AWS architecture and draw.io, a match made in developer heaven

How do you keep 446 million people talking

With mobile operations in 26 countries and fixed broadband operations in 17 countries, Vodafone is one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies, and it’s not just for person-to-person chin-wags. Vodafone helps businesses both nationally and internationally do business. Developing a system that allows the world to freely communicate and move oceans of mobile business data is a tall order, so who does Vodafone turn to when they need to communicate?

Vodafone diagram with draw.io

As Vodafone evolves from a telecom giant into a cloud-first, data-driven TechCo, draw.io is there, helping in this evolution. Designing and engineering such systems requires an impressive engineering toolset for developers. draw.io has been tailored to help AWS developers meet those needs.

Ready to see for yourself how draw.io can help your AWS team? Click here to try it for free.

Vodafone and AWS

Vodafone needed an ultra-low latency solution that allowed real-time data flow across a mobile network. AWS Wavelength does just this. It enables developers to build applications that deliver ultra-low latencies to mobile devices and end users. In addition, wavelength deploys standard AWS compute and storage services to the edge of Vodafone’s 5G network.

Vodafone also enjoys the performance of AWS resources like Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) instances, benefiting from the ultra-low latency and connection services to AWS services in the region.

draw.io

So when your business specializes in clear and concise communication, It’s not surprising that you choose draw.io, a diagramming tool that also offers clear and concise communication for your in-house business needs.

And it’s not just Vodafone that loves Amazon

Some serious heavy hitters are using AWS, not that we like to name-drop, but AWS powers:

• Netflix
• Coca Cola
• Expedia
• Volkswagen
• NASA
• BASF
• BMW
• Toyota
• Engie
• Haliburton

As well as some outfit called Atlassian (never heard of them).

Such has been the growth of AWS, from retail to video content distribution; draw.io has also grown to embrace new AWS architectures

As Amazon has evolved, so has draw.io, matching each new technology with an appropriate use case to suit, from infrastructure technologies like compute, databases, and storage, to emerging technologies, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, data lakes, analytics, and Internet of Things.

Regardless of your project:

• Compute
• Storage
• Database
• Network and Content delivery
• Analytics
• Machine learning
• Security identity and compliance

draw.io has the use case to enable you to design and build.

A project is the sum of many parts

It’s all too easy for a team to wander astray or miss something when deep into the development of a project, hence why Atlassian Confluence has been so successful. Helping keep teams and projects on track and on time. It’s the ultimate project management tool or workspace, and draw.io is right there, integrated within it.

But why use draw.io inside Confluence
Any revisions to your AWS diagrams will be documented via the revision history for auditing purposes.
Snapshots of projects and diagrams are preferable for auditing rather than live links to the current version of your design. This is automatic within Confluence.
draw.io’s new real-time live collaboration feature takes customer/contractor communications to a new level, allowing for faster delivery.

The right tool for the job

So it makes sense to use Confluence and draw.io to build and develop initial concepts, which then evolve into mainstream projects. Then, as the project reaches maturity, you can use specialized tools such as Cloudcraft for additional refinement.

Can I Import AWS architectures into draw.io
Yes, but you need to use Cloudcraft as an intermediate step.

1. First, import your AWS architecture into Cloudcraft.
2. Then using Cloudcraft, click Export > Export as 2D to draw.io, and your exported diagram will load in the web version of draw.io.
3. Export this draw.io diagram as an XML.
4. Re-import this same XML into draw.io within Confluence.

It’s about using each tool in your developer armory to its maximum advantage.

Reduce the complexity and eliminate confusion

draw.io has been specifically designed to make your life easier by offering several useful features and tools that help you design, build and deploy Cloud infrastructures in AWS.

Layers
You can assign individual layers to each of the following:

• Infrastructure
• Resources
• ECS
• VPC topology
• Security groups

The ability to separate these individual sections and to be able to toggle them on and off in a diagram helps clarify and show dependencies. draw.io offers a powerful layers tool that is easy to use, enabling you to build scalable, fault-tolerant, and flexible solutions.

Search tool
draw.io provides a multitude of shape libraries and subset libraries for AWS, some 2D, some 3D.

There is no need to trawl through multiple libraries seeking that elusive symbol. Instead, just enter the symbol name in the search bar, hit return, and draw.io will do the rest, offering you a selection of shapes associated with your entry.

Image above-the term Kinesis was used and draw.io found the relevant shapes

Scratchpad
When working on a short-term project, why not create a Scratchpad selection.

A scratchpad can contain your favorite shapes or symbols.
Simply drag the shapes you wish to store from the canvas to the Scratchpad bar, and draw.io will make a copy. And this Scratchpad will always remain with that diagram, so should you need to re-edit it, the scratchpad symbols will always be there.

Image above-the Scratchpad has had 2 shapes added by the user.

Custom libraries
Even better, you can create custom libraries of shapes. A dedicated custom library containing symbols or shapes cherry-picked from multiple libraries helps improve your workflow.

Read here to learn more about Custom shape libraries and the Scratchpad.

Read here to learn more about Custom shape libraries and the Scratchpad.

Oh, and a final word about teamwork

Only draw.io offers live real-time collaboration when diagramming and whiteboarding inside Confluence.

Given the increasing complexity of projects within AWS, live collaboration is a huge advantage. Nothing moves a project along faster than teamwork, and as systems become more and more complex, the days of the solo developer are quickly coming to an end.

Everyone has their specialty, and how better to unleash creative teamwork than to use live collaboration. Regardless of the geography, draw.io Cloud users can now truly work as a team, building documents while enjoying all the security and features of Atlassian Confluence.

And it’s not just within developer teams. The power of collaboration also revolutionizes the client/developer relationship. Real-time visual discussions with the clients and the ability to throw concepts around live in a conference call are priceless.

No other diagramming app comes close.

AWS is how -> How do engineers do impossible things? AWS is how, with a little help from tools like draw.io.

draw.io’s continuing evolution

Every single feature in draw.io is carefully considered and thought out. It’s more than just software. It’s a tool designed to help real people work together in real-life scenarios. Our job is to make your job easier; that’s draw.io

Keen to learn more, visit our YouTube Channel for a constantly updated playlist of how-to videos.

Check out our one-stop tutorial shop to pick up all the ins and outs of draw.io diagramming.

Or book a free no-obligation demo to learn more about the limitless ways in which draw.io can make life easier and more productive for you and everyone in (and outside) your company!

Happy diagramming!