Entries by Caroline Lea

TekStream Solutions Attains AWS Well-Architected Framework Partner Status

February 10, 2020 /0 Comments/in /by

TekStream joins elite group of less than 150 AWS partners worldwide certified to conduct Well-Architected Framework evaluations.

TekStream Solutions, an Atlanta-based digital transformation technology firm and Advanced Consulting Partner in the Amazon Web Services Partner Network (APN), is excited to announce that they are now a part of the AWS Well-Architected Framework.

The Well-Architected Framework was developed to help cloud architects build secure, high-performing, resilient, and efficient infrastructure for their applications. Based on five pillars — operational excellence, security, reliability, performance efficiency, and cost optimization — the Framework provides a consistent approach for AWS customers and partners to evaluate architectures and implement designs that will scale over time.

Fewer than 150 of all AWS consulting partners have achieved the Well-Architected Framework (WAF) Partner designation. To qualify for the WAF Partner Program, partners must have earned Advanced Tier status, have a specified number of AWS Certified Solutions Architects on staff, and have committed to completing a minimum number of Well-Architected Reviews per quarter.

” The AWS Well-Architected Framework is the best-practice template for consistent customer cloud success. Our commitment to delivering the highest standards for digital transformation made achieving this partner designation a priority and squarely aligns with our mission and the needs of our customers.” stated Judd Robins, Executive Vice President of Sales.  “We’re very excited that TekStream is now one of the leading AWS partners approved to deliver AWS Well-Architected Reviews.”

For more information about AWS’ Well Architected Framework, visit https://aws.amazon.com/architecture/well-architected/

About TekStream Solutions

TekStream accelerates clients’ digital transformation by navigating complex technology environments with a combination of technical expertise and staffing solutions. We guide clients’ decisions, quickly implement the right technologies with the right people, and keep them running for sustainable growth.  Our battle-tested processes and methodology help companies with legacy systems get to the cloud faster, so they can be agile, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiencies. And with 100s of deployments under our belt, we can guarantee on-time and on-budget project delivery.  That’s why 97% of clients are repeat customers. For more information visit https://www.tekstream.com/

You Can Stop Data Breaches Before They Start​

January 14, 2020 /0 Comments/in , /by

You would think that, given the ruinous financial and reputational consequences of data breaches, companies would take them seriously and do everything possible to prevent them. But, in many cases, you would be wrong. The global cost of cybercrime is expected to exceed $2 trillion in 2019, according to Juniper Research’s The Future of Cybercrime […]

Integrating Splunk Phantom with Splunk Enterprise

January 10, 2020 /0 Comments/in , /by

By: Joe Wohar | Splunk Consultant   There are multiple apps that can be used to integrate Phantom with Splunk, each exists for a different reason. Some of the functionality overlaps. The intent of this post is to provide a guide to knowing which one to leverage based upon what environment you are working in […]

Why Splunk on AWS?

December 23, 2019 /0 Comments/in , , /by

AWS is the world’s most comprehensive and widely-adopted cloud platform, offering over 165 services from data centers all over the globe. AWS allows you to build sophisticated applications with increased flexibility, scalability and reliability. The platform serves businesses from everyone from government agencies and Fortune 1,000 companies to small businesses and entrepreneurial startups.

Should your business consider using AWS? Changing databases to AWS is easy with the AWS database migration service, or by using AWS managed services or an AWS consulting agency.  Here’s why AWS is amongst the leading cloud computing services.

Reason #1: It’s Flexible 

Anyone can sign up for AWS and use the services without advanced programming language skills. AWS prioritizes consumer-centered design thinking, allowing users to select their preferred operating system, programming language, database, and other vital preferences. They also provide comprehensive developer resources and informative tools available to help maintain AWS’s ease of use and keep it up-to-date. 

Whether your team has the time to learn AWS or has access to AWS consulting, training users is simple. AWS offers their services with a no-commitment approach. Many software solutions use this as a way to market monthly subscriptions, but AWS services are charged on an hourly basis. As soon as you terminate a server, billing won’t include the next hour.   

With AWS, you can spin-up a new server within a matter of minutes compared to the hours or days it takes to procure a new traditional server. Plus, there’s no need to buy separate licenses for the new server. 

Reason #2: It’s Cost-Effective 

With AWS, you pay based on your actual usage. AWS’s cloud solution makes paying for what you use the standard for database storage, content delivery, compute power, and other services. No more fixed server cost or on-prem monitoring fees. Your cost structure scales as your business scales, providing your company with an affordable option that correlates with its current needs. This results in lower capital expenditure and faster time to value without sacrificing application performance or user experience. Amazon also has a strong focus on reducing infrastructure cost for buyers. 

Reason #3: It’s Secure 

Cloud security is the highest priority at AWS. Global banks, military, and other highly-sensitive organizations rely on AWS, which is backed by a deep set of cloud security tools. Maintaining high standards of security without managing your own facility allows companies to focus on scaling their business, with the help of:  

  • AWS multiple availability zones (which consist of one or more data centers around the globe with redundant power, networking, and connectivity) that aid your business in remaining resilient to most failure modes, like natural disasters or system failures. 
  • Configured, built-in firewall rules that allow you to transition from completely public to private or somewhere in between to control access according to circumstance.

Multiple Migration Options

Depending on your unique business and tech stack needs, AWS offers companies multiple options for realizing its host of benefits. For Splunk, those options include:

  1. Migrate your Splunk On-Prem directly to AWS
  2. Migrate your Splunk On-Prem to Splunk Cloud (which sits on AWS)

Migrating to the cloud can be a business challenge, but AWS makes it simpler. While on the journey towards stronger digital security and efficiency, AWS can save time and resources. With its flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and security, you can easily deploy a number of software-based processes to an inclusive cloud-based solution.

Implementing Right-Click Integrations in Splunk

December 20, 2019 /0 Comments/in , /by

By: Eric Howell | Splunk Consultant   Splunk provides Admins the opportunity to build a huge variety of customizations, visualizations, apps, and a near-infinitude of different options to finely tune your Splunk experience and have it best suit your needs. There is a use case and a solution for almost any task you can throw […]

Automated Patching with Ansible and the TekStream MSP

December 20, 2019 /0 Comments/in , /by

By: Karla Broadrick | Technical Architect & Team Lead   TekStream is excited to roll out the use of Ansible for automated patching of customer environments managed under the Managed Services Program (MSP). What is Ansible? Ansible is an IT automation engine.  It can be used to automate any number of repetitive system administration tasks […]

Deep Freeze Your Splunk Data in AWS

December 13, 2019 /0 Comments/in , , /by

By: Zubair Rauf | Splunk Consultant   In today’s day and age, storage has become a commodity, but, even now, reliable high-speed storage comes at a substantial cost. For on-premise Splunk deployments, Splunk recommends RAID 0 or 1+0 disks capable of at least 1200 IOPS and this increases in high-volume environments. Similarly, in bring-your-own-license cloud […]

Sneak Peek Into Our Approach to Migrating Splunk On-Prem to AWS How to Migrate Splunk On-Prem to AWS

December 9, 2019 /0 Comments/in , , /by

Splunk on AWS offers a special kind of magic. Splunk makes it simple to collect, analyze and act on data of all kinds. AWS applications for Splunk allow users to ingest that data quickly, with visualization tools, dashboards, and alerts. Together, they help organizations see through the noise. When a notable event (such as a potential breach) occurs, you can find and act on it quickly, making the combo a powerful tool for risk management. 

Running Splunk on the cloud gives organization resiliency, with all the advantages of scalability, flexibility, cost-optimization, and security.  Yet migrating to the cloud poses many challenges and implementing the new system alone can be intimidating, costly, and time-consuming if not done correctly. AWS database migration services are available to mitigate the impact of this necessary shift for your business. 

Finding an experienced and expert AWS and combined Splunk managed services partner to help you navigate can ease the process. Here’s a quick look into how to handle the change from Splunk On-Prem to AWS.

How Splunk Licensing Works

Each of your Splunk Enterprise instances require a license, which specifies how many gigabytes per day a given Splunk Enterprise instance can index and which features you have access to. Multiple types of licenses are available, and distributed deployments, consisting of multiple instances, require a few extra steps. 

Choosing the correct Splunk licensing option can be confusing. It requires outlining the types of business problems you wish to solve with Splunk, then estimating how much data usage you will need to perform this work over time.

Finding a Partner with Licensing Expertise

Non-compliance with licensing can lead to overages and penalties. As your advisory partner, TekStream can work with you to ensure that your Splunk and AWS licenses are in order.

TekStream has extensive experience navigating the specifics of complex license structures and contracts. Our Splunk Enterprise consultants will leverage their years of experience to help you assess your needs, accurately estimate your data usage, and determine the optimal license types and quantities for your unique needs.

In addition to Splunk licensing for new implementations, TekStream will also help your organization save money on licensing renewals. We will examine your Splunk usage to date, pinpoint areas where you may be overpaying, and provide you with viable alternatives to reduce your costs without sacrificing efficiency.

The 4 Most Common Licensing Structures

When selecting a licensing structure for Splunk on AWS, there are 4 main options. The best option will vary depending on the organization. Through careful analysis of your current licensing structures and your desired future state, we will work with you to determine the optimal licensing structure.  

Option 1: Migrate Your Existing Perpetual or Term License to AWS

Option 2: Convert Your Current License to Splunk Cloud (which would run on AWS)

Option 3: Convert to a Term or Infrastructure License (if on a Perpetual License)

Option 4: Pay-As-You-Go as part of a 3rd-Party Hosted MSP Solution

Each option has its pros and cons depending on an organization’s goals and usage. A partner can help you select the best option. TekStream’s deep experience overseeing complex data migrations empowers us to act as true consultative partners. We have the experience needed to quickly scope challenges and present solutions for your unique situation.

Take the risk out of your Splunk migration to AWS. We are so confident in our battle-tested strategy and proven database migration process that we guarantee that your database migration will be completed on-time and on-budget (when using TekStream’s Proven Process). We also guarantee optimal and cost-effective license and cloud subscriptions. 

 

Download the
Ultimate Guide

To find out more specifics about our proven process and get an in-depth look into our services, read The Ultimate Guide to Migrating Your Splunk On-Prem to Amazon Web Services.