Workflows

Step Functions

• Serverless visual workflow to orchestrate Lambda functions
• All the flow is represented by a JSON state machine
• Features: sequences, parallel functions, conditions, timeouts, error handlings
• Step functions can integrate with EC2, ECS, on-premise servers and API Gateway
• Maximum execution time is 1 year
• Possibility to implement human approval features
• Use cases:
  • Order fulfillment
  • Data processing
  • Web applications
  • Any other workflow

AWS SWF - Simple Workflow Service

• Coordinate work amongst applications
• Code runs on EC2 (not serverless)
• 1 year max runtime
• Has the concept of activity step and decision step
• Has a builtin human intervention step as well
• Step Functions is the recommended service to be used for newer applications, except:
  • If we need external signals to intervene in the process
  • If we need child processes that return values to parent processes

AWS WorkSpaces

• It is a managed, secure cloud desktop
• Great to eliminate management of on-premise VID (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure)
• It is on-demand, pay per usage
• It is secure, encrypted and provides network isolation
• Integrates with Microsoft Active Directory

AWS Appsync

• Store and sync data across mobile and web apps in real time
• Makes use of GraphQL
• Client code can be generated automatically
• Provides integration with DynamoDB/Lambda
• Proves real-time subscriptions, offline data synchronization (replacement for AWS Cognito Sync)
• Provides fine grained security