AWS Snow Family
Move petabytes of data to and from AWS, or process data at the edge
Purpose-built devices to cost effectively move petabytes of data, offline. Lease a Snow device to move your data to the cloud.
Field-tested for the most extreme conditions, delivering high security and ruggedization into compute and storage-compatible devices.
Device options range to optimize for space- or weight-constrained environments, portability, and flexible networking options.
AWS Snow Family key features
AWS Snow Family key features
Each feature listed below are standard features across each device type. To learn more about AWS Snowcone or AWS Snowball device specifications unique to each device type, visit their feature pages.
On-board computing
Snow Family devices have computing resources to collect and process data at the edge. Devices can support Amazon EC2 instances, AWS IoT Greengrass functions, and Kubernetes deployments on Amazon EKS Anywhere.
End-to-end tracking
Each device uses an E-Ink shipping label for easy tracking and automatic label updates for return shipping using Amazon Simple Notification Service (SNS), text messages, and via the AWS Console.
Simple management and monitoring
AWS OpsHub is a complimentary graphical user interface (GUI) available to makes it easy to setup and manage Snow devices. Rapidly deploy edge computing workloads and migrate data to the cloud. Download AWS OpsHub here.
Encryption
All data moved to AWS Snow Family devices is automatically encrypted with 256-bit encryption keys that are managed by the AWS Key Management Service (KMS). Encryption keys are never stored on the device so your data stays secure during transit.
Secure erasure
Once the data migration job is complete and verified, AWS performs a software erasure of the device that follows the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines for media sanitization.
NFS endpoint
Applications can work with Snow Family devices as an NFS mount point. NFS v3 and v4.1 are supported so you can easily use Snow devices with your existing on-premises servers and file-based applications.
Anti-tamper & Tamper-evident
AWS Snow devices feature a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) that provides a hardware root of trust. Each device is inspected after each use to ensure the integrity of the device and helps preserve the confidentiality of your data.
AWS Snow Family service models
AWS Snowcone
AWS Snowcone is the most compact and portable device. Weighing in at 4.5 pounds (2.1 kg) and available with SSD or HDD options, Snowcone is ruggedized, secure, and purpose-built for use outside of a traditional data center.
Learn more »
AWS Snowball
AWS Snowball is available as a Compute Optimized device or a Storage Optimized device. Explore the options best suited for your needs. All devices are suited for extreme conditions, tamper proof, and highly secure.
AWS Snowmobile
AWS Snowmobile is an Exabyte-scale data migration device used to move extremely large amounts of data to AWS. Migrate up to 100PB in a 45-foot long ruggedized shipping container, pulled by a semi-trailer truck.
Feature comparison matrix
| AWS Snowcone | AWS Snowball Edge Storage Optimized | AWS Snowball Edge Compute Optimized |
AWS Snowmobile | |
| Usable HDD Storage | 8 TB | 80 TB | N/A | 100 PB |
| Usable SSD Storage | 14 TB | 1 TB | 28 TB | No |
| Usable vCPUs | 4 vCPUs | 40 vCPUs | 104 vCPUs | N/A |
| Usable Memory | 4 GB | 80 GB | 416 GB | N/A |
| Device Size | 9in x 6in x 3in | 548 mm x 320 mm x 501 mm | 548 mm x 320 mm x 501 mm | 45 ft. shipping container |
| 227 mm x 148.6 mm x 82.65 mm | ||||
| Device Weight | 4.5 lbs. (2.1 kg) | 49.7 lbs. (22.3 kg) | 49.7 lbs. (22.3 kg) | N/A |
| Storage Clustering | No | Yes, 5-10 nodes | Yes, 5-10 nodes | N/A |
| 256-bit Encryption | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | No | Yes, eligible | Yes, eligible | Yes, eligible |
How to get started
Explore AWS Snowcone
Learn more about AWS Snowcone and decide if this portable, compact device is best for you.
Explore AWS Snowball
Learn more about AWS Snowball and the device options for your storage or compute needs.
Consult with AWS
Connect with an AWS Sales representative who can help get you started with Snow today.