AWS

AWS has launched Graphics G7 bundles for Amazon WorkSpaces Personal and Core, powered by NVIDIA RTX PRO 4500 Blackwell Server Edition GPUs and Intel Xeon 6 processors. These new instances deliver up to 2.1x performance improvement for graphics-intensive tasks compared to the previous G6 generation. Each GPU features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory, supporting complex 3D scenes and AI-assisted design workflows.

• Graphics G7 bundles use NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs for up to 2.1x better graphics performance over G6.
• Configurations range from 8 vCPUs/32 GB RAM/1 GPU to 48 vCPUs/192 GB RAM/2 GPUs.
• 32 GB GDDR7 per GPU enables higher fidelity rendering for CAD, 3D, and AI design apps.
• Available for both Windows and Linux workspaces in WorkSpaces Personal and Core.

Amazon ECS Express Mode now allows users to specify ARM64 as the CPU architecture for services, enabling deployment of ARM-based container images on AWS Graviton instances. This update retains the simplified workflow where ECS handles networking, load balancing, and auto-scaling while providing an auto-generated URL. The move targets workloads seeking improved price-performance, with AWS citing up to 40% better metrics compared to x86-based instances.

• Specify ARM64 in ECS Express Mode to leverage Graviton compute power for containerized apps.
• Potential price-performance gains of up to 40% over x86 instances for suitable workloads.
• ECS Express Mode continues to automate networking, load balancing, and scaling without manual config.
• Maintains the auto-generated URL feature for rapid API and web application deployment.

AWS Resilience Hub introduces three new features to enhance workload resilience assessment. EKS labels are now supported as service input sources, enabling precise scoping via existing Kubernetes conventions. The update also brings automated dependency insights and the ability to share resilience policies across organizations using AWS Organizations.

• Scope resilience assessments to specific Kubernetes namespaces using EKS labels.
• Leverage automated dependency insights to map service relationships accurately.
• Standardize resilience standards by sharing policies across the organization.
• Integrate these capabilities into existing platform engineering workflows.

AWS has added Amazon S3 Express One Zone to seven additional regions, including Singapore, Sao Paulo, and Northern California. This single-Availability Zone storage class targets latency-sensitive workloads by delivering consistent single-digit millisecond access speeds. It offers up to 10x faster data access and 80% lower request costs compared to S3 Standard.

• Available in 7 new regions: Singapore, Sao Paulo, N. California, Canada Central, Paris, Sydney, Seoul
• Delivers single-digit millisecond latency for frequently accessed data and AI/ML workloads
• Up to 10x faster access and 80% lower request costs than S3 Standard
• Designed for key-value caching, interactive analytics, and ML training data access

AWS STS now enforces a single 4,096-byte limit for session tokens, replacing previous separate caps on tokens and input parameters. This change provides more flexibility for large combinations of policies and session tags. The service also exposes token size and utilization metrics via CloudTrail and CloudWatch, alongside a new API parameter to test larger token generation.

• Single 4KB limit replaces separate caps for tokens and inline policies
• New CloudTrail/CloudWatch metrics track token size and utilization percentage
• Use new API parameter to test infrastructure compatibility with larger tokens
• Enables larger policy/tag combinations without hitting fragmented limits

AWS now routes root user sign-in requests across US East (Ohio) and US West (Oregon) in addition to N. Virginia, eliminating the single-region dependency on N. Virginia. The service automatically handles traffic distribution without requiring configuration changes from users. ConsoleLogin events are now logged in the specific region that processed the authentication request.

• Root sign-in is now multi-regional, reducing outage risk from N. Virginia disruptions.
• No client-side changes required; AWS handles routing automatically.
• Audit logs reflect the processing region, not a fixed default.
• Update monitoring to cover Ohio and Oregon for complete visibility.
• Alerting rules must now include these two additional regions.

AWS Direct Connect now offers a flat-rate monthly pricing model for 10 Gbps and 100 Gbps dedicated links, eliminating per-gigabyte data transfer out charges within the selected tier. This option targets workloads with large, sustained outbound traffic where variable costs previously made budgeting difficult. The legacy pay-as-you-go model remains available for customers preferring flexibility without long-term commitments.

• Flat-rate tiers remove DTO charges, stabilizing costs for high-volume, sustained outbound traffic.
• Applies specifically to 10 Gbps and 100 Gbps dedicated connection speeds.
• Pay-as-you-go pricing for port hours and DTO remains an option for variable workloads.
• Simplifies FinOps forecasting by replacing variable per-GB rates with a fixed monthly fee.