Aws Snow Family

AWS Snowcone, AWS Snowball, and AWS Snowmobile make up the AWS Snow family. The family includes physical objects with built-in computing power and capacity points. They aid with the movement of data both into and out of AWS. Customers of AWS can migrate data securely and affordably to AWS using members of the Snow family. How much data you need to move will determine which Snow family member to use. The Snow family integrates with AWS’s computing and security procedures because it is run and owned by AWS.

Overview of the Snow Family

AWS Snow Family moves and processes petabytes of data at the edge. The Snow family’s goal is to create low-cost devices that move data offline. To move our data to the cloud, we can rent a snow device.

Snow devices are rigorously tested in the most extreme conditions. It integrates high security and ruggedization into computing and storage devices.

Snow devices offer a variety of options, including optimization for space or weight constraints, portability, and flexible networking options.

Key Features of the AWS Snow Family

The Snow Family offers users convenient tools for management and monitoring. In addition, applications can directly access Snow devices as NFS (Network File System) endpoints. This capability allows organizations to integrate Snow devices seamlessly with their current on-premises systems and file-based applications.

Moreover, the devices automatically encrypt all transferred data using 256-bit encryption, which ensures strong security. To further protect sensitive information, the Snow Family includes a Trusted Platform Module that helps maintain data secrecy.

Another important feature is device tracking, which Snow makes simple and reliable. Beyond data transfer, the devices also provide built-in computation and storage resources, enabling AWS IoT Greengrass functionality at the edge. As a result, businesses can process and analyze data locally before sending it to the cloud.

Service Models of the AWS Snow Family

The AWS Snow Family service models are divided into three types:

AWS Snowcone

AWS Snowcone is the most compact and portable device, weighing only 4.5 pounds (2.1 kg). It comes in both HDD and SSD options. In addition, Snowcone is ruggedized, secure, and purpose-built for use outside of a traditional data center.

AWS Snowball

AWS Snowball is available in two variants: compute-optimized and storage-optimized. Moreover, these devices are highly secure, tamper-resistant, and designed for extreme conditions, making them suitable for large-scale data migration and edge computing.

AWS Snowmobile

AWS Snowmobile is an exabyte-scale data migration device that organizations use to move extremely large datasets. Specifically, it can transfer up to 100 PB of data in a single 45-foot-long ruggedized shipping container, which is pulled by a semi-trailer truck. As a result, Snowmobile is ideal for enterprises that need to migrate entire data centers to AWS.

What is AWS Snowcone?

AWS Snowcone is a lightweight edge computing and data transfer system. It is the most portable item owned by the Snow family. Rugged, secure, and reliable Snowcone is built for use outside of traditional data centers.

After being collected and processed, the data is either sent to AWS for offline transfer or sent using AWS Data Sync. We can deploy a portable device almost anywhere and get the processing, storage, and network accessibility we need from it.

How does AWS Snowcone work?

AWS Snowcone is a portable, secure, tiny device that provides edge computing, data storage, and data transport in remote locations with limited or no connectivity

Use cases of AWS Snowcone

Accelerate fleet data collection and analysis: It has a tiny form factor, a ruggedized design, a power option, and better security, making it simple to collect terabytes of data each day from a huge fleet of vehicles.
Gather IoT data in extreme conditions: It sets up an edge computer and storage system built for places with little room, restricted bandwidth, and harsh weather, such as factories, mines, and oil fields.
Improve patient outcomes: It provides patients with enhanced treatment while they are traveling or on the go, and it communicates vital data in real-time via built-in Wi-Fi and AWS DataSync.
Expedited content distribution: It gathers and analyses content, including high-resolution photos, and enhances team performance in a hectic, confined setting.
Edge processing: Gathering and processing data for real-time insights, followed by both online and offline transfers of the data to AWS

What is AWS Snowball?

AWS Snowball, which has no storage or processing power constraints, can be used to send terabytes of data to the cloud quickly. It speeds up the transport of data to the cloud from offline or distant storage. Furthermore, it speeds up application performance in far, sterile edge regions and manages computing duties with little to no connectivity. Your data is protected while it is in transit by Snowball’s ruggedized chassis, integrated organization, and tamper-evident box, which also quickly delivers it to the intended location.

How does AWS Snowball work?

Choose your favorite device from either the snowball edge compute or the snowball edge storage optimization options.
Utilize Amazon S3 to create a job (simple storage services).
To track the device, choose SNS (Simple Notification Services).
Set up a GPU and some other choices, such as Amazon EC2 AMIs.
We got the device, which AWS ships for us, in 4-6 days.
When you get there, turn it on and utilize AWS OpsHub to unlock it.
Join the LAN to the snow gadget.
Now launch the Ec2 instance, operate the device, and send data using AWS OpsHub.
Following a complete device shutdown, go back to AWS.
The E-link screen immediately displays the shipping label.
Any data saved in the snowball is transferred when devices arrive in the AWS Region.

Use Cases of AWS Snowball

Migrate data at petabyte-scale: In particular, when network circumstances are constrained, it moves databases, backups, archives, healthcare records, analytics datasets, IoT sensor data, and media assets to the cloud.
Process and analyze data locally: Run Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) on Amazon EC2 and distribute AWS Lambda code using machine learning (ML) or other applications on Snowball Edge devices.
Optimize manufacturing data: It gathers and examines data from the factory itself to hone procedures and boost production, efficiency, and safety.

What is AWS Snowmobile?

AWS Snowmobile is an exabyte-scale data migration service that moves massive amounts of data to the AWS Cloud. A semi-trailer truck pulls a ruggedized 45-foot-long shipping container, which can transport up to 100 PB of data in a single trip.

In addition, Snowmobile can easily handle the transfer of video libraries, image repositories, or even an entire data center. Moreover, it offers a rapid, cost-effective, and secure way to migrate extremely large datasets. As a result, enterprises can accelerate their cloud adoption without worrying about bandwidth limits or lengthy transfer times.

How Does AWS Snowmobile Work?

The AWS Snowmobile data migration process starts with an initial evaluation. After this, AWS delivers a Snowmobile to your data center. Their staff sets it up as a secure network storage target and collaborates with your IT team during the migration.

Next, the Snowmobile connects to your local network through a transportable, high-speed network switch. From there, you can begin transferring data from multiple sources within your data center. Once the loading process is complete, AWS drives the Snowmobile back to their facility and imports your data into Amazon S3.

Benefits of AWS Snowmobile

1. Fast transfer at scale
Transferring massive datasets over the internet can take decades. However, with AWS Snowmobile, you can move 100 PB of data in just a few weeks, plus the transport time.

2. Strong encryption
AWS uses 256-bit encryption keys managed by KMS. These keys are assigned before the data is written, and the Snowmobile never stores them on disk.

3. Customized migration
AWS tailors the migration to your requirements. Since every physical site is different, the team ensures your needs are addressed before Snowmobile arrives.

4. Massive scalability
A single Snowmobile can transfer up to 100 PB of data, equivalent to using 1,250 AWS Snowball devices.

5. Easy data retrieval
Businesses often worry about retrieving data after cloud migration. Fortunately, AWS Snowball and Snowmobile provide fast and cost-effective data import and export.

6. Rugged, durable, and secure
The Snowmobile is temperature-controlled, water-resistant, and tamper-proof. Only AWS employees can operate it, and additional security measures include GPS tracking, video surveillance, alarm monitoring, and the option for an escort security vehicle.