AWS DataSync - Overview, Example, and Pricing

Here, we’ll explore all the amazing benefits it has to offer, learn how it works, and even discover basic differences between AWS DataSync and storage gateway. It’s going to be a fun and informative journey, so let’s get started!

Here are the following topics we are going to discuss:

• What Do You Understand from AWS DataSync?
• Why Do We Need AWS DataSync?
• How does AWS DataSync Work?
• AWS DataSync Pricing
• Difference Between AWS DataSync Vs. Storage Gateway
• Benefits of AWS DataSync
• Best Practices of AWS DataSync
• Conclusion

Check out this insightful video on AWS Tutorial for Beginners

What is AWS DataSync?

AWS DataSync is an entirely managed data transfer service. Its main goal is to quickly, securely, and efficiently transfer huge amounts of data between on-premises storage systems and AWS cloud storage services. AWS DataSync automates the data transfer procedure, reducing the time and complexity needed for synchronization and transferring data between various storage systems.

By removing the need for complex manual procedures, the service is intended to facilitate the process of data migration and make synchronization simpler. Large data transfers may be handled effectively due to the scalable architecture of AWS DataSync. 

Imagine a small wizard named Admin needs to move his magical books(data) stored in a secret cave(on-premise) to a cloud library (Amazon S3).

Admin uses a special magic wand called AWS DataSync to do the heavy lifting.

The Steps:

Tell DataSync Where to Look:

Admin tells DataSync about his secret cave (source) and the cloud library (target).

Start the Task:

With a wave of his wand, Admin starts the magic. DataSync’s invisible helpers start moving the books. 

Monitoring:

Admin keeps an eye on a crystal ball (CloudWatch) to see how fast his books are flying to the cloud.

Protect the Books (Options and Filters):

Admin casts spells to protect his books. He decides to replace old books, only move specific ones, and control the speed of the transfer.

Mission Accomplished:

With a final “Abracadabra,” Admin’s books now live happily in the cloud library. Mission accomplished!
In this enchanted tale, AWS DataSync is like Admin’s trusty wand, making the magical journey of moving books to the cloud as easy as saying a spell.

With AWS DataSync, companies can replicate data across multiple AWS regions, making it a dependable solution for global operations. This ensures that there are disaster recovery and business continuity measures in place in case of any unforeseen disruptions in a particular region. By storing multiple copies of data in various regions, AWS DataSync also helps to decrease the likelihood of data loss or corruption.

Why Do We Need AWS DataSync?

There are several reasons why you might need AWS DataSync, some of which are as follows:

• Accelerating Data Migration: DataSync enables swift and efficient transfer of data from on-premises storage to AWS cloud storage.
• Ensuring Data Protection: With DataSync, you can protect your on-premises data by backing it up to AWS cloud storage to safeguard it from hardware failures or unforeseen events.
• Streamlining Data Distribution: DataSync helps to securely and promptly distribute large data sets to multiple locations.
• Managing Hybrid Cloud Environments: DataSync facilitates data synchronization in hybrid cloud environments with on-premises and cloud storage.
• Improving Analytics Capabilities: DataSync is beneficial for the quick and efficient movement of large volumes of data stored in AWS to the cloud, enabling you to analyze data, derive insights, and make informed decisions.

How does AWS DataSync Work?

AWS DataSync is a service that facilitates rapid, secure, and automated data transfer between on-premises storage and AWS cloud storage services. The following is a breakdown of how it works:

• Task Creation: You begin by creating a DataSync task, specifying the source location (on-premises storage) and destination location (AWS cloud storage) for data transfer.
• Agent Installation: Here, you install the DataSync agent on your on-premises servers to communicate with the DataSync service to allow data transfer.
• Data Transfer: DataSync transfers data in chunks, leveraging parallel streams, compression, and encryption to optimize the transfer process. During the transfer, DataSync automatically checks the data’s integrity and retries any failed transfers.
• Monitoring and Automation: DataSync features monitoring and automation capabilities via AWS CloudWatch and AWS Lambda. You may use these services to track the progress of your DataSync tasks and automate tasks based on specific events or conditions.
• Data Synchronization: In hybrid cloud environments, DataSync can synchronize data between on-premises storage and AWS cloud storage. DataSync continuously monitors changes in both locations and updates them, accordingly, to ensure consistency between the two.

AWS DataSync Pricing

The pricing structure for AWS DataSync is based on three main factors:

1. Quantity of data being transferred

2. Number of tasks created

3. Destination storage service.

For data transfer, AWS charges $0.0125 per gigabyte (GB) for the first 10 terabytes (TB) of data transferred per month. If the amount of data transferred exceeds 10 TB, the price drops to $0.01 per GB. A fee of $0.40 per task per day is charged for task creation, regardless of the amount of data transferred.

The cost of the destination storage service also affects the pricing. If Amazon S3 is used as the destination storage service, the standard S3 storage rates for the amount of data stored will apply. If Amazon EFS is used as the destination storage service, the charge will depend on the amount of storage provisioned. Additionally, AWS provides a free tier for DataSync. This tier allows for up to 5 active tasks, 10,000 files transferred per task, and 5 GB of data transferred per task per month.

Difference Between AWS DataSync Vs. Storage Gateway

Here is a comparison table between AWS DataSync and AWS Storage Gateway:

Benefits of AWS DataSync

AWS DataSync provides numerous advantages, which include:

• Accelerated Data Transfer: DataSync enables data transfer that is up to ten times quicker than traditional methods like command-line tools or scripts.
• Streamlined Management: Using DataSync, you can effortlessly create, track, and manage your data transfer tasks through a user-friendly web interface or API.
• Automated Data Verification: DataSync checks the integrity of your data, automatically, during the transfer process and retries any unsuccessful transfers. This ensures that your data is securely and accurately transferred.
• Flexible Deployment: DataSync can find use in a range of environments, such as on-premises, virtualized, and cloud environments.
• Cost-Efficient: DataSync has competitive pricing and provides the ability to optimize data transfer to minimize expenses.

Best Practices of AWS Datasync

To ensure smooth and efficient data synchronization, here are some best practices for using AWS DataSync:

• Properly Design Network Connectivity: Ensure that your network connectivity between on-premises systems and AWS is sufficient to handle the expected data transfer volume. Low latency and high bandwidth connections can significantly improve transfer performance.
• Optimize Source and Destination: Both the source (on-premises) and destination (AWS) storage systems should be properly optimized for data transfer. Use fast disks and networking components to reduce transfer times.
• Select Appropriate AWS Region: Choose the AWS region that is geographically closest to your on-premises location to minimize data transfer latency.
• Choose the Right Transfer Mode: AWS DataSync supports different transfer modes (e.g., NFS, SMB, S3), so choose the one that best fits your use case and data transfer requirements.

Conclusion

Lastly, AWS has a track record of investing in and improving its services. DataSync is expected to continue receiving enhancements in the future. Hence, AWS DataSync is a highly promising choice for organizations that seek to optimize their data transfer operations and efficiently manage their data in the cloud.