This document describes a reference architecture for a cloud-based point-of-sale (POS) system for consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies. The architecture includes: 1) AWS Outposts to provide on-premises compute and storage, 2) edge services for fast content delivery, 3) connectivity options like AWS Direct Connect, and 4) a serverless application layer using AWS Lambda and Step Functions to power key POS features like checkout and order management. This cloud-based POS system is meant to help CPG companies modernize their direct-to-consumer store sales.

1. © 2021, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved. AWS Reference Architecture
Cloud Point-of-Sale (POS) System on AWS for CPG
A modern point of sale POS system does much more than just provide checkout for customers. While these extra capabilities are welcome, they do
complicate maintenance and make upgrades more complex. This reference architecture shows the four key features a cloud-based POS system
should have to gives the consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies a jump start in their direct-to-consumer store sales.
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AWS Outposts is used at stores to add optional
AWS compute & storage capability with 1U and 2U
form factors
AWS edge services for better user experience and
faster content delivery. AWS Lambda @Edge also
plays a critical role to integrate with external third
party solution providers like payment gateway and
tax calculator.
Customers can choose either dedicated connection
(AWS Direct Connect) or AWS Site-to-Site VPN
for security of the data while it’s in transit.
Amazon API Gateway, Amazon EventBridge and
AWS AppSync are used at the integration layer to
handle incoming requests and to integrate with
the backend application layer for business
processes, the data layer for data access, and
corporate system for existing APIs.
The data layer purposely built with Amazon
DynamoDB, Amazon Aurora, Amazon ElastiCache
or Amazon S3 based on the nature of different
data (relational, key/value, object) and access
patterns (hot/warm/cold or read-only/read-write)
The serverless application layer is built with AWS
Lambda, AWS Step Functions, or AWS Fargate for
the implementations of the four focused cloud
POS features: 1) checkout 2) order capture 3)
product 4) back office . These can be shared with a
direct-to-consumer (DTC) ecommerce
implementation. The application layer also has
access to both the data layer on AWS cloud and
internal systems on corporate network
The management, analytics and managed service
layer enables ad hoc reporting, monitoring,
security, data protection, and native AWS services
integration.
The application layer integrates existing internal
and third party applications on corporate
networks. Business users and existing BI and ERP
systems on the corporate network are used for day
to day activities. There is also an opportunity to
move these systems to the AWS at a later point.
Store
Network
AWS Outposts
Store devices
Corporate
Network
AWS Direct
Connect
Connectivity
AWS Site-to-Site
VPN
AWS Direct
Connect
Connectivity
AWS Site-to-Site
VPN
Integration Layer
AWS AppSync
Amazon EventBridge
Amazon API Gateway
Application Layer
AWS Lambda AWS Step Functions AWS Fargate
Amazon Elasticsearch
Service
Amazon Athena AWS Identity and
Access Management
(IAM)
Amazon CloudWatch
AWS on Edge
Amazon CloudFront
AWS Lambda
Business Intelligence
(BI) Tools
Enterprise Applications
and Databases
(CRM, ERP, etc),
3rd Party Applications
User PC
PWA on mobile
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AWS Key
Management Service
(AWS KMS)
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Data Layer
Amazon DynamoDB
Amazon Aurora
Amazon Simple Storage
Service (Amazon S3)
Amazon ElastiCache
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Management, Analytics and Managed Service Layer
Amazon Fraud
Detector
Amazon Personalize
External Service Provider
Payment Gateway
Tax Calculator
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