Imagine you had a tough day, came back home, freshened up, sat on your couch, and turned on your favorite Netflix show. Boom, in just a few seconds, you can play ANY movie in the vast collection of Netflix, which if you had to store on your hard drive, you would need 26,000 GB at least, and imagine millions of them trying to access all at the same time!
Have you ever wondered how it all works?
Well, it's all thanks to Amazon Web Services (AWS) - a set of powerful tools that help Netflix bring you the best in entertainment.
1. Amazon S3 for storing
All those movies and TV shows need a place to be stored, right? That's where Amazon S3 comes in. It's like a giant hard disk, storing all the movies and TV shows that millions want to watch. When you click play, the movie streams right from AWS S3 to your TV or mobile!
2. DynamoDB for storing user and other text data
DynamoDB is where all structured information is stored, information like, username, what users liked, shared, added to playlists, and other standard lists like top 10 crime, comedy, and action movies, etc. So now you where such information is stored exactly within Netflix.
3. CloudFront for faster delivery of content
Have you ever noticed how your TV show or movie starts playing almost instantly? That praise belongs to Amazon CloudFront! It's like a super-fast delivery service, ensuring the show reaches your screen in no time, no matter where you are. It is not one unit somewhere in India or the US, it is spread across the globe at thousands of touchpoints, so you can access the best of Netflix in a matter of seconds.
4. Amazon EC2 for Computing
Amazon EC2 is the core computing that does all the computation behind the scenes for every action a user makes. Considering the size of Netflix, it literally needs to process millions of requests per second. Behind the scenes, it also does things like video compression, improved encoding, audio quality, analyzing of usage patterns by users, and more.
5. ElastiCache for caching the most used content
Imagine if every time you clicked, there was a long wait. That's where ElastiCache comes in. It stores frequently used information so that everything happens in a snap. It's like having a shortcut to your favorite TV shows or movies.
These AWS tools work together in collaboration, ensuring your Netflix experience is top-notch. They make sure you can easily watch your favorite shows, no matter where you are.
Next time you're enjoying a movie night, remember the unsung heroes behind the scenes - Amazon Web Services and the amazing folks at Netflix!
#Netflix #AWS #CloudComputing #Microservices #SystemsDesign 🎥✨
PS: Picture credit - Photo by Venti Views on Unsplash
Let's stay in touch for more insights and updates. ✨Join my AI & Cloud Insights newsletter✨ You can find me on my LinkedIn Profile. Looking forward to connecting!