Storage Classes

💡 Definition

AWS Storage Classes refer to different tiers of storage offered by services like S3 and EBS, each designed for specific use cases based on data access patterns, resiliency requirements, and cost optimization goals.

🔑 Key Concepts

• Cost Optimization: Choose a storage class that matches your access patterns to minimize costs.
• Durability: Most AWS storage classes offer high durability, but vary in availability and retrieval times.
• Availability: How quickly you can access your data.
• Retrieval Time: How long it takes to get your data back (e.g., milliseconds vs. hours).

⚙️ How it Works

You select a storage class when you store an object in S3 (e.g., S3 Standard) or provision an EBS volume (e.g., gp3). You can also configure lifecycle policies to automatically move data between storage classes (e.g., from S3 Standard to Glacier) as it ages or access patterns change.

🎯 Use Cases

• Frequent Access: S3 Standard, EBS gp3/io2.
• Infrequent Access: S3 Standard-IA, S3 One Zone-IA.
• Archiving: Glacier, S3 Glacier Deep Archive.

💰 Pricing Model

• Each storage class has a different price point, typically lower for less frequent access or longer retrieval times.

📝 Exam Tips (CLF-C02)

• Know the main S3 storage classes and their use cases:
  • S3 Standard: General purpose, frequently accessed.
  • S3 Standard-IA: Infrequent access, rapid retrieval.
  • S3 One Zone-IA: Infrequent access, single AZ, lower cost.
  • Glacier & Deep Archive: Archival, long retrieval times (hours).
• Lifecycle policies help automate moving data between classes for cost savings.

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See Also: * S3 * Glacier * EBS