AWS Marketplace - cloud app market for Amazon's platform

Better than anybody in the world Amazon can build online stores, so the launch of the cloud app store for Amazon Web Services platform - is very logical move. The question may be only one: what's the point of creating software store for AWS, if AWS can host almost any software in the world? The fact is that AWS Marketplace sells not software but software images, specially created for the AWS (so-called AMI = Amazon Machine Images). Each image in addition to the software contains everything it needs to run (operating system, middleware). And you can install such AMI on Amazon's server with just one click. You do not need to configure the software - everything works out-of-the-box. Thus, developers and IT administrators need less and less brains to start using Amazon's cloud platform. You just need to create an account, go to the app store, add to cart needed software (from the operating system to CRM system) and that's all.

Of course, you'll need to pay for everything, and using pre-built AMIs you'll be paying more than having done software installation and configuration by yourself. But you pay for all to a single provider. Besides AWS Marketplace provides some free AMIs (created open-source industry).

For developers AWS Marketplace - is an additional channel to promote the software and easy-to-use billing system. In fact, AWS Marketplace allows a developer to become a SaaS-provider without thinking about servers, security, virtualization and monthly payments. However, Amazon will grab 20% of your income.

See also: Top 10 Public Cloud Platforms