AWS Marketplace: Streamlining Software Solutions

AWS Marketplace is a curated digital catalogue which provides third-party software, data and services that run on Amazon Web Services (AWS). Included within it are thousands of software listings that simplify the software licensing and procurement process.

For public sector organisations facing challenges, such as limited time and resources, the AWS Marketplace serves as an efficient and effective route to help them deliver their missions. AWS can also help public sector organisations overcome one of their great blockers - strict compliance regulations.

AWS supports 143 security standards and compliance certifications. Any solution available from the AWS Marketplace will inherit the security controls that AWS uses on its own infrastructure to help meet these standards.

This means that AWS Partners listing offerings in AWS Marketplace will already have a head start on meeting compliance regulations.

To offer buyers a much more comprehensive view of the security and compliance information for the product or vendor, AWS announced Vendor Insights.

This allows sellers to provide access on demand to evidence regarding their security and compliance, streamlining the buyer’s risk assessment and procurement process.

AWS Marketplace is available in all AWS regions, including commercial AWS regions, AWS GovCloud (US) regions and classified regions. This enables users to procure solutions in AWS Marketplace that can be certified to meet stricter regulations.

FedRAMP compliance on AWS

The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is a US government initiative that standardised the security assessment, authorisation and continuous monitoring of cloud products and services. Cloud service providers (CSPs) like AWS, offering cloud service offerings (CSOs) to the US government, must demonstrate compliance with FedRAMP. This programme utilises the NIST Special Publication 800 series, which requires CSPs to undergo an independent security assessment conducted by a third-party assessment organisation (3PAO).

To meet these regulatory challenges, AWS launched the AWS GovCloud (US) Regions in 2011. These regions offer hundreds of services and features designed to meet the technical needs of the federal government and other customers with strict compliance requirements.

Additionally, AWS Marketplace features over 100 FedRAMP-compliant solutions developed by AWS Partners, further supporting the compliance needs of government agencies.

Using AWS Marketplace to speed up requirements

AWS Marketplace is an invaluable resource for organisations aiming to achieve Authority to Operate (ATO), providing a wide range of compliant software solutions. While AWS has secured FedRAMP Provisional Authority to Operate (P-ATO) for their cloud service offerings (CSOs), it remains the mission owner's responsibility to obtain full ATO.

Several AWS Marketplace vendors provide cutting-edge security and compliance tools which are essential for achieving ATO requirements. Vendors can offer firewall solutions, intrusion detection systems and advanced threat protection services — all crucial components for securing sensitive data and applications in alignment with regulatory standards.

As well as the AWS Marketplace ensuring that these vendor offerings are preconfigured to comply with industry regulations, streamlining the ATO process.

Through these solutions, organisations can effectively address security concerns, demonstrate compliance and expedite the ATO process.

Speaking when AWS announced four new capabilities for AWS Supply Chain, Diego Pantoja-Navajas, VP of AWS Supply Chain, said: “With AWS Supply Chain, our customers have been able to increase inventory visibility and execute on insights to mitigate supply chain risks, reduce cost and improve customer satisfaction. And thanks to the power of generative AI, customers can ask Amazon Q in AWS Supply Chain what is happening across their supply chains and receive intelligent, conversational answers to complex questions.”

Thanks to the power of generative AI, customers can ask Amazon Q in AWS Supply Chain what is happening across their supply chains and receive intelligent, conversational answers to complex questions.”

Preventing vendor lock-in with AWS Marketplace

AWS Marketplace addresses a critical challenge for many organisations: vendor lock-in. This occurs when a company becomes overly reliant on a vendor, hindering their ability to switch to alternative services. AWS Marketplace offers familiar software options, enabling organisations to leverage their existing technical expertise in the cloud. Additionally, customers can benefit from AWS Marketplace's Bring Your Own Licence (BYOL) options, allowing them to migrate legacy licences to the cloud without repurchasing products.

AWS's pay-as-you-go pricing model ensures customers are never bound to the AWS platform. They can migrate out and close their AWS accounts at any time, avoiding vendor lock-in with AWS as a CSP.

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