AWS Storage Gateway FAQs

NA"},"metadata":{"tags":[{"id":"GLOBAL#pattern#faq","name":"FAQ","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#pattern","description":"FAQ","metadata":{}},{"id":"GLOBAL#product#storage-gateway","name":"AWS Storage Gateway","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#product","description":"AWS Storage Gateway","metadata":{}},{"id":"GLOBAL#pattern#pattern-data","name":"pattern-data","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#pattern","description":"pattern-data","metadata":{}}]}},{"fields":{"topic":"What is AWS Storage Gateway?","id":"product-faqs#what-is-storage-gateway","customSortOrder":"1","content":"

AWS Storage Gateway is a hybrid cloud storage service that gives you on-premises access to virtually unlimited cloud storage. Storage Gateway provides a standard set of storage protocols such as iSCSI, SMB, and NFS, which allow you to use AWS storage without rewriting your existing applications. It provides low-latency performance by caching frequently accessed data on premises, while storing data securely and durably in Amazon cloud storage services. Storage Gateway optimizes data transfer to AWS by sending only changed data and compressing data. Storage Gateway also integrates natively with Amazon S3 and Amazon FSx for Windows File Server cloud storage, which makes your data available for in-cloud processing, AWS Identity and Access Management (AWS IAM) for securing access management to services and resources, AWS Key Management Service (AWS KMS) for encrypting data at rest in the cloud, Amazon CloudWatch for monitoring, and AWS CloudTrail for logging account activity."},"metadata":{"tags":[{"id":"GLOBAL#product#storage-gateway","name":"AWS Storage Gateway","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#product","description":"AWS Storage Gateway","metadata":{}},{"id":"GLOBAL#pattern#faq","name":"FAQ","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#pattern","description":"FAQ","metadata":{}},{"id":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs#general","name":"General","namespaceId":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs","description":"

General","metadata":{}}]}},{"fields":{"topic":"Why should I use AWS Storage Gateway?","id":"product-faqs#why-should-i-use-aws-storage-gateway","customSortOrder":"2","content":"

AWS Storage Gateway enables you to reduce your on-premises storage footprint and associated costs by leveraging AWS storage services."},"metadata":{"tags":[{"id":"GLOBAL#pattern#faq","name":"FAQ","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#pattern","description":"FAQ","metadata":{}},{"id":"GLOBAL#product#storage-gateway","name":"AWS Storage Gateway","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#product","description":"AWS Storage Gateway","metadata":{}},{"id":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs#general","name":"General","namespaceId":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs","description":"

General","metadata":{}}]}},{"fields":{"topic":"What use cases does AWS Storage Gateway support?","id":"product-faqs#what-use-cases-does-aws-storage-gateway-support","customSortOrder":"3","content":"

Storage Gateway supports four key hybrid cloud use cases – (1) move backups and archives to the cloud, (2) reduce on-premises storage with cloud-backed file shares, (3) provide on-premises applications low-latency access to data stored in AWS, and (4) data lake access for pre and post processing workflows."},"metadata":{"tags":[{"id":"GLOBAL#pattern#faq","name":"FAQ","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#pattern","description":"FAQ","metadata":{}},{"id":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs#general","name":"General","namespaceId":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs","description":"

General","metadata":{}},{"id":"GLOBAL#product#storage-gateway","name":"AWS Storage Gateway","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#product","description":"AWS Storage Gateway","metadata":{}}]}},{"fields":{"topic":"How does AWS Storage Gateway provide on-premises applications access to cloud storage?","id":"product-faqs#how-does-aws-storage-gateway-provide-on-premises-applications-access-to-cloud-storage","customSortOrder":"4","content":"

Depending on your use case, Storage Gateway provides three types of storage interfaces for your on-premises applications: file, volume, and tape. \n

The Amazon S3 File Gateway enables you to store and retrieve objects in Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) using file protocols such as Network File System (NFS) and Server Message Block (SMB). Objects written through S3 File Gateway can be directly accessed in S3. \n

The Amazon FSx File Gateway enables you to store and retrieve files in Amazon FSx for Windows File Server using the SMB protocol. Files written through Amazon FSx File Gateway are directly accessible in Amazon FSx for Windows File Server. \n

The Volume Gateway provides block storage to your on-premises applications using iSCSI connectivity. Data on the volumes is stored in Amazon S3 and you can take point-in-time copies of volumes that are stored in AWS as Amazon EBS snapshots. You can also take copies of volumes and manage their retention using AWS Backup. You can restore EBS snapshots to a Volume Gateway volume or an EBS volume. \n

The Tape Gateway provides your backup application with an iSCSI virtual tape library (VTL) interface, consisting of a virtual media changer, virtual tape drives, and virtual tapes. Virtual tapes are stored in Amazon S3 and can be archived to Amazon S3 Glacier or Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive."},"metadata":{"tags":[{"id":"GLOBAL#product#storage-gateway","name":"AWS Storage Gateway","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#product","description":"AWS Storage Gateway","metadata":{}},{"id":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs#general","name":"General","namespaceId":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs","description":"

General","metadata":{}},{"id":"GLOBAL#pattern#faq","name":"FAQ","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#pattern","description":"FAQ","metadata":{}}]}},{"fields":{"topic":"How do I use the AWS Storage Gateway service?","id":"product-faqs#how-do-i-use-the-aws-storage-gateway-service","customSortOrder":"5","content":"

You have two touchpoints to use the service: the AWS Management Console and the gateway appliance. \n

You use the AWS Management Console to download the gateway virtual appliance or launch it as an EC2 instance, configure storage, and manage and monitor the service. The gateway connects your applications to AWS storage by providing standard storage interfaces. It provides transparent caching, efficient data transfer, and integration with AWS monitoring and security services.launch it as an EC2 instance \n

To get started, sign up for an AWS account and visit the AWS Storage Gateway Management Console to download a gateway VM appliance. Once you’ve installed your gateway, you associate it with your AWS Account through our activation process. After activation, you configure the gateway to connect to the appropriate storage type. For Amazon S3 File Gateway, you configure file shares that are mapped to selected S3 buckets or S3 prefixes, using IAM roles. For Amazon FSx File Gateway, you configure file shares by attaching an existing Amazon FSx file system that contains one or more file shares, using a service account. For Volume Gateway, you create and mount volumes as iSCSI devices. For Tape Gateway, you connect your backup application to create and manage tapes. Once configured, you start using the gateway to write and read data to and from AWS storage. You can monitor the status of your data transfer and your storage interfaces through the AWS Management Console. Additionally, you can use the API or SDK to programmatically manage your application’s interaction with the gateway."},"metadata":{"tags":[{"id":"GLOBAL#product#storage-gateway","name":"AWS Storage Gateway","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#product","description":"AWS Storage Gateway","metadata":{}},{"id":"GLOBAL#pattern#faq","name":"FAQ","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#pattern","description":"FAQ","metadata":{}},{"id":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs#general","name":"General","namespaceId":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs","description":"

General","metadata":{}}]}},{"fields":{"topic":"Where can I deploy an AWS Storage Gateway appliance?","id":"product-faqs#where-can-i-deploy-a-storage-gateway-appliance","customSortOrder":"6","content":"

On-premises, you can deploy a virtual machine containing the Storage Gateway software on VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, or Linux KVM, or you can deploy Storage Gateway as a hardware appliance. You can also deploy the Storage Gateway VM in VMware Cloud on AWS, or as an AMI in Amazon EC2."},"metadata":{"tags":[{"id":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs#general","name":"General","namespaceId":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs","description":"

General","metadata":{}},{"id":"GLOBAL#pattern#faq","name":"FAQ","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#pattern","description":"FAQ","metadata":{}},{"id":"GLOBAL#product#storage-gateway","name":"AWS Storage Gateway","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#product","description":"AWS Storage Gateway","metadata":{}}]}},{"fields":{"topic":"What is Amazon S3 File Gateway?","id":"product-faqs#what-is-amazon-s3-file-gateway","customSortOrder":"7","content":"

Amazon S3 File Gateway presents a file-based interface to Amazon S3, which appears as a network file share. It enables you to store and retrieve Amazon S3 objects through standard file storage protocols. File Gateway allows your existing file-based applications or devices to use secure and durable cloud storage without needing to be modified. With S3 File Gateway, your configured S3 buckets will be available as Network File System (NFS) mount points or Server Message Block (SMB) file shares. Your applications read and write files and directories over NFS or SMB, interfacing to the gateway as a file server. In turn, the gateway translates these file operations into object requests on your S3 buckets. Your most recently used data is cached on the gateway for low-latency access, and data transfer between your data center and AWS is fully managed and optimized by the gateway. Once in S3, you can access the objects directly or manage them using S3 features such as S3 Lifecycle Policies and S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR). You can run S3 File Gateway on-premises or in EC2."},"metadata":{"tags":[{"id":"GLOBAL#pattern#faq","name":"FAQ","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#pattern","description":"FAQ","metadata":{}},{"id":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs#general","name":"General","namespaceId":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs","description":"

General","metadata":{}},{"id":"GLOBAL#product#storage-gateway","name":"AWS Storage Gateway","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#product","description":"AWS Storage Gateway","metadata":{}}]}},{"fields":{"topic":"What is Amazon FSx File Gateway?","id":"product-faqs#what-is-amazon-fsx-file-gateway","customSortOrder":"8","content":"

Amazon FSx File Gateway optimizes on-premises access to Windows file shares on Amazon FSx, making it easy for users to access FSx for Windows File Server data with low latency and conserving shared bandwidth. Users benefit from a local cache of frequently used data that they can access, enabling faster performance and reduced data transfer traffic. File system operations, such as reading and writing files, are all performed against the local cache, while Amazon FSx File Gateway synchronizes changed data to FSx for Windows File Server in the background. With these capabilities, you can consolidate all of your on-premises file share data in AWS on FSx for Windows File Server and benefit from protected, resilient, fully managed file systems."},"metadata":{"tags":[{"id":"GLOBAL#product#storage-gateway","name":"AWS Storage Gateway","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#product","description":"AWS Storage Gateway","metadata":{}},{"id":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs#general","name":"General","namespaceId":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs","description":"

General","metadata":{}},{"id":"GLOBAL#pattern#faq","name":"FAQ","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#pattern","description":"FAQ","metadata":{}}]}},{"fields":{"topic":"What is Tape Gateway?","id":"product-faqs#what-is-tape-gateway","customSortOrder":"9","content":"

Tape Gateway is a cloud-based Virtual Tape Library (VTL). It presents your backup application with a VTL interface, consisting of a media changer and tape drives. You can create virtual tapes in your virtual tape library using the AWS Management Console. Your backup application can read data from or write data to virtual tapes by mounting them to virtual tape drives using the virtual media changer. Virtual tapes are discovered by your backup application using its standard media inventory procedure. Virtual tapes are available for immediate access and are backed by Amazon S3. You can also archive tapes. Archived tapes are stored in Amazon S3 Glacier or Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive."},"metadata":{"tags":[{"id":"GLOBAL#product#storage-gateway","name":"AWS Storage Gateway","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#product","description":"AWS Storage Gateway","metadata":{}},{"id":"GLOBAL#pattern#faq","name":"FAQ","namespaceId":"GLOBAL#pattern","description":"FAQ","metadata":{}},{"id":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs#general","name":"General","namespaceId":"product-faqs#storage-gateway-faqs","description":"

General","metadata":{}}]}},{"fields":{"topic":"What is Volume Gateway?","id":"product-faqs#what-is-volume-gateway","customSortOrder":"10","content":"

Volume Gateway provides an iSCSI target, which enables you to create block storage volumes and mount them as iSCSI devices from your on-premises or EC2 application servers. The Volume Gateway runs in either a cached or stored mode. \n