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AWS DataSync

What is it​

An online data transfer service that simplifies, automates, and accelerates moving data between on-premises storage systems and AWS storage services.

What it's for​

Transfer large volumes of data quickly and securely to AWS for migration, archiving, replication, or cloud processing.

Use cases​

  • Migrating data from on-premises file systems (NFS, SMB) to Amazon S3, Amazon EFS, or Amazon FSx
  • Archiving cold data to low-cost storage in AWS Glacier
  • Data replication for disaster recovery
  • Transferring data for processing in AWS analytics or machine learning services
  • Consolidating data from multiple locations to a centralized data lake in AWS

Key points​

  • Accelerated transfer: Optimizes data transfer using a proprietary protocol
  • Fully managed: AWS handles the data transfer infrastructure
  • DataSync agent: A software agent that you deploy in your on-premises environment to access your data
  • Integration: Integrates with Amazon S3, Amazon EFS, Amazon FSx, and other AWS services
  • Data integrity: Ensures data integrity during transfer
  • Scheduling: Allows scheduling data transfer tasks

Comparison​

  • AWS DataSync: Offers an optimized, secure, and managed solution for transferring large volumes of data, overcoming bandwidth and reliability limitations of manual methods. Ideal for large-scale migrations and continuous transfers.
  • Manual data copying (e.g., rsync, SCP): Suitable for smaller data volumes or one-time transfers, but can be slow, error-prone, and doesn't offer the same optimization and management features as DataSync.