This whitepaper is for historical reference only. Some content might be outdated and some links might not be available. # AWS overview AWS provides on-demand computing resources and services in the cloud, with pay-as-you-go pricing. As of the date of this publication, AWS serves over a million active customers in more than 190 countries, and is available in over 30 [AWS Regions](https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/global-infrastructure/regions_az/) worldwide. You can run a server on AWS and log in, configure, secure, and operate it just as you would operate a server in your own data center. Using AWS resources for your compute needs is like purchasing electricity from a power company instead of running your own generator, and it provides many of the same benefits: + The capacity you get exactly matches your needs. + You pay only for what you use. + Economies of scale result in lower costs. + The service is provided by a vendor who is experienced in running large-scale compute and network systems.