2. Getting Started with SimpleDB

The SimpleDB web service API exposes a small number of database request types. The myriad of configuration options that you find with other database products have intentionally been excluded. The SimpleDB API provides only nine operations, with the goal of enabling you to manage your data without requiring you to manage the database cluster. This chapter gets you up and running with these operations by developing several small applications. The chapter starts with some coverage of how to sign up for an account. The sign-up process is simple and straightforward. The expectation is that you have an account already or, if not, that you can easily make your way through the sign-up process without assistance. However, questions about the account sign-up process do arise on occasion, so for completeness, some basic information is included.