Overview | Notion

The AWS Snow Family provides highly secure and portable devices for two main use cases: data migration and edge computing. Here's a breakdown of each use case, the devices available, and how they are utilized.

Data Migration with the AWS Snow Family

Data migration through the AWS Snow Family becomes a valuable option when transferring large amounts of data over the internet is impractical due to time, cost, or bandwidth limitations. The devices available for data migration include:

Snowcone: The smallest option, designed for light, portable use, offering up to 14 terabytes of SSD storage.
Snowball Edge: Available in two versions, Storage Optimized (with up to 80 terabytes of storage) and Compute Optimized (with up to 42 terabytes of usable storage), suitable for moving terabytes or petabytes of data.
Snowmobile: A large-scale data transfer solution capable of moving exabytes of data, with each Snowmobile offering 100 petabytes of capacity.

Feature	Snowcone	Snowball Edge	Snowmobile
Use Case	Edge Computing, Data Transfer	Edge Computing, Data Transfer	High-Volume Data Transfer
Size	Small, Lightweight (2.1 kg)	Larger, Portable (Approx. suitcase size)	Large (Truck transport required)
Storage Capacity	8TB HDD or 14TB SSD	42TB or 80TB HDD, 42TB SSD (Storage Optimized)	100PB (Petabytes)
Compute Capacity	Limited CPU and Memory	Compute Capabilities Available	Not Applicable (Primarily for Data Transfer)
Connectivity	Wired or Wireless	Wired or Wireless	Not Applicable (Primarily for Data Transfer)
Power Source	USB-C or Optional Battery	Power Supply or Optional Battery	Power Generator
Deployment	Portable, Rugged	Portable, Rugged	Requires Truck Transport
Use Cases	Edge Locations, Remote Environments	Edge Locations, Remote Sites, Data Centers	Large-Scale Data Migrations, Exabyte-Scale Data Transfers
Integration with AWS	Supports AWS DataSync for Online Transfer	Supports AWS DataSync for Online Transfer	Supports AWS Direct Connect and Snowball Edge Storage Optimized for Integration
Long-Term Deployment	Available (1-3 Years Discounted Pricing)	Available (1-3 Years Discounted Pricing)	Not Applicable (Primarily for One-Time, Large-Scale Transfers)

Process of Data Migration

Request Device: Users request a Snow Family device via the AWS Management Console.
Data Transfer: Upon receiving the device, users transfer data onto it locally.
Return Device: The device is shipped back to AWS, where the data is transferred to AWS infrastructure, typically into an Amazon S3 bucket.
Security: After data transfer, the device is wiped according to high-security standards.

Edge Computing with the AWS Snow Family

Edge computing involves processing data at the location it is generated, especially when that location has limited or no internet connectivity. The AWS Snow Family supports edge computing through:

Snowcone: Suitable for environments requiring a compact, portable device.
Snowball Edge: Offers both storage and compute capabilities, enabling local processing and storage of data.

Edge Computing

Definition

Edge computing involves the processing of data at locations where internet connectivity is limited or absent, bringing computation closer to the data source.