What is AWS DataSync? - AWS DataSync

What is AWS DataSync?

AWS DataSync is an online data movement and discovery service that simplifies data migration and helps you quickly, easily, and securely transfer your file or object data to, from, and between AWS storage services.

On-premises storage transfers

DataSync works with the following on-premises storage systems:

AWS storage transfers

DataSync works with the following AWS storage services:

Other cloud storage transfers

DataSync works with the following other cloud storage services:

Edge storage transfers

DataSync works with the following edge storage services and devices:

Use cases

These are some of the main use cases for DataSync:

  • Discover data – Get visibility into your on-premises storage performance and utilization. AWS DataSync Discovery can also provide recommendations for migrating your data to AWS storage services.

  • Migrate data – Move active datasets rapidly over the network into AWS storage services. DataSync includes automatic encryption and data integrity validation to help make sure that your data arrives securely, intact, and ready to use.

  • Archive cold data – Move cold data stored in on-premises storage directly to durable and secure long-term storage classes such as S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval or S3 Glacier Deep Archive. Doing so can free up on-premises storage capacity and shut down legacy systems.

  • Replicate data – Copy data into any Amazon S3 storage class, choosing the most cost-effective storage class for your needs. You can also send data to Amazon EFS, FSx for Windows File Server, FSx for Lustre, or FSx for OpenZFS for a standby file system.

  • Move data for timely in-cloud processing – Move data in or out of AWS for processing. This approach can speed up critical hybrid cloud workflows across many industries. These include machine learning in the life-sciences industry, video production in media and entertainment, big-data analytics in financial services, and seismic research in the oil and gas industry.

Benefits

By using DataSync, you can get the following benefits:

  • Simplify migration planning – With automated data collection and recommendations, DataSync Discovery can minimize the time, effort, and costs associated with planning your data migrations to AWS. You can use recommendations to inform your budget planning and re-run discovery jobs to validate your assumptions as you approach your migration.

  • Automate data movement – DataSync makes it easier to move data over the network between storage systems and services. DataSync automates both the management of data-transfer processes and the infrastructure required for high performance and secure data transfer.

  • Transfer data securely – DataSync provides end-to-end security, including encryption and integrity validation, to help ensure that your data arrives securely, intact, and ready to use. DataSync accesses your AWS storage through built-in AWS security mechanisms, such as AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) roles. It also supports virtual private cloud (VPC) endpoints, giving you the option to transfer data without traversing the public internet and further increasing the security of data copied online.

  • Move data faster – DataSync uses a purpose-built network protocol and a parallel, multi-threaded architecture to accelerate your transfers. This approach speeds up migrations, recurring data-processing workflows for analytics and machine learning, and data-protection processes.

  • Reduce operational costs – Move data cost-effectively with the flat, per-gigabyte pricing of DataSync. Avoid having to write and maintain custom scripts or use costly commercial transfer tools.

Additional resources

We recommend that you read the following: