Optimizing Multi-Organization Management with AWS Private MarketplaceTable of ContentsIntroductionUnderstanding AWS Private MarketplaceThe Challenge of Multi-Account ManagementSolution Overview: Distributed Serverless SynchronizationDetailed Implementation GuidePractical Benefits and ApplicationsConclusionFAQIntroductionImagine a world where managing software procurement across multiple organizations is as seamless and automated as possible. In highly regulated industries, the ability to streamline processes while ensuring compliance is crucial. In today's blog post, we are diving into how Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides a serverless, distributed solution to govern Private Marketplace experiences across multiple organizations.In this article, you'll learn about the benefits and features of AWS Private Marketplace, the technical solution for managing multi-organization environments, and a step-by-step guide to implementing this solution. By the end, you should have a comprehensive understanding of how to maximize the efficiency and compliance of your AWS operations across diverse organizational structures.Understanding AWS Private MarketplaceWhat is AWS Private Marketplace?AWS Private Marketplace is a feature built on top of AWS Marketplace, a digital catalog that offers thousands of third-party software, services, and data solutions. AWS Private Marketplace allows organizations to curate a list of approved products that align with their internal policies. This ensures that all procured products comply with the organization’s standards, providing an additional layer of governance.Why Use AWS Private Marketplace?AWS Private Marketplace is particularly beneficial for large, multi-national companies, consortia, or government entities that need to ensure compliance and cost-efficiency across numerous member organizations. It simplifies cost allocation, enables regulatory compliance, and enhances security by isolating resources.The Challenge of Multi-Account ManagementHigher Isolation and SecurityIn a multi-account strategy recommended by AWS, higher isolation of resources can help meet regulatory and compliance needs while tracking operational costs and adding a layer of security. However, managing multiple accounts across several AWS Organizations can be complex and time-consuming.Need for Centralized ManagementA centralized management approach can mitigate the complexity of multi-account environments by synchronizing Private Marketplace experiences across various organizations, ensuring uniform compliance and access controls.Solution Overview: Distributed Serverless SynchronizationCentralized ManagementThe AWS solution for managing Private Marketplace across multiple organizations is both serverless and distributed. It uses AWS Control Tower for initial setup and ongoing synchronization of approved products across multiple member organizations via a central management organization.Two Scenarios of ImplementationSingle Management Approach: One central management organization governs multiple member organizations.Distributed Approach: Multiple management experiences are created so that member organizations can manage themselves more independently within a centralized framework.Detailed Implementation GuideStep 1: Enable Private Marketplace and Delegated AdministrationFirst, enable the Private Marketplace in each organization. For security best practices, avoid using the management account and instead identify another account within each organization to activate the Private Marketplace delegated administration.Step 2: Create Member ExperiencesCreate experiences in each member organization and associate them with your AWS Organizations root node. Set these experiences to live, as only live experiences will be synchronized.Step 3: Create a Central Management ExperienceIn your management organization, create an experience to govern the various member experiences. Log in via the Private Marketplace delegated administration account identified in Step 1.Step 4: Deploy the Management ComponentDeploy the management component in the account designated for managing the experiences. Note down the output values as you will need them for the next steps.Step 5: Deploy the Member ComponentDeploy the member component in each member organization using the output parameters from Step 4. If you want to restrict synchronization to specific member experiences, set those experience IDs in the MEMBER_EXPERIENCE_IDS environment variable.Step 6: Validate the SolutionSynchronizations are triggered hourly, but you can manually trigger them for validation. Add a product to the management experience and check that it appears in the member organizations' Private Marketplace.CleanupIf you need to deactivate the solution, visit the CloudFormation console in each account and delete the stacks created. Start with the member organizations and finish with the management organization.Practical Benefits and ApplicationsRegulatory ComplianceMany organizations in highly regulated industries can benefit from this solution. By ensuring that only approved software is used, companies can comply more easily with stringent regulations.Cost EfficiencyCentralized management reduces the operational overhead of managing multiple AWS accounts, enabling organizations to optimize costs and improve their financial oversight.Enhanced SecurityBy isolating resources and defining clear governance and administrative roles, the solution minimizes the risk of security incidents, ensuring that only vetted software is procured and deployed.ConclusionDeploying a serverless, distributed solution for managing Private Marketplace experiences across multiple AWS organizations can drastically improve governance, compliance, and efficiency. By centralizing administrative functions while allowing for tailored, organization-specific management experiences, AWS offers a robust approach to handling the complexities of multi-account environments.FAQWhat is AWS Private Marketplace?AWS Private Marketplace is a feature that allows organizations to curate a list of approved products from the AWS Marketplace, ensuring compliance with internal policies.How does synchronized management across multiple AWS Organizations work?The synchronization involves deploying two main components: a management component in the central management organization and a member component in each member organization. These components work together to ensure all member organizations have the same approved products as the management organization.What are the security benefits of using AWS Private Marketplace?By centralizing the management of approved software, AWS Private Marketplace helps minimize the risk of unauthorized software being procured and deployed, adding an extra layer of security.Can I manage multiple member organizations with one management experience?Yes, you can manage multiple member organizations with a single management experience. If required, you can also create multiple management experiences to tailor the management for different sets of member organizations.How often are the synchronizations performed?Synchronizations are conducted automatically every hour, but they can also be triggered manually for immediate updates.In summary, AWS Private Marketplace provides a comprehensive solution for managing software procurement in multi-organization environments, making it easier to maintain compliance, optimize costs, and ensure security.