AWS, or Amazon Web Services, offers a robust and diverse portfolio of storage options catering to different needs and use cases. In this article, we’re focusing on four main AWS storage services – Amazon FSx, Amazon EFS, Amazon S3, and Amazon EBS and various use-cases related to each of them. Understanding these services and their ideal implementation can be a significant step in preparing for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) exam.
1. Amazon FSx
Amazon FSx provides fully managed third-party file systems. There are two variations: FSx for Windows File Server and FSx for Lustre (for high-performance computing workloads).
For example, use FSx for Windows File Server when you want to perform a seamless migration of Windows-based applications which require file storage to AWS or when you need to share files between instances in AWS.
2. Amazon EFS
Amazon Elastic File System (EFS) operates as a scalable and elastic NFS file system for use with AWS Cloud services and on-premises resources. It is straightforward to use and offers a simple interface allowing you to create and configure file systems quickly.
For instance, if you want to build a content management system or WordPress site, that requires a shared file system that can be accessed by multiple EC2 instances, Amazon EFS can be a good choice.
3. Amazon S3
Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) offers object storage that can scale to store and retrieve virtually any amount of data. It’s globally distributed and highly durable and can be used for static website hosting, backup and restore, archive, enterprise applications, IoT devices, and big data analytics.
Consider using Amazon S3 when you need to store and retrieve large datasets, for instance when dealing with machine learning or data analytics tasks. S3 can also be used for web hosting or for storing user-generated content like photos and videos from a mobile app or website.
4. Amazon EBS
Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) provides block storage volumes for use with EC2 instances. EBS volumes offer persistence beyond the lifecycle of an individual EC2 instance and are best for workloads where data must quickly be accessible and requires long-term persistence.
For example, use Amazon EBS if you’re running a relational database like MySQL that needs to store data persistently and requires high performance, low-latency block storage.
Comparison of AWS Storage Services
Below is a comparison table for a clearer understanding of each service’s capabilities and use-cases:
| Amazon Storage Services | Ideal Use-Cases |
|---|---|
| Amazon FSx | Windows-based applications requiring file storage |
| Amazon EFS | Content management systems or multi-server applications requiring shared files |
| Amazon S3 | Big data analytics, Web hosting, User-generated content |
| Amazon EBS | Relational databases or any application needed long-term persistent storage |
Understanding these features of each fundamental storage service on AWS will ensure you select the appropriate storage service that aligns with your organization’s needs. Not only is this a key component for any AWS professional’s work, but it is also a critical piece of knowledge when aiming to pass the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) exam.
Practice Test
Amazon S3 is a block-level storage system.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Amazon S3 is an object-level storage service suitable for storing and retrieving any amount of data from anywhere on the web.
Amazon EBS volumes can be attached to multiple instances at the same time.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Each Amazon EBS volume can be attached to only one EC2 instance at a time.
Amazon S3 is ideal for use cases where low latency or high-speed synchronous replication between instances is required.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Amazon EBS is more suitable for this use case since it provides persistent block storage volumes for use with Amazon EC2 instances.
Amazon FSx for Windows File Server provides a fully managed native Microsoft Windows file system.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: True
Explanation: Amazon FSx for Windows File Server offers fully managed, highly reliable and scalable file storage that is accessible over the industry-standard Server Message Block (SMB) protocol.
Amazon EFS does not support NFSv4 protocol.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Amazon EFS supports the Network File System version 4 (NFSv4) protocol.
Which AWS storage service is better for shared file storage?
- 1) Amazon FSx
- 2) Amazon EFS
- 3) Amazon S3
- 4) Amazon EBS
Answer: Amazon EFS
Explanation: Amazon EFS is the best choice for shared file storage as it is designed to provide massively parallel shared access to thousands of Amazon EC2 instances.
What is the use case for Amazon FSx for Lustre?
- 1) Web application hosting
- 2) Big Data and Machine Learning workloads
- 3) Microservices
- 4) Containerized applications
Answer: Big Data and Machine Learning workloads
Explanation: Amazon FSx for Lustre is specifically designed for fast processing of workloads like machine learning, high performance computing, video processing, and financial modeling.
Amazon S3 provides a scalable object storage for data archiving?
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: True
Explanation: The simplicity of Amazon S3, along with its security features and scalability, makes it an excellent choice for data archiving.
Amazon EFS does not support on-premises servers.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: False
Explanation: AWS Direct Connect or AWS VPN can be used to access Amazon EFS from on-premises servers.
Which storage service would be the best choice for a relational database with high IOPS requirements?
- 1) Amazon S3
- 2) Amazon EFS
- 3) Amazon EBS
- 4) Amazon FSx
Answer: Amazon EBS
Explanation: Amazon EBS provides the high IOPS performance necessary for a relational database through its provisioned IOPS SSD (io1) volume type.
Amazon Glacier is designed for frequently accessed data.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Amazon Glacier is a secure, durable, and extremely low-cost cloud storage service for data archiving and long-term backup. It is designed to store data that is infrequently accessed.
Amazon EFS is only accessible from within the AWS network.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: True
Explanation: Amazon EFS is designed to be accessed within the AWS network and does not natively support public internet access. However, it can be connected via VPN or Direct Connect for on-premises access.
Amazon S3 is ideal for storing large amounts of unstructured data.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: True
Explanation: Amazon S3 is a highly scalable, reliable, and low-latency data storage service making it ideal for storing large amounts of unstructured data, such as media files or raw content.
Amazon EBS is an object-level storage service.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Amazon EBS provides persistent block storage volumes for use with Amazon EC2 instances, not object-level storage.
Amazon FSx for Lustre is designed to support long-term storage and archiving.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Amazon FSx for Lustre is designed for high-performance, fast processing of workloads. It isn’t intended for long-term storage and archiving.
Interview Questions
What is Amazon S3 and what is it used for?
Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service) is a scalable object storage service offered by AWS. It is used for storing and retrieving any amount of data at any time, from anywhere on the web. It’s commonly used for backup and restore, archive, big data analytics, disaster recovery, cloud-native application data, and hybrid cloud storage.
Can you explain Amazon EBS and give an example of its use case?
Amazon EBS (Elastic Block Store) provides persistent block-level storage volumes for use with Amazon EC2 instances. They are used when a user needs a highly available and reliable storage volume that can be attached to a running EC2 instance and exposed as a device within this instance. For example, it’s useful for databases that require frequent read-write activities with low latency.
What is Amazon FSx, and can you give a use case scenario?
Amazon FSx provides fully managed third-party file systems. It is meant for applications and users that require a file system interface and file system capabilities. A typical use case for Amazon FSx is for Windows file shares, machine learning, high performance computing, or web serving environments.
What are the durability of objects stored in Amazon S3?
Amazon S3 Standard, S3 Standard-IA, S3 One Zone-IA, and S3 Glacier storage classes are all designed to provide 99.999999999% durability of objects over a given year. This durability corresponds to an average annual expected loss of 0.000000001% of the objects.
How does Amazon EFS differ from Amazon EBS?
Amazon EFS is a scalable file storage for use with Amazon EC2, while Amazon EBS is a block storage service for use with Amazon EC2. EFS is designed to provide massively parallel shared access to thousands of EC2 instances, whereas EBS is designed for high performance databases and applications that require fine-tuned control and a high level of performance.
Can you explain the difference between S3 and glacier storage?
The main difference between S3 and Glacier is the retrieval speed of the data. S3 is designed for fast retrieval of data, whereas Glacier is a cost-effective solution for data archiving and backup, designed for the infrequent access of data where retrieval times can be several hours.
What factors should you consider when choosing an AWS storage service?
When choosing an AWS storage service, you need to consider the access time to your data (how quickly you need to retrieve it), the amount of storage space needed, whether you need block or object storage, and whether you need data archiving or backup solutions.
What is a use case for leveraging both Amazon S3 and Amazon EFS?
A use case might be a data processing application where raw data is stored in S3, processed by an EC2 instance, and the results are transported to and stored in an EFS file system for later analysis across a fleet of instances.
Can you have multiple EBS volumes attached to an EC2 instance?
Yes, you can attach multiple EBS volumes to a single EC2 instance.
Is it possible to share an EBS snapshot across AWS accounts?
Yes, you can share an EBS snapshot across AWS accounts or even make them public.
What is the typical latency period for data retrieval in Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive storage class?
The typical latency period for data retrieval in Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive storage class is within 12 hours.
What’s the difference between Amazon EBS and instance store?
The main difference is that Amazon EBS volumes are network attached and persist independently from the life of an instance, while instance store volumes are physically attached to the host computer and persist only from the time you launch your instance until the time you stop or terminate it.
How can you transfer data to an Amazon EBS volume?
You first attach the volume to an Amazon EC2 instance. You can then do a file copy, use Rsync, or any other preferred method to transfer data to the EBS volume.
Is data in Amazon S3 automatically replicated across different regions?
No, by default, data in Amazon S3 is not automatically replicated across regions. However, you can enable cross-region replication on a bucket to ensure that the data is replicated to another region.
What kinds of workloads are best suited for Amazon FSx?
Amazon FSx is best suited for running highly demanding file workloads and applications, such as large-scale home directories, content management systems, media and entertainment workflows, and machine learning platform storage.
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