Amazon Web Services: Cloud Architecture from Engineers Who Actually Build.
We are an AWS Advanced Partner. That is the only time we will mention it on this page. Badges are for slide decks; code is for production.
At bladestack.io, we are obsessed with the technical reality of the Amazon Web Services platform. We do not hire generalist consultants who "know a bit about the cloud." We hire cyber-samurais, architects, SREs, and engineers who are as comfortable in the AWS CLI as they are in the boardroom. We exist to solve the hardest problems in cloud infrastructure: building environments that are ruthlessly secure, compliant by design, and optimized for high-velocity engineering.
Platform Philosophy
Technical depth is not a marketing phrase. It's how we operate.
We are cloud agnostic by design. We maintain deep specializations across every major hyperscaler because true architectural wisdom comes from understanding the landscape, not just a single vendor.
However, when we engage on Amazon Web Services, we do not translate generic concepts. We speak the native language of the platform. We leverage specific AWS primitives—from the nuance of IAM condition keys to the event-driven power of EventBridge, to build solutions that are optimized, not just compatible. Our agnostic perspective allows us to validate that AWS is the right tool for your mission, and our specialist execution ensures we wield it with absolute precision.
Differentiators
Same Cloud. Different Physics.
Advisory-only. Infrastructure-as-Code Native. Performance-Obsessed. Here is what those words actually mean.
Service Lines
Choose your blade.
Flexible engagement models to suit your mission. From strategic advisory to fully managed platforms.
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For organizations that need AWS expertise to guide architecture decisions, security posture, and compliance strategy
AWS · Advisory Services -
For organizations that need hands on keyboards, building infrastructure, closing gaps, and shipping secure AWS architecture to production
AWS · Engineering Services -
For organizations that want AWS security and compliance operated, not just implemented
AWS · Managed Services
bladeRAMP -
For education, healthcare, research institutions, and state/local government requiring NIST 800-171 compliant infrastructure for CUI and regulated data
AWS · Secure Research Environments
AWS · Advisory Service Components
For organizations that need AWS expertise to guide architecture decisions, security posture, and compliance strategy
Your team knows AWS. You've deployed workloads, configured services, and kept production running. But there's a gap between running infrastructure and engineering a platform. Our advisory engagements bring senior architects into your planning sessions, design reviews, and incident retrospectives. We don't produce reports that sit in folders. We produce architecture decisions that ship to production.
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Platform Analysis For organizations evaluating their AWS architecture against operational and security objectives. A deep technical review of account structure, network topology, IAM design, security tooling, and infrastructure-as-code maturity. You receive a prioritized roadmap showing what to fix, what to refactor, and what's already working. No generic findings. Every recommendation includes implementation guidance specific to your environment.
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Security Posture Review A focused assessment of AWS security services configuration, IAM policies, network exposure, and logging architecture. We validate that GuardDuty is actually detecting threats, Security Hub is aggregating findings correctly, and CloudTrail logs are flowing to storage that attackers cannot delete. Findings include specific remediation steps and Config rules to prevent recurrence.
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Architecture Advisory Ongoing access to senior AWS architects who participate in your design decisions. We join architecture reviews, evaluate vendor solutions, and provide second opinions on infrastructure changes before they hit production. When your team debates whether to use Step Functions or EventBridge for workflow orchestration, we bring experience from environments that made both choices and lived with the consequences.
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Compliance Mapping For organizations pursuing FedRAMP, CMMC, HIPAA, SOC 2, or other frameworks on AWS. We map your existing architecture against control requirements, identify gaps, and design implementation strategies that satisfy auditors without rebuilding your infrastructure. AWS provides shared responsibility. We show you exactly where that line sits for your specific deployment.
Advisory doesn't mean arms-length guidance. We embed with your engineering teams, attend your standups when it matters, and answer questions at the technical depth your architects require. The deliverable isn't a PDF. It's better architecture decisions that compound over time.
Includes:
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Platform Assessment & Roadmap
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Architecture Decision Support
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Security Posture Review
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Compliance Control Mapping
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Design Review Participation
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Vendor Evaluation Support
AWS · Enjinia Blade Division
For organizations that need technical firepower, architecture, implementation, and remediation.
Theory ends here. This is where we write the code. Our Enjinia Blade Division for AWS is staffed by builders who treat infrastructure as software. We don't click buttons. We write modules. From standing up Control Tower landing zones to debugging complex EKS clusters, we provide the technical firepower to get your environment built, hardened, and operational. We embed with your team, commit to your repositories, and close your tickets.
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Landing Zone Construction We build the foundation. Multi-account architecture using AWS Control Tower and AWS Organizations. Centralized logging, centralized identity, and centralized networking. We implement the Service Control Policies (SCPs) that act as the guardrails for your entire organization, ensuring that no matter what your developers deploy, the base security invariants remain true.
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Kubernetes (EKS) Implementation Hardening Kubernetes is an art form. We design and deploy EKS clusters that are production-ready. We handle the VPC CNI networking, the OIDC integration for IAM roles for service accounts (IRSA), and the auto-scaling groups for the worker nodes. We build the pipelines that take your container from commit to pod without human intervention.
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Serverless Refactoring Moving from EC2 to Lambda requires a change in mindset. We re-engineer your application logic to fit the event-driven model. We configure API Gateway, DynamoDB single-table designs, and Step Functions state machines. We handle the dead-letter queues, the retry logic, and the distributed tracing with X-Ray so you aren't flying blind.
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Infrastructure-as-Code We don't leave you with a "black box" environment. We leave you with a repository. We write the Terraform, Pulumi, or CloudFormation that describes your entire estate. We modularize the code so your team can reuse it. We implement "compliance-as-code" checks in the CI/CD pipeline to prevent insecure configurations from ever reaching the cloud.
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Security Stack Deployment Implementation and configuration of AWS security services: GuardDuty with custom threat intelligence, Security Hub with organization-wide aggregation, Config with conformance packs mapped to your compliance requirements, and CloudTrail with immutable log storage. Integrated systems that generate actionable findings, not dashboards full of noise.
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Network Architecture Implementation Transit Gateway hub-and-spoke designs, PrivateLink service endpoints, hybrid connectivity with Direct Connect or Site-to-Site VPN, and Route 53 Resolver configurations for split-horizon DNS. We implement network architectures that support your application requirements and security posture simultaneously.
Our engineers are not distinct from your team. They are the caffeine-fueled force multiplier within it. We transfer knowledge through code reviews and pair programming. When we leave, your team doesn't just have a new environment. They have the skills to maintain it.
Includes:
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Control Tower & Landing Zone Build
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EKS / Fargate Cluster Design & Deploy
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Serverless Application Architecture
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Infrastructure-as-Code Development
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Security Stack Deployment
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Code Review & Configuration Audit
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Terraform / CloudFormation Development
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CI/CD Pipeline Integration
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Transit Gateway & VPC Peering Networking
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WAF & Shield Advanced Configuration
AWS · bladeRAMP Managed Services
For organizations that want their AWS environment operated by the people who built it
The cloud never sleeps, and neither do threats. bladeRAMP on AWS is our managed service offering that takes the operational burden of security and availability off your plate. We don't just "monitor". We operate. We handle the patching, the incident response, the drift detection, and the continuous compliance. We use AWS-native tools enhanced by our own intellectual property to ensure your environment stays as secure as it was on day one.
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bladeRAMP The complete managed compliance platform. Includes Platform Build (security stack, architecture, and management layer), HANZO SecOps, GENJI ConMon, and SRE infrastructure capability. Full-stack compliance operations from the team that built your package.
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GENJI · FedRAMP Continuous Monitoring (ConMon) Ongoing compliance operations for AWS infrastructure. Config rule monitoring, conformance pack management, evidence generation for audit periods, and drift detection when production diverges from baseline. We maintain your compliance posture while your engineering team focuses on product development.
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HANZO · 24/7 Security Operations (SecOps) 24/7 monitoring and response for AWS environments. GuardDuty finding investigation, Security Hub alert triage, and incident response when threats materialize. Our analysts understand AWS-specific attack patterns: credential theft via exposed metadata services, data exfiltration through misconfigured S3 buckets, and lateral movement across overly permissive IAM roles. Platform-native security operations.
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Platform Operations Site reliability engineering for your AWS infrastructure. Patching, availability monitoring, cost optimization, and operational support for the platform layer. When Reserved Instance coverage drops or Trusted Advisor flags optimization opportunities, we execute. Proactive platform management, not reactive ticket handling.
bladeRAMP transforms AWS security from a staffing problem into an operational service. Your team deployed the infrastructure. We keep it secure, compliant, and running while you build product.
Includes:
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Platform Build & Deployment
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HANZO (24/7 Security Operations)
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GENJI (Continuous Monitoring)
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Annual Assessment Support
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Agency Reporting & Communication
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POA&M Lifecycle Management
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SRE Infrastructure Operations
AWS · Secure Research Environments
For research institutions, universities, and organizations handling sensitive data that requires compliant AWS infrastructure
Modern research requires massive compute, but grants require strict data governance. Our Secure Research Environments (SREnv) are purpose-built AWS enclaves designed for higher education and EdTech. We build isolated "clean rooms" where researchers can process sensitive datasets (PII, PHI, Export Controlled) using high-performance computing resources, without exposing the institution to risk. We automate the lifecycle of these environments. Spin up. Process. Tear down.
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SRE + LZA Deployment Complete Secure Research Environment built on AWS Landing Zone Accelerator. Multi-account architecture with Organizations, Control Tower, and service control policies enforcing guardrails before mistakes happen. The deployment maps AWS services to all 14 NIST 800-171 control families: Access Control through IAM, IAM Identity Center, VPC, and MFA. Audit and Accountability through CloudTrail, CloudWatch, and Config. Configuration Management through Systems Manager and CloudFormation. Incident Response through GuardDuty, Security Hub, and SNS alerting. System and Communications Protection through KMS, ACM, VPC, and encryption validation. Security Assessment through Security Hub, Audit Manager, and continuous control validation. Every control mapped, every service configured, every requirement addressed with infrastructure-as-code your team can audit, extend, and maintain.
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NIH GDS Compliance Engineering Specific implementation for institutions subject to NIH Genomic Data Sharing requirements. We configure environments to satisfy User requirements (NIST SP 800-171 attestation for U.S. and non-U.S. researchers) and Host requirements (NIST SP 800-53 Moderate baseline). Controlled-access repository integration, Data Use Certification documentation, and evidence packages demonstrating control implementation across all 320 assessment objectives. When NIH requires attestation that your institution and any third-party Cloud Service Providers comply with security requirements, the evidence exists because the architecture generates it continuously.
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Research and Engineering Studio (RES) Integration Self-service portal for scientists and engineers to securely access and manage workspaces without IT intermediation. RES provides virtual desktop infrastructure with session logging, compliance auditing, and shared compute resources under access governance. ParallelCluster integration for HPC workloads, FSx for Lustre for high-performance storage, and Batch configurations that scale to thousands of cores when research demands it. Researchers get the environments they need. Compliance teams get the audit trail they require. IT escapes the provisioning queue while maintaining control over security boundaries.
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Research Landing Zone Multi-account AWS architecture designed for research institutions. Separate accounts for different research groups, compliance boundaries that isolate regulated data, and shared services that reduce duplication without creating access control nightmares. Identity federation with institutional IdPs, budget controls that prevent runaway compute costs, and governance guardrails that protect the institution without blocking legitimate research.
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Compliant Data Environments Secure enclaves for sensitive research data. HIPAA-eligible configurations for health research, CUI protection for defense-funded projects, and data use agreement enforcement for datasets with access restrictions. We architect environments where compliance controls are transparent to researchers while remaining fully auditable for sponsors and regulators.
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HPC Architecture High-performance computing infrastructure on AWS. ParallelCluster deployments, FSx for Lustre integration, and Batch configurations that scale to meet computational demand. Architectures that give researchers the capacity they need without requiring them to become cloud infrastructure specialists.
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Collaboration Infrastructure Secure data sharing and collaboration capabilities for multi-institutional research. Controlled access for external collaborators, audit logging for sponsor compliance, and data transfer mechanisms that satisfy both security requirements and research timelines.
Research institutions face compliance requirements as stringent as any enterprise, with user populations far more diverse and use cases that change with every new grant. We build AWS infrastructure that enables research while protecting the institution.
Includes:
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Research Landing Zone Architecture
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Multi-Account Governance Design
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HIPAA/FISMA/CMMC Alignment
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HPC Cluster Deployment
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Secure Data Enclave Build
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External Collaborator Access
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Institutional IdP Federation
Our Approach
How We Engineer AWS Infrastructure.
Most cloud engagements follow a familiar pattern: discovery meetings, architecture documents, handoff, departure. We've seen what happens next. Documents become stale, implementation diverges from design, and questions go unanswered because the architects moved to another project. Our approach eliminates the handoff gap by embedding engineering capability throughout the engagement lifecycle.
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PHASE 0: Platform Discovery
Understanding what exists before designing what comes next
Every engagement begins with technical discovery that goes beyond slide presentations about your architecture. We access your AWS environment directly: Organizations structure, IAM policies, network configurations, security service deployments, and infrastructure-as-code repositories. We run automated assessments, review CloudTrail history, and analyze your account topology against operational requirements.
Discovery produces artifacts your team can use immediately:
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Account topology diagrams with data flow mapping
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IAM analysis showing effective permissions and policy gaps
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Security service configuration assessment
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Infrastructure-as-code maturity evaluation
Discovery isn't a gate that delays implementation. It's the foundation that makes implementation efficient. We learn your environment at the depth required to make good decisions fast.
01.
AWS · Architecture Design
Decisions documented, trade-offs explicit, implementation planned
Architecture decisions have consequences that outlast the engineers who made them. We document every significant choice: why this account structure over alternatives, why Transit Gateway instead of VPC peering, why this IAM permission boundary pattern. Future engineers, auditors, and your own team six months from now will understand not just what was built, but why.
Design deliverables include:
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Target state architecture with detailed specifications
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Architecture decision records for significant choices
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Implementation sequencing and dependencies
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Risk register with mitigation strategies
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Resource estimates and timeline projections
Design isn't waterfall documentation that delays delivery. It's engineering discipline that prevents rework. Decisions made deliberately during design cost less than decisions discovered during implementation.
02.
AWS · Advisory & Implementation.
Infrastructure deployed, configured, and validated
Implementation means infrastructure-as-code committed to your repositories, not click-ops performed in your console. Every resource we deploy exists in Terraform, CloudFormation, or CDK that your team can maintain, modify, and extend. Modules are documented, state is managed correctly, and CI/CD pipelines validate changes before they reach production.
We implement alongside your engineering team, not instead of them. Knowledge transfer happens continuously through code review, pair programming, and architecture discussions. When the engagement ends, your team understands the infrastructure they're operating.
Implementation includes:
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Infrastructure-as-code development and deployment
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Security service configuration and validation
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Network architecture implementation
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IAM policy development and testing
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Documentation updates reflecting actual deployment
The code we write becomes your code. The patterns we establish become your patterns. Implementation isn't a deliverable handoff. It's capability transfer that leaves your team stronger than we found them.
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AWS · Validation and Hardening
Confirming the architecture operates as designed
Deployment isn't completion. We validate that infrastructure operates correctly under realistic conditions: access controls prevent unauthorized actions, security services detect simulated threats, network policies block prohibited traffic. Validation catches misconfigurations that architecture documents can't reveal.
Hardening eliminates the attack surface that default configurations create. We tighten IAM policies to actual usage patterns, remove unused security group rules, enable encryption on services that don't require it but should have it, and implement detective controls that alert on configuration drift.
Validation deliverables include:
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Security control testing results
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IAM effective permission validation
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Network connectivity verification
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Compliance control evidence
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Operational runbook documentation
Clean infrastructure produces clean audits. When assessors review your environment, evidence traces to configuration. When compliance teams ask questions, the answers exist in your monitoring dashboards. Validation is where engineering discipline becomes audit confidence.
AWS · Operational. The Cloud, Engineered.
Your infrastructure, running in production, ready for what comes next
The engagement doesn't end with deployment. Your AWS environment is operational: security services monitoring, compliance controls enforcing, and infrastructure-as-code repositories ready for your team's next iteration. Documentation reflects reality. Your engineers understand the architecture because they built it alongside us.
What comes next depends on your requirements:
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bladeRAMP Managed Services Continuous security and compliance operations
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Engineering Support Enjinia Blade resources for future implementation work
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Advisory Services Ongoing access to architecture guidance for future decisions
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Independent Operation Your team runs the infrastructure with documentation and training complete
The architecture we built is yours. The expertise your team gained persists. The foundation supports whatever you build next.
AWS infrastructure done right compounds over time. Every workload you deploy inherits the security posture we established. Every engineer you hire onboards faster because the patterns are documented. Every audit you face produces evidence automatically. That's what platform engineering delivers: not a project completion, but a capability that grows with your organization.

