💼 Amazon Q Business

1. What is Amazon Q Business?

A fully managed generative AI assistant for enterprises.
Works based on a company’s internal knowledge and data.
Key capabilities:
- Q&A based on company documents
- Summarization & content generation
- Automating routine tasks (e.g., time-off requests, meeting invites)
- Integration with external systems for real actions
Runs on Amazon Bedrock, but users cannot choose the underlying Foundation Model (FM).

👉 Exam Tip: Remember that Q Business runs on Bedrock but you cannot select the FM.

2. Key Components

🔹 Data Connectors (Managed RAG)

Connects to 40+ enterprise data sources
AWS Services: S3, RDS, Aurora, WorkDocs
External Services: Microsoft 365, Google Drive, Gmail, Slack, Salesforce, SharePoint, etc.
Automatically indexes and retrieves documents.

🔹 Plugins

Allow interaction with external applications.
Examples: Jira, ServiceNow, Zendesk, Salesforce.
Custom Plugins: Connect to any 3rd-party application via APIs.
Example: “Create a new Jira issue” → Q Business calls Jira API and creates the ticket.

3. IAM Identity Center Integration

User authentication is managed through IAM Identity Center.
Users only see documents they are authorized to access.
Supports external Identity Providers (IdPs): Google Login, Microsoft Active Directory, etc.

👉 Exam Tip: Q Business authentication is always through IAM Identity Center.

4. Admin Controls (Guardrails)

Works like Guardrails in Bedrock.
Capabilities:
- Block specific words or topics
- Restrict responses to internal documents only (disable external LLM knowledge)
- Rules can be applied globally or at topic-level.

5. Amazon Q Apps

Create GenAI-powered apps without coding using natural language.
Leverages internal company data + plugins.
Example: Build a Jira ticket automation app or a document search chatbot.

6. Example Use Cases

“Summarize the April 12th team meeting” → Answered from meeting notes.
“What is the out-of-pocket maximum in our health plan?” → Retrieved from PDF.
“Generate a new job posting for a Product Manager” → Drafted using internal HR policies.

7. Exam Key Points

Amazon Q Business = enterprise-focused GenAI assistant.
FM cannot be selected (unlike Bedrock).
IAM Identity Center = core for access control.
Data Connectors vs Plugins:
- Connectors = data retrieval (RAG).
- Plugins = perform real tasks (API calls, ticket creation).
Admin Controls = Guardrails → block terms, restrict sources.
Can connect up to ~50 data sources.
Pricing consideration: Q Business Light/Pro plans exist (important in practice, not in exams).

📌 One-Line Summary

Amazon Q Business = An enterprise GenAI assistant with Data Connectors (RAG), Plugins (actions), IAM Identity Center (auth), and Guardrails (admin controls) as core exam concepts.

📊 Amazon Q Business – Exam Cheat Sheet

Category	Description	Exam Point
Service Concept	Enterprise GenAI assistant based on company data	Runs on Bedrock, FM not selectable
Core Functions	Q&A, summarization, content creation, automation	Beyond QA → executes tasks
Data Connectors	40+ data sources (S3, RDS, Aurora, M365, GDrive, Slack, Salesforce, SharePoint)	RAG (retrieval-based answers)
Plugins	Interact with external apps (Jira, ServiceNow, Salesforce)	Execute real actions (tickets, API calls)
Custom Plugins	Connect with any 3rd-party app via API	Exam: “3rd Party App integration” → Custom Plugin
IAM Identity Center	User authentication & access control	Users only see authorized documents
External IdP	Google Login, Microsoft AD	AWS supports external IdPs
Admin Controls (Guardrails)	Block topics, restrict to internal docs	Same as Guardrails, Global/Topic scope
Amazon Q Apps	No-code GenAI apps	Combine internal data + Plugins
Data Sources	Up to ~50 per application	May appear in exams
Security	IAM + Guardrails = access control	Exam: “How is access controlled?” → IAM + Guardrails
Pricing	Light/Pro plans, anonymous access costly	Important for real use, less for exam

✅ Common Exam Questions

Q1. Difference between Amazon Bedrock and Q Business?

Bedrock = Direct FM usage, choose models.
Q Business = Enterprise AI assistant, FM not selectable.

Q2. Data Connectors vs Plugins?

Connectors = retrieval (RAG).
Plugins = perform tasks (API, Jira, ServiceNow).

Q3. How does Q Business manage security & access?

IAM Identity Center + Guardrails.

Q4. What are Amazon Q Apps?

No-code GenAI apps built with internal data + Plugins.

👉 Final Note: In AWS exams, focus on FM not selectable, IAM Identity Center, Data Connectors vs Plugins, and Guardrails.