AWS Snowcone, AWS Snowball, and AWS Snowmobile are all part of the AWS Snow Family, designed for physical data transfer and edge computing. Each service is tailored for different data transfer sizes and specific use cases. Here’s a detailed comparison of these services:
Table of Contents
AWS Snowcone
Description: AWS Snowcone is the smallest member of the AWS Snow Family, designed for edge computing, data transfer, and storage.
Key Features:
- Capacity: Up to 8 terabytes (TB) of usable storage.
- Size: Portable and compact, small enough to fit in a backpack.
- Connectivity: Supports wired and wireless networking.
- Durability: Rugged and secure, designed to withstand harsh environments.
- Edge Computing: Supports running AWS IoT Greengrass for edge computing tasks.
- Power: Can be powered by an AC adapter or an optional battery.
Use Cases:
- Small-scale data migration.
- Edge computing in remote or harsh environments.
- Temporary storage for data collection.
AWS Snowball
Description: AWS Snowball is a ruggedized device designed for transferring petabyte-scale data and edge computing.
Key Features:
- Capacity: Available in two sizes, Snowball Edge Storage Optimized (up to 80 TB usable storage) and Snowball Edge Compute Optimized (42 TB storage plus additional computing capacity).
- Size: Larger than Snowcone, but still portable.
- Durability: Rugged, designed for harsh conditions.
- Connectivity: Supports 10 GbE and 25 GbE network connections.
- Edge Computing: Supports AWS Lambda and Amazon EC2 instances for local processing and edge computing tasks.
- Encryption: Data is encrypted end-to-end using AWS KMS.
Use Cases:
- Large-scale data migration and disaster recovery.
- Edge computing in remote locations.
- Local processing of large datasets before transferring to AWS.
AWS Snowmobile
Description: AWS Snowmobile is an exabyte-scale data transfer service, essentially a shipping container-sized storage device transported by a truck.
Key Features:
- Capacity: Can transfer up to 100 petabytes (PB) per Snowmobile.
- Size: Extremely large, requires specialized transportation and handling.
- Security: Encrypted with 256-bit encryption, equipped with GPS tracking, 24/7 video surveillance, and tamper-evident seals.
- Durability: Highly secure and rugged, designed for transporting vast amounts of data safely.
- Service Model: AWS handles all logistics, from delivery to data transfer to return shipping.
Use Cases:
- Massive data center migrations.
- Transferring exabyte-scale data lakes or large archives.
- Large-scale disaster recovery and data preservation.
Comparison Summary
| Feature | AWS Snowcone | AWS Snowball | AWS Snowmobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | Up to 8 TB | Up to 80 TB (Storage Optimized) or 42 TB (Compute Optimized) | Up to 100 PB |
| Size | Compact and portable | Portable but larger | Shipping container-sized |
| Connectivity | Wired and wireless | 10 GbE and 25 GbE | N/A |
| Durability | Rugged | Rugged | Highly secure and rugged |
| Edge Computing | AWS IoT Greengrass | AWS Lambda, Amazon EC2 | N/A |
| Encryption | End-to-end encryption | End-to-end encryption | End-to-end encryption |
| Use Cases | Small-scale data migration, edge computing | Large-scale data migration, edge computing | Exabyte-scale data transfer, data center migration |
| Service Model | Self-service | Self-service | Fully managed by AWS |
Summary
- AWS Snowcone is ideal for small-scale data transfers and edge computing tasks, especially in remote or harsh environments.
- AWS Snowball is suitable for larger-scale data transfers and more demanding edge computing tasks, with its higher capacity and support for local processing.
- AWS Snowmobile is designed for massive data transfers, such as entire data center migrations, offering the highest capacity and a fully managed service by AWS.