Amazon Web Services (AWS) kicked off the cloud storage revolution in 2006 with its Simple Storage Service (S3). This service aimed to provide straightforward data storage in the cloud, and, according to Amazon’s CTO, Werner Vogels, building it was no easy task. The goal was to make it simple for users, even if the underlying design was complex.
S3 doesn’t come with unnecessary features; instead, it focuses on functionality. You can integrate it easily with other services or applications. Today, S3 is central to a vast range of AWS storage products, covering different needs.
Since its launch, S3 has exploded in size. By 2021, it hosted 100 trillion objects, and that number has surely continued to climb. While S3 is built on object storage, AWS now offers various options, such as Amazon Elastic File System (EFS), Amazon FSx, and Amazon File Cache for file storage. Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) caters to users who need block storage. Other specialized services include DataSync for linking AWS to local storage, Snow for hybrid setups, and AWS’s disaster recovery and backup solutions. For long-term data archiving, there’s S3 Glacier.
When it comes to archiving, S3 offers several storage classes, including S3 Intelligent-Tiering and S3 Standard. For those who need to store data for the long haul, options like S3 Glacier allow for instant or flexible retrieval. AWS Outposts even extends S3 functionality to on-site environments while using familiar S3 APIs.
Each S3 storage class has its own perks, costs, and geographical availability. Intelligent-Tiering helps users save money by automatically shifting data among three access tiers. S3 promises impressive durability, storing data across three availability zones as a backup. Pricing starts at $0.024 per GB for the first 50TB, dropping to $0.022 for larger volumes. For Intelligent-Tiering, it ranges from $0.024 for frequent access to $0.005 for Archive Instant Access. There’s a small fee for using the automation features.
Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) supports high-performance workloads like databases and ERP systems. It offers various types, including General Purpose and Provisioned IOPS for demanding applications. EBS can cater to large data volumes and even cold data access with its Cold HDD option. Pricing starts from $0.0928 per GB for general-purpose SSDs and can drop lower for other configurations.
For file storage, AWS provides EFS with standard, cost-optimized, and archive tiers. The standard option focuses on active workloads with lightning-fast performance. The archive tier is tailored for data rarely accessed, typically just a few times a year. Each tier has different latency levels and costs associated with access.
With FSx, customers can pick from file systems like NetApp ONTAP or Lustre, with pricing based on storage use and performance needs. AWS also offers a range of backup and data migration services, allowing businesses to connect different storage solutions seamlessly. For instance, FSx for Lustre can be integrated with S3 for big data tasks.