The launch of the AWS Region Malaysia at 6 AM was a major milestone for the cloud ecosystem in Southeast Asia, and Axrail was proud to be among the first to deploy our services in this new region. With the benefits of localized infrastructure, faster processing, and enhanced security, the new region offers immense value to businesses looking to scale efficiently.
In this post, we’ll share our technical experience deploying workloads using AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK), the challenges we encountered, and the lessons we learned along the way. From adapting to unavailable services to the power of automation, our journey was full of valuable insights that can benefit any business considering a similar move.
Why the AWS Region Malaysia Matters
The AWS Region Malaysia opens the door to faster data processing, lower latency, and improved security for businesses in the country. Localized infrastructure helps meet data residency requirements, a crucial factor for regulated industries, while reducing latency by processing workloads closer to end-users.
For Axrail, this new region allowed us to deliver enhanced performance for our AI-powered automation and data-driven solutions. With our focus on advanced AI workloads, document automation, and customer interactions, deploying in the AWS Region Malaysia ensures we meet our customers’ needs for speed and security.
Our Deployment Journey: AWS CDK for Fast, Reliable Deployments
Using AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK), we were able to deploy our services rapidly and efficiently. CDK allowed us to define our infrastructure as code, ensuring consistency and scalability across environments. Within hours of the region going live, we had key services deployed and running.
Using infrastructure as code like CDK significantly reduced our deployment time and minimized the risk of manual errors. It also gave us the flexibility to rapidly make adjustments when challenges arose.
Positive Adaptations: Embracing Service Availability
As with any new AWS region, there are some services that weren’t immediately available, such as AWS X-Ray and the default Lambda layer. Rather than seeing this as a limitation, it gave us the opportunity to innovate and refine our approach.
AWS X-Ray: X-Ray, which we rely on for tracing and monitoring microservices, was unavailable. To compensate, we adapted by using CloudWatch Logs and Metrics for request tracking and diagnostics.
Custom Lambda Layers: The absence of default Lambda layers prompted us to create a custom solution. By packaging our own dependencies, we not only ensured smooth function execution but also gained deeper control over our Lambda environment. This custom approach turned out to be a valuable learning experience that we can apply in future deployments.
Thanks to our deep AWS experience, we were able to adapt to these changes in minutes, keeping our services running smoothly and minimizing any potential disruption. Our team’s familiarity with AWS’s tools and infrastructure enabled us to find quick solutions and maintain high performance throughout the deployment process.
Key Lessons Learned from the Deployment
Lesson 1: Adaptability is Essential for New Region Launches
The opportunity to innovate by adapting to temporarily unavailable services like AWS X-Ray and Lambda layers showed us the importance of flexibility. By implementing alternative solutions and taking advantage of the chance to customize our infrastructure, we were able to deliver excellent results even in a rapidly evolving environment.
Lesson 2: Automation with AWS CDK Saves Time and Reduces Errors
Using AWS CDK allowed us to automate infrastructure deployment, drastically reducing the time required to launch in the new region. With infrastructure defined as code, our deployment process was repeatable, scalable, and error-free.
Takeaway: Automation is key to rapid and reliable deployments. For businesses looking to scale quickly, AWS CDK offers a powerful toolset to accelerate the process.
Performance Gains and Immediate Impact
Deploying in the AWS Region Malaysia immediately improved the performance of our services. With workloads running locally, we saw:
Reduced Latency: The closer proximity to end-users led to faster response times, particularly for customer-facing services like our AI chatbot.
Improved Data Security: Meeting local data residency requirements became easier, ensuring compliance while keeping sensitive data secure.
Increased Scalability: AWS’s robust infrastructure allowed us to scale our operations without compromising performance or security.
For example, one of our key clients, Pelangi Publishing Group Bhd, saw immediate benefits from faster processing times and more efficient inventory management, thanks to the improved performance in the new region.
Looking Ahead: Optimizing for the Future
As AWS continues to roll out additional services in the AWS Region Malaysia, such as X-Ray and Lambda layers, we will continue to optimize and fine-tune our architecture. For now, our ability to adapt quickly and deploy efficiently ensures that we’re always delivering the best possible service to our customers.
Conclusion: Join Us at Axrail
The launch of the AWS Region Malaysia was a significant step forward for Axrail and our customers. By leveraging AWS native services and infrastructure as code, we were able to deploy our workloads in a very short time and make necessary adjustments to overcome service limitations. This experience reinforced two key lessons: the importance of adaptability and the power of automation in accelerating deployments.
As we continue to expand and optimize our services, we’re looking for talented individuals to join our team. If you’re passionate about cloud innovation, AI, and pushing the boundaries of technology, Axrail is the place for you. Help us deliver cutting-edge solutions for businesses across the region and be part of a team that thrives on challenges and innovation.
Interested in joining us? Reach out today to learn more about career opportunities at Axrail and how you can contribute to the future of cloud and AI technology.
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