Introduction
The AWS Launch Wizard provides a guided approach to sizing, customizing, and deploying AWS resources for third-party applications such as Microsoft SQL Server Always On and HANA-based SAP systems, eliminating the need to identify and provide specific AWS resources manually. First, you enter your application requirements, such as performance, node count, and connection, into the service console. The Launch Wizard then determines which AWS resources, such as EC2 instances and EBS volumes, are required to deploy and execute your application.
The Launch Wizard estimates the cost of deployment and allows you to alter your resources to get an updated cost assessment quickly. After you authorize the AWS resources, Launch Wizard seamlessly supplies and configures the resources to produce a fully functional, production-ready application. AWS Launch Wizard also generates CloudFormation templates that may be used as a starting point for further deployments. You may use Launch Wizard at no additional cost. You only pay for AWS resources used to execute your solution.
Source: AWSdocs
Features And Benefits
Simple application deployment
The AWS Launch Wizard simplifies the deployment of third-party programs on AWS, such as Microsoft SQL Server. AWS Launch Wizard installs the AWS resources required for a production-ready app when you provide the application requirements. This eliminates the need to maintain different infrastructure components or spend time procuring and configuring your SQL Server application.
AWS resource selection
To identify the optimum instance type, EBS volumes, and other assets for your SQL Server application, Launch Wizard examines performance, memory, bandwidth, and other application aspects. The suggested defaults can be changed.
Cost estimation
The Launch Wizard calculates the total cost of deployment. The cost estimate for each resource to deploy is listed. The projected cost instantly changes when you alter a resource type configuration in the wizard. The estimations offered are merely for broad comparisons. The estimates are based on On-Demand charges, which may be lower in practice.
Reusable code templates
The Launch Wizard generates a CloudFormation stack that can configure and duplicate your infrastructure across various environments. The code in the template assists you in provisioning resources. The templates built by your Launch Wizard deployment may be accessed and used via the CloudFormation interface.
SNS notification
You can specify an SNS subject to get updates and alerts regarding deployment status via Launch Wizard.
Always On Availability Groups
Always On Availability Group is a Microsoft SQL SQL Server feature that the AWS SQL Server installation supports. AG improves the accessibility of a group of user databases. An availability group provides a backup environment for a specific collection of user databases, referred to as availability databases. If one of these databases fails, another takes over its task with no effect on availability. Always On Availability increases database availability, allowing for more effective resource utilization.
Early input validation
Launch Wizard's validation framework examines critical application and infrastructure parameters before provisioning to discover Input validity errors early in the application deployment process. These Verifications can save up to four times the time it would take to complete things manually.
Application resource groups
The Launch Wizard builds a resource group for all your SQL Server application's AWS resources. You may manage the resources using either the EC2 interface or Systems Manager. When using the Launch Wizard to access Systems Manager, the resources are dynamically filtered for you, depending on your resource group. Systems Manager allows you to manage, patch, and support SQL Server applications.
One-click monitoring
Launch Wizard works with CloudWatch Application Insights for a Single-click monitoring setup experience for SQL Server HA workloads deployed on AWS. It immediately creates appropriate metrics, logs, and alarms on CloudWatch and monitors freshly launched workloads. On the CloudWatch console, you can examine intuitive insights and discover faults and the status of your SQL Server HA workloads.
Amazon FSx
For SQL Server deployments, Launch Wizard takes advantage of Amazon FSx to offer Failover Clustering. Failover Clustering is a SQL high availability solution that shares all database and log files (Amazon FSx). The Amazon FSx file share covers several Availability Zones and is highly redundant, enabling automated failover across SQL nodes in the case of a failure.