The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) Exam encompasses broad knowledge of the AWS platform, with one major domain being hybrid compute options available within AWS. Two significant services in this context are AWS Outposts and AWS Snowball Edge. In this article, we will delve into the details of these offerings.
AWS Outposts
Outposts is a fully managed service that extends AWS infrastructure, services, APIs, and tools to your on-premises facility or virtually any datacenter, co-location space, or on-premises facility. It is a hybrid solution that helps you build and run applications that require low latency access to on-premises systems – for example, applications with high data localization requirements.
Outposts supports both Amazon EC2 instances and Amazon EBS volumes, making it ideal for applications that require a consistent hybrid experience.
Mirroring the AWS in-region service, AWS Outposts provides developers with the same familiar AWS services, APIs, and tools to build, scale, and manage applications. This standardization helps developers to spend less time on system management tasks and more time on the core functionality of their applications.
AWS Snowball Edge
Snowball Edge is a data migration and edge computing device. It comes with onboard storage (either 80 TB or 100 TB), and compute capabilities.
Snowball Edge is an excellent choice for environments with limited or no internet connectivity, such as remote or austere places. Besides, it is also highly useful in settings where you need to process large amounts of data locally before transferring them to AWS – for instance, Oil and Gas Exploration or Tactical Edge Situations in Armed Forces.
Snowball Edge supports Amazon EC2 sbe1 instance type, and AWS IoT Greengrass, and helps to bring compute capacity closer to the place of data generation.
Comparison: AWS Outposts vs AWS Snowball Edge
| AWS Outposts | AWS Snowball Edge | |
|---|---|---|
| Use Cases | Low latency Local data processing | Data transfer with local processing, Remote data collection |
| Storage | EC2 Instances and EBS volumes | 80 TB or 100 TB |
| AWS services | EC2, EKS, RDS, S3 and more. | EC2, Lambda, AWS IoT Greengrass |
| Internet Required | Yes, for Management and AWS Service Updates | No, It can operate standalone |
Both Outposts and Snowball Edge are key offerings from AWS that facilitate hybrid solutions, allowing you to leverage cloud computing capabilities in a local environment. While deciding which one suits your requirement, note that Outposts require ongoing connectivity to their home AWS region, while Snowball Edge can operate standalone.
To conclude, it is essential to be comfortable with the concepts and operations of different hybrid computing options offered by AWS for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) exam. AWS Outposts and AWS Snowball Edge should be your focus, understand their capabilities, use-cases, and limitations to formulate an effective hybrid solution.
Practice Test
True or False: AWS Outposts brings native AWS services, infrastructure, and operating models to virtually any data center.
- Answer: True
Explanation: AWS Outposts is a hybrid cloud solution that brings AWS infrastructure and services to any site, including data centers, colocation spaces, or on-premises facilities.
Which of the following options is a suitable solution to transport large volumes of data in and out of the AWS Cloud using portable storage devices?
- A. AWS Lambda
- B. AWS Snowball Edge
- C. AWS Outposts
- D. AWS Redshift
Answer: B. AWS Snowball Edge
Explanation: AWS Snowball Edge is a 100 TB data transport solution that uses secure devices to transfer large amounts of data in and out of the AWS Cloud, enabling you to work in edge locations even when there is no internet connection.
True or False: AWS Snowball Edge can be used to run EC2 instances.
- Answer: True
Explanation: AWS Snowball Edge can run Amazon EC2 instances and AWS Lambda functions, allowing local processing and decision-making on the data set.
Which one of the following options is not a feature of AWS Outposts?
- A. Run AWS Services on-premises
- B. IoT support
- C. Scalability up to 50 TB
- D. Seamless integration with AWS Services
Answer: C. Scalability up to 50 TB
Explanation: The scalability of AWS Outposts is not limited to 50 TB. It varies depending on the type and quantity of EC2 instances and the total EBS volume capacity that your Outpost configuration supports.
True or False: AWS Snowball Edge supports clustering.
- Answer: True
Explanation: AWS Snowball Edge supports clustering. You can cluster together multiple Snowball Edge devices into a single, larger storage tier where data is automatically distributed.
Which of the following compute options supports local processing and decision making on the data set?
- A. AWS Outposts
- B. AWS Snowball Edge
- C. AWS Lambda
- D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
Explanation: AWS Outposts, AWS Snowball Edge, and AWS Lambda all support local processing and decision making on data sets.
True or False: AWS Outposts only support Amazon EC2 compute instances.
- Answer: False
Explanation: While Amazon EC2 instances are a key component of AWS Outposts, it also supports other services like Amazon RDS, EBS, and container-based services such as Amazon EKS and ECS.
True or False: You cannot order an Outpost if it will be installed in a country different from your AWS account’s home region.
- Answer: False
Explanation: You can order an Outpost for any location where AWS Outposts service is available, which does not have to be the same as your account’s home AWS region.
True or False: AWS Outposts has options for 100% flash storage.
- Answer: True
Explanation: AWS Outposts offer a range of compute and storage options to support a variety of workloads. This includes options for 100% flash storage.
True or False: AWS Snowball Edge does not support file transfer.
- Answer: False
Explanation: AWS Snowball Edge supports both object and file transfer protocols. It enables the transfer of large volumes of data into and out of AWS, using physical appliances.
Interview Questions
What is AWS Outposts?
AWS Outposts is a fully managed service that brings the same AWS infrastructure, services, APIs, and tools to virtually any data center, co-location space, or on-premises facility for a truly consistent hybrid experience.
What is the primary function of AWS Snowball Edge?
AWS Snowball Edge is a data migration and edge computing device. It lets you move large amounts of data into and out of AWS, as an alternative to using your internet connection, while also providing the ability to perform local processing and edge-computing workloads.
What are the benefits of using AWS Outposts?
AWS Outposts enables a user to utilize AWS services and APIs in their on-premises environment, allowing for a truly hybrid model. This can simplify operations by providing a consistent set of tools and processes across AWS Cloud and on-premises environments.
Is it possible to run Amazon EC2 on AWS Outposts?
Yes, you can run Amazon EC2 on AWS Outposts. The service provides the same EC2 instances that are available in AWS Regions but in your on-premises environment.
Can AWS Snowball Edge be used to transfer data into Amazon S3?
Yes, AWS Snowball Edge can be used to securely and efficiently transfer large volumes of data into Amazon S3.
What are the typical use cases for AWS Outposts?
Typical use cases for AWS Outposts include local data processing, data residency, and migration of applications that need low latency access to on-premises systems.
Does AWS Snowball Edge support edge computing workloads?
Yes, AWS Snowball Edge supports edge computing workloads allowing you to run computing applications at the edge, closer to the data source, even when disconnected from the internet.
How does AWS Outposts support data privacy and sovereignty requirements?
With AWS Outposts, data can be stored and processed on premises whilst enjoying the scalability and elasticity of AWS, thus ensuring that data residency requirements are met.
What essential features does AWS Snowball Edge provide?
AWS Snowball Edge provides features such as edge computing, data transfer, and storage. It also provides on-board storage and compute functionality.
Can I use AWS Outposts to run containerized applications?
Yes. AWS Outposts supports both Amazon ECS and Amazon EKS for running containerized applications.
What type of connection does AWS Outposts require?
AWS Outposts requires a reliable network connection back to the home AWS Region, with sufficient bandwidth to handle the anticipated traffic for the AWS services running on Outposts.
How can the AWS Snowball Edge assist in disaster recovery situations?
In disaster recovery situations, AWS Snowball Edge can provide on-the-ground computing capabilities where network connectivity may be absent or unreliable. Plus, data saved on the device is automatically encrypted, ensuring its safety during transit and recovery.
Is it possible to run Amazon RDS on AWS Outposts?
Yes. You can run Amazon RDS on AWS Outposts to provide on-premises databases that can be managed using the same AWS Management Console, APIs, and CLI used for RDS databases in AWS Regions.
Is the data transferred using a Snowball Edge encrypted?
Yes, the data on a AWS Snowball Edge is automatically encrypted with AWS Key Management Service (KMS) keys.
How can an organization benefit from using the AWS Snowball Edge?
An organization can benefit from using AWS Snowball Edge by moving large amounts of data quickly and securely. It also offers computation capabilities to run applications closer to the data source in situations where low latency is crucial.
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