What is the significance of a company running 1/3rd of the internet?

If a company's hardware runs 1/3rd of the internet, it means that the company plays a major role in maintaining the infrastructure that supports global internet connectivity. This company would have a significant influence on the internet's performance, security, and availability.

Is it possible for one company to have such a large influence on the internet?

Yes, it is possible for a single company to have a large influence on the internet. Some companies specialize in providing the hardware and infrastructure that powers the internet. These companies can have a significant impact on how the internet functions and develops over time.

Does having one company running 1/3rd of the internet pose any risks?

Having one company running 1/3rd of the internet could pose some risks, such as centralization and a single point of failure. If that company encounters issues with its hardware or infrastructure, it could potentially affect a large portion of the internet. Additionally, centralization can lead to a lack of competition and innovation.

Can a single company control the entire internet?

No, a single company cannot control the entire internet. The internet is a global network that relies on the collaboration and interconnection of many different companies, organizations, and governments. While some companies may have a significant influence on the internet, no single entity can control it entirely.

Why is it important to know which company runs 1/3rd of the internet?

It is important to know which company runs 1/3rd of the internet to understand its influence on internet infrastructure, performance, and security. Knowing this information can help users, businesses, and policymakers make informed decisions about internet use and regulation.

Which Company's Hardware Runs 1/3rd of the Internet?

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Were you aware that up to 1/3rd of the internet is running on hardware owned by a single company?

That’s right, a single company! But can you guess which one?

Amazon Web Services, or just AWS, is the internet’s biggest cloud computing platform — it spans 190 countries and services more than 1 million businesses. It’s crazy to think too that AWS started in only 2006.

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And surprisingly, the company isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.

Consider the following facts:

In 2020, 1 in 3 people using the internet interact with hardware owned and managed by AWS.
In 2018, AWS controlled more than half of the total “cloud”-market.

That’s total domination by a company that already controls global e-commerce. Just wow!

But how about this fact — AWS is the primary profit driver for Amazon! Yep, that’s right! In 2020, AWS generated over 10 billion dollars for the company.

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So What Exactly Us a “Cloud Computing Platform” and Why Do so Many Companies Use Them?

In simple terms, a cloud computing platform like AWS leases to companies virtualized hardware and software so they (the companies) don’t have to physically manage servers or even purchase equipment.

Simply put, it’s a more efficient and cost effective way for companies to conduct business on the internet.

In effect, companies pay Amazon to manage their infrastructure so that they can concentrate on what they do best — their business.

Here are a few key data points that emphasize the scale of the AWS platform.

Top 10 Amazon Web Services (AWS) Customers

Company	Estimated Spend per Month	Estimated Spend per Year
Netflix	$19 million/month	$228 million/year
Twitch	$15 million/month	$180 million/year
LinkedIn	$13 million/month	$156 million/year
Facebook	$11 million/month	$132 million/year
Turner Broadcasting	$10 million/month	$120 million/year
BBC	$9 million/month	$108 million/year
Baidu	$9 million/month	$108 million/year
ESPN	$8 million/month	$96 million/year
Adobe	$8 million/month	$96 million/year
Twitter	$7 million/month	$84 million/year

Source: Intricately

The fact that the above companies use AWS is by itself big news, but just look at the scale of what they pay! Netflix alone pays AWS over $200 million dollars a year!

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Amazon Web Services (AWS) Revenue from 2013 to 2019

Year	Revenue
2013	$3.1 billion
2014	$4.6 billion
2015	$7.9 billion
2016	$12.2 billion
2017	$17.5 billion
2018	$25.7 billion
2019	$35 billion

Source: Statista

AWS will continue to grow in the foreseeable future as the internet matures and connectivity around the world increases.

Despite how connected we seemingly are, as of October 2020, only 59% of our planet has access to the internet. Needless to say, there’s still a lot of growth left and with it, unimaginable technological advancement.

AWS will certainly be at the forefront of this.

I wouldn’t be surprised if AWS double its revenue over the next few years — especially with COVID-19 changing the way we interact.

8 Facts about Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a cloud platform that provides on-demand computing resources and services in the cloud.
AWS was launched in 2006 and has since grown to become one of the most popular cloud platforms available today.
AWS is used by millions of customers around the world, including some of the biggest names in business such as Netflix, Reddit, Airbnb, and Pinterest.
AWS offers over 175 different services spanning a wide range of categories including compute, storage, networking, databases, analytics, application services, deployment & management tools among others .
Some popular AWS services include Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3), and Amazon Route 53 DNS service .
EC2 is perhaps the most well-known service offered by AWS and allows users to launch virtual servers in the cloud which can be used for any purpose they desire .
S3 provides object storage allowing users to store large amounts of data affordably without having to worry about managing physical storage infrastructure.
Route 53 is a highly scalable Domain Name System (DNS) service that routes user requests to Internet applications through domain name lookups.