AWS Storage Gateway is a hybrid cloud storage service that connects on-premises environments with cloud storage. It allows seamless integration of on-premises IT environments with Amazon S3, Amazon Glacier, and Amazon EBS, providing secure and scalable storage solutions. There are three types of gateways: File Gateway, Volume Gateway, and Tape Gateway.
1. File Gateway
Functionality:
File-based access to objects in S3: File Gateway presents a file interface to on-premises systems while storing data as objects in Amazon S3. Protocols supported: Supports NFS and SMB protocols for accessing data. Caching: Frequently accessed data is cached on-premises for low-latency access. Data storage: Data written to the File Gateway is stored as S3 objects, retaining file metadata such as ownership, permissions, and timestamps. Use Cases: File backups, content repositories, file shares, and data migration to S3. Key Features:
Storage Classes: Supports all S3 storage classes including S3 Standard, S3 Standard-IA, S3 One Zone-IA, S3 Glacier, and S3 Glacier Deep Archive. Durability and Availability: Leverages S3's durability and availability. Cost Management: Helps manage storage costs with S3 lifecycle policies. Integration: Easily integrates with on-premises applications and workflows. 2. Volume Gateway
Functionality:
Block storage interface: Provides an iSCSI-based block storage interface to on-premises applications. Two modes: Volume Gateway operates in two modes - Cached Volumes and Stored Volumes. Cached Volumes:
Local cache: Stores frequently accessed data locally while keeping primary data in S3. Low-latency access: Provides low-latency access to most frequently accessed data. Volume size: Supports volumes up to 32 TiB. Stored Volumes:
Primary data storage on-premises: Stores primary data on-premises and asynchronously backs up point-in-time snapshots to S3. Disaster recovery: Provides disaster recovery by storing backups in AWS. Volume size: Supports volumes up to 16 TiB. Use Cases
Data backup and recovery: Backup on-premises data to the cloud and recover it when needed. Hybrid cloud storage: Extend on-premises storage to the cloud for backup and DR. Key Features:
Snapshots: Supports EBS snapshots for point-in-time backups, enabling fast restores. Storage Efficiency: Incremental backups reduce storage costs and transfer times. 3. Tape Gateway
Functionality:
Virtual tape library (VTL): Emulates a physical tape library with virtual tapes in the cloud. Backup integration: Integrates with existing backup applications using the iSCSI interface. Cost-effective: Virtual tapes are stored in S3 and can be archived in Glacier for cost savings. Each gateway is preconfigured with a media changer and tape drives. Supported by NetBackup, Backup Exec, Veeam etc. When creating virtual tapes, you select one of the following sizes: 100 GB, 200 GB, 400 GB, 800 GB, 1.5 TB, and 2.5 TB. A tape gateway can have up to 1,500 virtual tapes with a maximum aggregate capacity of 1 PB. All data transferred between the gateway and AWS storage is encrypted using SSL. All data stored by tape gateway in S3 is encrypted server-side with Amazon S3-Managed Encryption Keys (SSE-S3). Use Cases:
Tape replacement: Replaces traditional tape backup systems with a cloud-based solution. Long-term retention: Store data long-term with low-cost Glacier storage. Compliance: Meet regulatory compliance requirements for data retention. Used for backup with popular backup software Key Features:
Tape lifecycle management: Move virtual tapes between S3 and Glacier as needed. Scalability: Scales to virtually unlimited capacity. Secure and Durable: Benefits from the security and durability of AWS storage services.
AWS Storage Gateway
