Choosing an AWS storage service

It's important to consider the operating system of the clients that will be accessing the data. Windows-based clients can use file-based storage options such as Amazon FSx for Windows File Server. It provides highly available storage to your Windows applications with full Server Message Block (SMB) support.

Amazon FSx for Lustre (for high-performance file systems) is designed for use with Unix/Linux-based file systems. FSx for Lustre is optimized for workloads where speed matters, such as machine learning, high performance computing (HPC), video processing, and financial modeling.

The choice of client type for an AWS storage service is critical to ensure easy access and sharing of data across workloads. Selecting a service that is compatible with the file systems and protocols used by your clients is key to avoiding compatibility issues and ensuring seamless data access and transfer.

Performance is a critical factor to consider when choosing an AWS storage service. There are several factors to consider when evaluating storage performance, including IOPS (input/output operations per second), access patterns, latency, and throughput or bandwidth. It is important to ask questions such as:

• Is your workload latency sensitive?
  
• Do other metrics (such as IOPS or throughput) dominate your applications performance profile?
  
• Is your workload read or write-heavy?
  

Some factors to consider when migrating your on-premises storage to AWS are:

• Data transfer: what is the most efficient method to transfer your data to AWS?
• Compatibility: For example, if you already leverage NetApp ONTAP appliances on-premises services (such as Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP) provide a seamless migration path.
• Application integration: Evaluate how your applications will integrate with AWS storage services. Consider any necessary modifications or configurations required to enable seamless connectivity and functionality between your applications and the AWS environment.
• Data Management and lifecycle: Plan for data management tasks such as backup, replication, and lifecycle management in the AWS environment. Consider AWS services and features that can help automate these tasks, such as versioning, lifecycle policies, and cross-region replication.
• Security and compliance: Ensure that your data remains secure during the migration process. Implement appropriate security measures, such as encryption and access controls, to protect your data both in transit and at rest
• Cost optimization: Analyze the cost implications of migrating your storage solution to AWS. Consider factors such as storage pricing, data transfer costs, and any associated services or features required to optimize costs.

By carefully considering these factors, you can ensure a successful migration from an on-premises storage solution to AWS storage services, minimizing disruptions, and maximizing the benefits of cloud storage.

Backup and protection requirements are critical factors to consider when choosing an AWS storage service because they help ensure the availability and durability of your data.

Without adequate backup and protection measures, data can be lost due to accidental deletion, hardware failure, or natural disasters, which can have severe consequences for your business.

Familiarize yourself with services such as AWS Backup, which can backup your data on demand or automatically as part of a scheduled backup plan. AWS Backup also offers cross-region replication which can be particularly valuable if you have business continuity or compliance requirements to store backups a minimum distance away from your production data.

Disaster recovery is a critical consideration when choosing an AWS storage service because it helps ensure business continuity in the event of a disaster or outage. A disaster can be caused by various factors, such as natural disasters, human error, or cyberattacks, and can result in significant data loss and downtime.

Choosing a storage service that provides disaster recovery features, such as replication across multiple availability zones, can help minimize the impact of a disaster on your business. It's important to consider factors such as recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO) when evaluating disaster recovery options and choose a storage service that meets your business needs.

Beyond the base storage costs, there are other factors that impact pricing such as storage capacity, data transfer, and availability that impacts the total cost of storage. The following can help you reduce cost when using an AWS storage service:

• Use the appropriate storage service for your workload type
  
• Use AWS Cost Explorer and other billing tools to monitor organizational spend
• Understand your data and how it is being used

We also recommend that you use the AWS Pricing Calculator to estimate your cost when choosing an AWS storage service.

Security at AWS is a shared responsibility. AWS provides a secure foundation for customers to build and deploy their applications, but customers are responsible for implementing their own security measures to protect their data, applications, and infrastructure.

You should consider aspects of security such as access control, data encryption, compliance requirements, monitoring and logging, and incident response when choosing an AWS storage service. By doing so, you can help ensure that your data is protected while using AWS services.