Amazon Web Services has launched a subscription-based data service that gives users access to large datasets from third-party providers.
The AWS Data Exchange is a central hub that contains over 1,000 free and paid licensable data products from over 80 different data providers.
Some of the data providers include brands such as Reuters, Change Healthcare, Dun & Bradstreet and Foursquare.
It's the latest service to be added to the company's Marketplace, which already includes its machine learning service, which has algorithms and models for customers to use.
Standard methods of third-party data subscription are inconsistent with the modern architectures customers are developing in the cloud, according to AWS, which said it was challenging to reach every customer that might be interested in their data without large investments in sales and marketing, as well as technology to store, deliver and entitle data for their customers.
These barriers often prevent customers who have valuable data from becoming a data provider, according to the cloud giant.
"Unfortunately, the way customers exchange data hasn't evolved much in the last 20 years," said Stephen Orban, GM of AWS Data Exchange. "AWS Data Exchange gives our customers the ability to quickly integrate third-party data in the workloads they're migrating to the cloud, while giving qualified data providers a modern and secure way to package, deliver, and reach the millions of AWS customers worldwide."
Data providers can publish free or paid products under the terms of use they specify and can issue private offers with custom terms for specific AWS customers. They can also choose to approve each subscription, allowing them to review intended uses cases or manage compliance needs.
Foursquare, an independent location data platform, has its audiences and places datasets available on the Data Exchange.
"AWS Data Exchange provides us with secure access to customers at the incomparable scale, while also serving as easy data ingestion and activation vehicle for data usage," said Josh Cohen, SVP of product at Foursquare.
