Question: Does AWS support cost money?

Answer

AWS Support can indeed cost money, depending on the level of support you choose.

AWS Support Plans

AWS offers several support plans that cater to different business needs and budgets. Here's a breakdown:

1. Basic Support:

   • Cost: Free
   • Features:
     • 24/7 access to customer service
     • Access to AWS documentation and forums
     • Support for account and billing questions

2. Developer Support:

   • Cost: Starts at $29/month
   • Features:
     • Business-hours email access to Cloud Support Associates
     • Support for one primary contact
     • General guidance within 24 business hours
     • System impaired guidance within 12 business hours

3. Business Support:

   • Cost: Starts at $100/month or a percentage of AWS usage
   • Features:
     • 24/7 phone, email, and chat access to Cloud Support Engineers
     • Response time: < 1 hour for critical impacts
     • Contextual guidance based on specific workloads
     • Third-party software support

4. Enterprise Support:

   • Cost: Tailored pricing based on AWS usage
   • Features:
     • Access to a Technical Account Manager (TAM)
     • Concierge support team
     • 15-minute response time for business-critical system outages
     • Infrastructure event management

How to Choose a Support Plan

When choosing a support plan, consider the following factors:

• Business Needs: If your applications are mission-critical, you might require faster response times and direct operational support, making the Business or Enterprise plans suitable.
• Budget: Analyze your AWS usage and compare it against the cost of support plans to find a balance.
• Resource Management: Enterprise plans provide deeper involvement with AWS, which could be invaluable if you lack resources or experience in cloud operations.
• Complexity of Workloads: More complex, hybrid, or heterogenous environments could benefit from more robust support.

While AWS Basic Support is free and covers essential services, accessing more extensive support services incurs costs. Carefully assess your requirements to choose a plan that aligns with your operational and financial needs.