🌩️ What Is AWS Storage?
Think of AWS storage like online hard drives that you rent from Amazon’s data centers.
Just like your computer has a C: drive, AWS gives you many different types of cloud drives, each made for a specific purpose.
AWS stores your data safely in big, secure buildings called data centers, all around the world.
🧱 3 Main Types of AWS Storage
There are three main ways to store data in AWS — just like in real life, you use different places for different things.
| Type | What It Feels Like | Example Use | AWS Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Object storage | Like Google Drive or Dropbox | Store pictures, videos, backups | S3 (Simple Storage Service) |
| Block storage | Like your computer’s hard disk | Run operating systems or databases | EBS (Elastic Block Store) |
| File storage | Like a shared folder in an office | Multiple computers share the same files | EFS (Elastic File System) |
Let’s understand each one.
☁️ 1. Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service)
What it is:
Imagine a huge online folder where you can put any kind of file — photos, videos, text, etc.
This folder is called a bucket in AWS.
You don’t need to manage a server; AWS does it for you.
What you can do:
- Create a bucket (your folder)
- Upload or download files
- Make files public or private
- Set rules to automatically move old files to cheaper storage (like Glacier)
- Store unlimited data
Simple example:
You can upload a picture to S3, get a link, and share it with someone — just like sharing a file from Google Drive.
💾 2. Amazon EBS (Elastic Block Store)
What it is:
This is like the hard drive inside your computer.
When you create a virtual computer (EC2 instance) in AWS, it needs a disk to save data — that’s where EBS comes in.
Each EBS volume can be connected to one EC2 instance at a time.
What you can do:
- Attach it to an EC2 instance (like plugging a USB drive)
- Store your system files and databases
- Take snapshots (backups) of your disk
- Restore data if something goes wrong
Simple example:
If your EC2 instance is your computer, then EBS is your C: drive.
📂 3. Amazon EFS (Elastic File System)
What it is:
Think of this like a shared network folder that many computers can use at the same time.
EFS automatically grows and shrinks as you add or remove files.
It’s used when multiple EC2 instances need to share the same data.
What you can do:
- Create one EFS
- Mount it (connect) to many EC2 instances
- Store and share files in real time
- Data is stored in multiple availability zones, so it’s safe
Simple example:
In an office, if 5 people open and edit the same document stored in a shared folder — that’s how EFS works.
🧊 4. Amazon Glacier (Archival Storage)
What it is:
Glacier is used to store old data you don’t use often, but want to keep safe — like backups or old records.
It’s very cheap, but if you want to get your files back, it takes a few hours.
Simple example:
Think of Glacier like putting old photo albums in your attic — safe, cheap, but not quickly accessible.
🗺️ 5. Where Is Your Data Stored?
AWS divides the world into regions (like cities) and availability zones (AZs) (like buildings).
When you create storage, you pick a region, for example:
-
us-east-1→ Virginia, USA -
us-west-2→ Oregon, USA
Your data is saved in multiple buildings (AZs) so that if one fails, your data is still safe.
💰 6. How You Pay for AWS Storage
You pay only for what you use:
- S3: by amount of data + number of requests
- EBS: by size of disk (GB per month)
- EFS: by storage amount and usage time
- Glacier: by how much you store + how often you retrieve
🧠 7. What You Need to Know First (Base Knowledge)
Before learning AWS storage, you should understand:
- What is a server (EC2)
- What is a region and availability zone
- What is a VPC (virtual network in AWS)
- How to log in to AWS Console
- How to use the AWS Management Console (the web interface)
Once you know these, AWS storage will make sense.
🪜 8. Easiest Learning Path
| Step | What to Learn | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Learn S3 | Create a bucket, upload files, make one public |
| 2 | Learn EBS | Create EC2 → add an extra EBS volume → see how it stores files |
| 3 | Learn EFS | Create file system → mount on 2 EC2s → see both share files |
| 4 | Learn Glacier | Move S3 files to Glacier for cheap long-term storage |
What is NFS (Network File System)?
NFS stands for Network File System.
It’s a way for computers to share files over a network — like how you share a folder on Google Drive, but for computers on the same network.
Example:
Imagine you have:
- One main computer (server) that stores files.
- Several other computers (clients) that want to use those files.
With NFS, the clients can “mount” (connect to) the shared folder from the server and use it as if it were on their own computer — open, edit, save, etc.
Why NFS is useful
- Everyone sees the same files in real time.
- Great for teams or systems that need to share data (like multiple EC2 servers in AWS).
- Saves space — no need to copy the same file to every machine.
Simple analogy
Think of NFS like a shared drive in an office:
- The server is the file cabinet.
- The clients are the employees’ computers.
- Everyone can open and work on the same files stored in that cabinet.
1. What EFS Is
- EFS (Elastic File System) is a managed Network File System (NFS).
- It allows multiple EC2 instances (even across multiple Availability Zones) to share the same data.
- It behaves like a shared folder in the cloud, accessible from multiple Linux servers.
2. Key Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Fully managed | AWS takes care of setup, scaling, and maintenance. |
| Scalable | Automatically grows and shrinks as you add/remove files. |
| Highly available | Spans multiple AZs for fault tolerance. |
| Expensive | Costs roughly 3× more than GP2 EBS, but you pay only for what you use. |
| Supports Linux only | Uses the NFSv4.1 protocol (not supported on Windows). |
3. Performance and Throughput Modes
| Mode | When to Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General Purpose | Low-latency workloads like web apps, CMS, or home directories | Default |
| Max I/O | High-latency but high-throughput workloads like big data or media processing | For parallel operations |
Throughput Options:
- Bursting – Throughput increases with storage size.
- Provisioned – Manually set throughput independent of storage.
- Elastic – Automatically scales based on workload (best for unpredictable loads).
4. Storage Classes and Lifecycle Management
| Storage Tier | Description | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| EFS Standard | For frequently accessed files | Default |
| EFS Infrequent Access (IA) | Lower cost for rarely accessed files | Backup or less-used data |
| EFS Archive | Very low cost for long-term cold storage | Archival data |
Lifecycle Policies automatically move files between tiers:
- Example: Move from Standard → IA after 60 days of no access.
5. Availability and Durability
| Option | Zones | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| EFS Regional (Standard) | Multi-AZ | Production systems needing high durability |
| EFS One Zone | Single AZ | Development or cost-sensitive workloads |
6. Common Use Cases
- WordPress shared uploads directory
- CMS and content repositories
- Web servers sharing same static assets
- Data science and analytics workloads
- Shared configuration files for microservices
7. Exam Tips
- EFS is NFS-based → cannot be accessed with SMB or CIFS (Windows).
- Cannot SSH into EFS — it’s a managed file system, not a server.
- Mount targets must be allowed in Security Groups (NFS port 2049).
- Encryption at rest uses AWS KMS.
- Automatically scales in size and throughput.
\
1. Create the EFS File System
Basic Setup
- Go to Amazon EFS → Create file system
- Choose Customize (instead of “Quick Create”) to see all options.
- Leave the name blank or optional.
- Choose the default VPC.
2. File System Type
| Option | Description | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Regional (recommended) | Spans multiple AZs for high availability and durability | Production |
| One Zone | Stored in a single AZ, cheaper, less durable | Development/Test |
3. Backup and Lifecycle
- Automatic backups: Keep enabled (recommended).
-
Lifecycle management: Move data automatically between tiers:
- After 30 days → move to Infrequent Access (IA)
- After 90 days → move to Archive
- When accessed again → move back to Standard
This helps reduce costs for rarely accessed data.
4. Encryption and Performance Settings
- Encryption: Enable (default, uses KMS).
- Throughput modes:
| Mode | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bursting | Throughput scales with size. | Default mode. |
| Elastic | Automatically adjusts throughput up/down. | Best for unpredictable workloads. |
| Provisioned | Manually set throughput (e.g. 100 MB/s). | For consistent, predictable workloads. |
Recommended: Elastic throughput + General Purpose performance.
5. Network Access
- Choose default VPC.
- Automatically creates mount targets in 3 AZs (for Regional).
- Create a security group (e.g.
sg-efs-demo) with no inbound rules yet.
Then assign that group to the EFS.
Port: NFS (2049)
6. Launch EC2 Instances
-
Create two EC2 instances (Instance A & B):
- Use Amazon Linux 2
- Instance type: t2.micro
- Disable key pair (use EC2 Instance Connect)
- Place Instance A in AZ-a, Instance B in AZ-b
7. Attach EFS to EC2
Now, directly in the EC2 launch wizard:
- Scroll to File Systems
- Add your EFS file system
- Mount point:
/mnt/efs/fs1 -
The console automatically creates and configures:
- Mount scripts
- Correct security groups (
efs-sg-1,efs-sg-2) - NFS rules (port 2049)
No manual user-data script needed anymore.
8. Test EFS Sharing Between Instances
On Instance A
sudo su
echo "hello world" > /mnt/efs/fs1/hello.txt
cat /mnt/efs/fs1/hello.txt
Output:
hello world
On Instance B
ls /mnt/efs/fs1/
cat /mnt/efs/fs1/hello.txt
Output:
hello world
✅ Both instances see the same file — this confirms EFS is a shared NFS storage.
9. Cleanup
- Terminate EC2 instances.
- Delete EFS file system.
- Delete extra auto-created security groups (e.g.,
efs-sg-1,efs-sg-2).
Key Takeaways for Students
- EFS = shared, managed NFS storage for multiple EC2s.
- Use Elastic throughput + Regional type in production.
- Accessible via port 2049 (NFS).
- Pay per GB used — no need to pre-provision capacity.
- Mount once → shared across all instances.
1. Amazon EBS (Elastic Block Store)
What it is:
- A block-level storage device that attaches to a single EC2 instance.
- Behaves like a hard drive for your EC2 instance.
Key Points:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Attachment | One instance at a time (except io1/io2 Multi-Attach) |
| AZ Scope | Tied to one Availability Zone |
| Migration | Use snapshots to move data between AZs |
| Performance | Depends on volume type (gp2/gp3/io1/io2) |
| Backup Impact | Backups use I/O → may affect performance |
| Cost | Pay for provisioned capacity (size + IOPS) |
| OS Support | Works with Linux and Windows |
When to use:
- Databases
- OS boot volumes
- Applications that need low latency block storage
2. Amazon EFS (Elastic File System)
What it is:
- A network file system (NFS) that multiple EC2 instances can share at the same time.
Key Points:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Attachment | Multiple instances across AZs |
| AZ Scope | Regional (spans multiple AZs) |
| Protocol | Uses NFS (Linux only) |
| Scaling | Automatically scales with file size |
| Cost | Pay per GB used, 3× more expensive than EBS |
| Storage Tiers | Standard, Infrequent Access (IA), Archive |
| Encryption | Supported with KMS |
| Performance | Choose Elastic, Bursting, or Provisioned modes |
When to use:
- Shared content for web servers (e.g., WordPress uploads)
- CMS or data sharing between EC2 instances
- Applications needing shared access + scalability
3. Instance Store
What it is:
- Physical storage attached directly to the EC2 host.
- Temporary — data is lost when instance stops or terminates.
Key Points:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Speed | Very fast (physically attached) |
| Durability | Data lost if instance stops or fails |
| Cost | Included in EC2 price |
| Use Case | Temporary data (e.g., caching, buffer files) |
When to use:
- High-speed temporary storage
- Caches or scratch data
- Non-persistent workloads
4. Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | EBS | EFS | Instance Store |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Block storage | Network file system | Local storage |
| Shared Access | ❌ Single EC2 | ✅ Multiple EC2 | ❌ No |
| AZ Scope | One AZ | Multi-AZ | One AZ |
| Persistence | ✅ Persistent | ✅ Persistent | ❌ Temporary |
| Backup | Snapshots | Lifecycle tiers | None |
| OS Support | Linux & Windows | Linux only | Linux & Windows |
| Cost | Moderate | Higher | Free (included) |
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