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AWS Certificate Manager vs AWS CloudHSM: What are the differences?
Introduction
This markdown code provides a comparison between two AWS services: AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) and AWS CloudHSM. The key differences between these services are outlined below.
Pricing model: AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) is a managed service that provides SSL/TLS certificates for free. It eliminates the need to purchase, install, and renew SSL/TLS certificates. On the other hand, AWS CloudHSM is a dedicated hardware security module (HSM) that provides secure key storage and cryptographic operations. It charges an hourly fee for each HSM instance used.
Use case: AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) is primarily used for managing SSL/TLS certificates for securing websites and applications deployed on AWS. It simplifies the process of certificate management and enables automatic renewals. In contrast, AWS CloudHSM is used for highly regulated industries or applications that require a high level of security and control over key management. It provides hardware-based key storage and cryptographic operations.
Integration with other services: AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) integrates seamlessly with other AWS services like Amazon CloudFront, Elastic Load Balancer, and Amazon API Gateway. It simplifies the process of provisioning, deploying, and managing SSL/TLS certificates for these services. On the contrary, AWS CloudHSM can be integrated with various AWS services and applications through the use of AWS CloudHSM client software. It allows applications to utilize the secure key storage and cryptographic operations provided by the HSM.
Managed vs. self-managed: AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) is a fully managed service where AWS handles the infrastructure, maintenance, and security of the certificates. Users only need to request, deploy, and manage the certificates through the AWS Management Console or APIs. In contrast, AWS CloudHSM requires users to manage the HSM instances themselves, including hardware provisioning, software installation, and configuration. Users also have full control over the lifecycle of the keys stored in the HSM.
Region availability: AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) is available in various AWS regions globally, allowing users to provision and manage certificates close to their applications. AWS CloudHSM, on the other hand, has limited availability and is currently only offered in a subset of AWS regions.
Scalability and availability: AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) automatically scales to handle high levels of demand and provides high availability for certificate provisioning and management. It is designed to be highly reliable and fault-tolerant. Conversely, AWS CloudHSM provides scalability and availability through the use of multiple HSM instances in different availability zones. Users can scale their cryptographic operations by deploying additional HSM instances according to their workload requirements.
In summary, AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) is a managed service that simplifies SSL/TLS certificate management and offers free certificates, while AWS CloudHSM is a dedicated hardware security module for highly regulated industries or applications requiring secure key storage and cryptographic operations.
