Mergers and Acquisitions Lens - AWS Well-Architected Framework
Publication date: May 15, 2024 (Document revisions)
This paper describes the Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Lens for the AWS Well-Architected Framework, which helps acquiring entities align with AWS best practices and guidance in the six pillars of the Well-Architected Framework for workload integration and migration to the cloud. It identifies when sub-optimal practices are being used which may lead to technical debt, and offers prescriptive guidance on how to improve or remediate the sub-optimal practices. We address general design and integration principles, as well as specific best practices and guidance. This lens supports AWS customers at all stages of the mergers and acquisitions lifecycle.
Introduction
The AWS Well-Architected Framework helps you understand and assess the pros and cons of decisions you make while building systems on AWS. By using the Well-Architected Framework, you can learn architectural best practices for designing and operating reliable, secure, efficient, and cost-effective systems in the cloud. It provides a way for you to consistently measure your architectures against best practices and identify areas for improvement. The process for reviewing an architecture is a constructive conversation about architectural decisions, and is not an audit mechanism. We believe that having well-architected systems greatly increases the likelihood of business success.
In this lens, we focus on technical debt, modernization, intellectual property, and compliance analysis. The M&A Lens can be a foundation on which two organizations can find common ground based on AWS best practices. You should still consider best practices and questions that have not been included in this document when designing your architecture. We recommend that you read the AWS Well-Architected Framework whitepaper.
This document is intended for those involved in the M&A technical integration planning process, such as CTOs, architects, M&A leads, and other integrators. After reading this document, you should understand AWS best practices and strategies to apply when preparing to integrate two technical environments.
Technical integration is crucial for achieving synergy and value creation during mergers and acquisitions. It involves combining the technological infrastructure, systems, and processes of two companies to create a unified technology platform. Without proper technical integration, companies risk facing disruptions in their operations, decreased efficiency, increased cost and loss of valuable data. In addition, guided technical integration can also provide opportunities for innovation and growth by leveraging the combined expertise and capabilities of both companies. Overall, technical integration plays a critical role in the success of mergers and acquisitions transactions.
The M&A Lens is created for companies to follow AWS prescribed best practices during technical integration, drive cost optimization, and expediate merger and acquisition value realization. This guidance drives architectural qualities that layer M&A specific best practices. This lens should be applied as an expansion to the AWS Well-Architected Framework. The output of both the AWS Well-Architected Framework review process and this lens is a report containing applicable best practices, including whether or not they are in use at the time of review. Customers can use these outputs to improve the impact and outcomes of their integration, and to engage with their own governance mechanisms in a meaningful way. Every mergers and acquisitions transaction is unique, which means different expectations, needs, mandates, and even integration patterns. Anyone responsible for delivering mergers and acquisitions integration must learn and understand the special context of that transaction to apply what is appropriate from this lens.
Custom lens availability
Custom lenses extend the best practice guidance provided by AWS Well-Architected Tool. AWS WA Tool allows you to create your own custom lenses, or to use lenses created by others that have been shared with you.
To determine if a custom lens is available for the lens described in this whitepaper, reach out to your Technical Account Manager (TAM), Solutions Architect (SA), or AWS Support.
