Parameter Store

What it is
- A capability of AWS Systems Manager for hierarchical storage of configuration data and secrets.
- Store connection strings, feature flags, license keys, DB passwords — referenced by path (e.g. /prod/db/password).
Parameter types
- String / StringList — plain configuration values.
- SecureString — encrypted at rest with AWS Key Management Service (KMS).
Why it matters
- Keeps secrets and config out of code and AMIs; apps fetch them at runtime via IAM-controlled access.
- Standard parameters are free (up to 10,000).
Not to be confused with
- AWS Secrets Manager — the exam’s favourite comparison:
  - Parameter Store: config and secrets, free tier, no automatic rotation.
  - Secrets Manager: secrets only, per-secret cost, built-in automatic rotation for RDS and others.
- Rule of thumb: need rotation → Secrets Manager; just need cheap encrypted config → Parameter Store.

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