several important features and concepts associated with AWS CDK.:

Preparing for AWS re:Invent 2024

AWS re:Invent 2024, the biggest event in the annual Amazon Web Services (AWS) calendar, is fast approaching once again.

If you’re attending in person, it can be challenging to determine which sessions will be most valuable. In this blog post, I’ve highlighted the sessions I’m planning to attend, along with some tips to help you make the most of the event.

Reserved seating opens on October 8th, a day I like to refer to as “whack-a-mole night.” As soon as you try to reserve a spot, it’s likely the session will already be fully booked, leaving you to queue up on the day and potentially miss out on other opportunities.

AWS Global Ambassador Summit, Seattle

I’m honored to have recently returned to the country after attending the AWS Global Ambassador Summit at AWS headquarters in Seattle, USA, for the second consecutive year. This 3-day event brought together Ambassadors from around the globe, alongside leaders from within the AWS organization.

Day 1

We learned from AWS about the advancements in Amazon Q Developer and its future trajectory, explored Quantum Computing with Amazon Braket, and gained insights into how AWS leverages social media to monitor and amplify their brand. We also delved into the culture of innovation and received the latest updates on Amazon GuardDuty. A highlight for me, as always, was hearing from our peers during the Ambassador Lightning Talks, which is one of my favorite parts of the event.

Configuring the Cloud Intelligence Dashboards

The Cloud Intelligence Dashboards are an open-source framework that provides customers with actionable insights and optimisation opportunities at scale within an organisation. These dashboards help organisations drive financial accountability, whilst helping them to optimise cost, track usage goals, and implement best-practices for governance.

The dashboards provided by this Solution have come from the GitHub Repository and provide a variety of Amazon QuickSight Dashboards to provide visibility over the spend in there AWS Accounts.