The AWS Well-Architected Framework
AWS Well-Architected helps cloud architects build secure, high-performing, resilient, and efficient infrastructure for a variety of applications and workloads. Built around six pillars.
AWS Well-Architected provides a consistent approach for customers and partners to evaluate architectures and identify priorities for improvement.
The Six Pillars of AWS Well-Architected
Operational Excellence
The operational excellence pillar focuses on running and monitoring systems and continually improving processes and procedures.
Security
The security pillar focuses on protecting information and systems.
Reliability
The reliability pillar focuses on workloads performing their intended functions and how to recover quickly from failure to meet demands.
Performance Efficiency
The performance efficiency pillar focuses on the structured and streamlined allocation of IT and computing resources.
Cost Optimization
The cost optimization pillar focuses on avoiding unnecessary costs.
Sustainability
The sustainability pillar focuses on minimizing the environmental impacts of running cloud workloads.
The AWS Well-Architected Framework organizes architecture discussions around six pillars. A review uses these areas to help teams examine their workloads and identify questions or risks that need attention. See the AWS Well-Architected Framework.
Framework references last reviewed October 7, 2026.
| Pillar | Review focus |
|---|---|
| Operational Excellence | How teams operate, monitor, and improve workloads. |
| Security | How identities, data, and infrastructure are protected. |
| Reliability | How workloads recover and continue to meet demand. |
| Performance Efficiency | How resource choices meet workload requirements. |
| Cost Optimization | How teams understand and manage cloud costs. |
| Sustainability | How resource use and workload efficiency can improve. |
For example, a team preparing a customer-facing workload for seasonal demand could discuss its scaling assumptions, recovery approach, access controls, and cost drivers with a Technical Account Manager. The discussion can map those questions to the six pillars and help the team prioritize what to investigate next. This is an illustrative scenario, not a customer case study; any implementation work is separately scoped and authorized.
Learn how AWS Partner-Led Support includes TAM-led Well-Architected Reviews.
