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AWS Import/Export VS AWS Snowball

Compare AWS Import/Export VS AWS Snowball and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

AWS Import/Export logo AWS Import/Export

Utilities, Application Utilities, and Data Transfer

AWS Snowball logo AWS Snowball

AWS Snowball is a petabyte-scale data transport service that uses secure devices to transfer large amounts of data into and out of the AWS cloud.
  • AWS Import/Export Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-02-21
  • AWS Snowball Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-12

AWS Import/Export features and specs

No features have been listed yet.

AWS Snowball features and specs

  • High Data Transfer Speed
    AWS Snowball allows for rapid data transfer, capable of moving petabytes of data securely and quickly, often faster than transferring over the internet.
  • Security
    Snowball devices use tamper-evident enclosures, 256-bit encrypted data transfer, and secure data erasure once the data has been uploaded to AWS, ensuring data security during transit.
  • Cost-Effective
    Compared to high-bandwidth internet connections, especially in regions with poor connectivity, AWS Snowball can be a more cost-effective solution for large-scale data transfer.
  • Scalability
    Users can request multiple Snowball devices simultaneously to move larger volumes of data efficiently. This makes it scalable to meet the needs of significant data transfer projects.
  • Ease of Use
    AWS provides a simple, user-friendly interface for ordering, tracking, and managing Snowball devices, making the service accessible even to users without deep technical expertise.
  • Offline Data Transfer
    Snowball operates offline, meaning that data can be transferred without relying on internet connectivity, which is particularly beneficial in areas with limited or unreliable connectivity.

Possible disadvantages of AWS Snowball

  • Limited Data Sizes Per Device
    Each Snowball device has a maximum capacity (currently up to 80TB per device), so extremely large datasets may require multiple devices and therefore multiple shipments.
  • Shipping Time
    The physical shipment of Snowball devices can take several days depending on the location, which may not be suitable for projects requiring immediate data transfer.
  • Initial Cost and Complexity
    There may be an initial investment and learning curve involved in setting up and understanding how to use AWS Snowball, which might be a barrier for smaller organizations or those with limited technical expertise.
  • Geographical Limitations
    AWS Snowball may not be available in all regions or countries, limiting its usefulness for organizations based in or needing to ship data to/from unsupported locations.
  • Handling and Physical Security
    Despite its tamper-evident features, physical shipment adds a layer of risk related to potential loss or damage in transit, as well as the need for secure handling and storage until the data transfer is complete.
  • Data Transfer Time
    Once the device arrives, transferring data to and from the Snowball can be time-consuming depending on the volume of data and the local network setup.

AWS Import/Export videos

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AWS Snowball videos

AWS Snowball Edge Overview

More videos:

  • Review - DigitalGlobe Moves Petabytes of Data Quickly and Securely Using AWS Snowmobile
  • Review - AWS Snowball | Snowball Edge | Snowmobile - Amazon AWS Large Scale Datasets Migration

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to AWS Import/Export and AWS Snowball)
ETL
100 100%
0% 0
Business & Commerce
0 0%
100% 100
Data Pipelines
100 100%
0% 0
B2B SaaS
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, AWS Snowball should be more popular than AWS Import/Export. It has been mentiond 21 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

AWS Import/Export mentions (3)

  • AWS linux images
    You can do a VM Import from an existing machine from a virtualbox or vmware or similar hypervisor. https://aws.amazon.com/ec2/vm-import/ to AWS from your local. And back. Source: over 3 years ago
  • AWS Migration
    VM Import/Export - essentially, create an OVA of a VM and upload it to S3 and import it as an AMI to launch from: https://aws.amazon.com/ec2/vm-import/. Source: over 3 years ago
  • The 6 R's Of Cloud Migration
    You can use tools such as AWS Cloud Endure and VM Import/Export to automate this strategy. - Source: dev.to / almost 4 years ago

AWS Snowball mentions (21)

  • WD Ultrastar Transporter: Briefcase with 368TB of NVMe SSD, 128GB RAM, 1300W PSU
    This is still a common thing. Amazon has AWS Snowball [1] (up to 210 TB), Backblaze has Fireball [2] (96 TB), and I'm sure there are others. [1]: https://aws.amazon.com/snowball/ [2]: https://www.backblaze.com/cloud-storage/features/fireball-data-migration. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • AWS To Provide Free Data Transfer Out To Internet
    If you have extremely large amounts of data to transfer, such as hundreds of petabytes or into exabytes, AWS Snowmobile can move up to 100PB at once via a ruggedized shipping container. The ruggedized shipping container is tamper-resistant, water-resistant, temperature controlled, and GPS-tracked. The service was announced in 2016, and one of the trucks shown during a presentation that year at AWS re-Invent:. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • AWS To Provide Free Data Transfer Out To Internet
    AWS Snowball has a number of devices optimized for edge computing and data transfer. The service allows you to order a ruggedized device that can hold multiple terrabytes to petabytes of data, to transfer to AWS. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • AWS To Provide Free Data Transfer Out To Internet
    If you have extremely large amounts of data to transfer, such as hundreds of petabytes or into exabytes, AWS Snowmobile can move up to 100PB at once via a ruggedized shipping container. The ruggedized shipping container is tamper-resistant, water-resistant, temperature controlled, and GPS-tracked. The service was announced in 2016, and one of the trucks shown during a presentation that year at AWS re-Invent:. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Can they email between Pegasus and Earth?
    I'm sure once they got the BC-304s making regular round trips they dropped of a couple of AWS snowmobile trailers. For boosting their computing power and make copies of the Atlantis database to send back to Earth for more in depth analysis. Source: over 1 year ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing AWS Import/Export and AWS Snowball, you can also consider the following products

AWS Server Migration Service - On-Premise Data Integration

Net Solutions - Where innovation meets expertise. Award-winning digital solutions built for growth.

AWS Glue - Fully managed extract, transform, and load (ETL) service

OpenLayers - A high-performance, feature-packed library for all your mapping needs.

Amazon RDS - Easy to manage relational databases optimized for total cost of ownership.

Revenue River - We help organizations compete and win online with digital marketing and sales innovation strategy and execution.