Amazon EFS simplifies file sharing across environments using NFS, offering scalable file systems for AWS instances or on-premises servers without managing storage. Ideal for managing, developing and analyzing content that requires shared file access.
Optimize with general purpose or peak I/O modes based on workload for throughput and latency. Unlike Amazon S3 and Amazon EBS, EFS focuses on file storage with concurrent access and shared file systems, supporting efficient operations and dynamic scaling.
Overall, AWS Elastic File System(EFS) is like a virtual storage service that we can use without worrying about setting up a server. It automatically adapts to the amount of files we have, making it easy to manage. It works well for many types of applications, which require fast response to large amounts of data at once.EFS is great for things like machine learning, website and content management. With AWS, we can use EFS along with other services that help our applications run without managing them. Plus, EFS keeps our data safe and ensures it's available when we need it, with an impressive durability of 99.999999999% (11 nines). We only pay for the storage space we use, with no minimum requirements. It's a flexible and cost-effective way to store and share data across different parts of our application.
Some EFS Key Feature -
Shared storage : Amazon EFS allows files to be accessed simultaneously from AWS services and on-premises locations. Up to a thousand EC2 instances can use these files in the cloud or through a VPN/Direct Connect connection, which is great for setups that combine cloud and on-premises resources. This allows us to access files across different AWS Availability Zones (AZs) and regions, making it easy for teams to collaborate and work from anywhere.
Scalable performance : Amazon EFS delivers fast performance that fits our needs. It offers low latency access with throughput (data speed) and IOPS (input/output operations per second) as we connect more instances as we use more storage. As our data storage expands, EFS automatically increases performance, achieving speeds of up to 10 GB/s and handling 500,000 operations per second at its peak.
Secure and compliant : Amazon EFS prioritizes security by offering layers of security. It works seamlessly with our existing security tools such as IAM roles and VPC security groups we can set specific file permissions using POSIX standards to control who accesses what. EFS meets key regulatory standards such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, and SOC, ensuring our data remains secure and compliant. It is flexible enough to accommodate our additional security needs.
How the EFS Works -
Amazon EFS works by creating file storage systems that connect to EC2 instances in a specific AWS region. These systems are built to be highly reliable and available by spreading your data across multiple availability zones. This setup ensures that if there is a problem in one zone, your data is accessible from the others, keeping your applications running smoothly without interruption.
When we create an Amazon EFS setup, we have options to choose from based on the amount of data we work with and how quickly we need to access it. This means that we can adjust how well it performs to match exactly what we need. Whether we're handling a lot of data or need things to move quickly, EFS allows us to customize its performance to suit our exact needs.
Overall, Amazon EFS simplifies file storage management by seamlessly integrating with EC2 instances. It guarantees reliable data access and resiliency across the AWS infrastructure, making it critical for maintaining performance and availability in cloud environments.
AWS EFS Mostly Used for :
Shared File Storage : Great when accessing the same data across multiple EC2 instances. EFS pick responsibilities for manages this shared data, ensuring consistency across instances.
Simplified data sharing : If multiple applications using the same dataset need to collaborate, Amazon EFS makes it easy to share large amounts of data across multiple instances.
Scalability : EFS's storage capacity can grow or shrink based on how much data you're storing. This is ideal when we are unsure of our savings needs in advance.
Serverless applications : It works well with serverless computing services like AWS Lambda, providing shared storage for applications that run without managing servers directly.
Pay-as-you-go model : With Amazon EFS, we only pay for the storage we use. There are no upfront costs or commitments, making it suitable for applications with unexpected storage growth.
Amazon Elastic File System (EFS) and Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) are two storage options from Amazon Web Services (AWS), each serving different purpose.
So what make EFS different from S3 !!
Amazon EFS (Elastic File System) and S3 (Simple Storage Service) are two Amazon Web Services that serve different purposes. S3 is for storing static data such as files and backups that you can access from anywhere. EFS is for storing dynamic data that multiple servers can access at the same time, such as databases and active applications.
Amazon EFS acts like a shared drive in the cloud that many servers (EC2 instances) can use simultaneously. It is suitable for applications that require shared file storage with fast access and a lot of data, such as databases, content management systems and those where we are developing new software. So, we choose EFS for if there is a change in one instance it immediately provide those chages on other instance.
File Storage : AWS EFS behaves like a shared drive that many servers (EC2 instances) can use at the same time. It allows multiple servers to access and work with files simultaneously & making it great for collaborative and multi-user environments.
Low latency : Low latency means that Amazon EFS files are designed to be restored and updated quickly. It is ideal for applications,databases and software development where the speed of accessing files is critical for smooth performance.
Dynamic Data : Dynamic data means AWS EFS is best for files that change frequently and need to be updated frequently. It is suitable for applications and environments where files are constantly being changed or added.
Amazon S3 is like a big storage bucket in the cloud where you can keep all sorts of files like documents, backups, and video and access them from anywhere. It's built to handle large amounts of data securely and reliably, commonly used for things like backups, long-term storage, and delivering content on websites.
Object storage : AWS S3 behave like a giant bucket where you can store all kinds of data either it is files, videos, backups, or anything else. It is a flexible and scalable way to store large amounts of data in the cloud.
Durability : AWS S3 provides high durability in storage AWS S3 is extremely reliable and designed to keep our data safe even in the event of failures by storing copies of our data in multiple places. It's perfect for storing large amounts of information securely, commonly used for backups, long-term storage, hosting static websites because it ensures that our website's data remains reliable and secure. This is important for ensuring that our website is always available and works correctly for visitors.
Static data : Static data means that the files that don't change often or are not accessed frequently. It's best suited for storing files that stay the same over time, such as archived documents, histotical data, photos, or backup files that you don't need to update regularly.
Amazon EFS is for data that changes frequently and is accessed by many servers at the same time, such as databases. Amazon S3 is for storing data that doesn't change often, such as backups and static websites, which we can access from anywhere.