Migrating 70 TB On-Premises NFS Data to Amazon S3

SAA-C03 By islever Editorial Last updated

Determine high-performing and/or scalable storage solutions. Design scalable and loosely coupled architectures.

Short answer

B Create an AWS Snowball Edge job to physically transfer the 70 TB of video files on-premises and have AWS import them into S3, avoiding network bandwidth usage entirely.

Question

A company uses NFS to store large video files in on-premises network attached storage. Each video file ranges in size from 1 MB to 500 GB. The total storage is 70 TB and is no longer growing. The company decides to migrate the video files to Amazon S3. The company must migrate the video files as soon as possible while using the least possible network bandwidth.
Which solution will meet these requirements?
  1. Create an S3 bucket. Create an IAM role that has permissions to write to the S3 bucket. Use the AWS CLI to copy all files locally to the S3 bucket.
  2. Create an AWS Snowball Edge job. Receive a Snowball Edge device on premises. Use the Snowball Edge client to transfer data to the device. Return the device so that AWS can import the data into Amazon S3. Correct Answer
  3. Deploy an S3 File Gateway on premises. Create a public service endpoint to connect to the S3 File Gateway. Create an S3 bucket. Create a new NFS file share on the S3 File Gateway. Point the new file share to the S3 bucket. Transfer the data from the existing NFS file share to the S3 File Gateway.
  4. Set up an AWS Direct Connect connection between the on-premises network and AWS. Deploy an S3 File Gateway on premises. Create a public virtual interface (VIF) to connect to the S3 File Gateway. Create an S3 bucket. Create a new NFS file share on the S3 File Gateway. Point the new file share to the S3 bucket. Transfer the data from the existing NFS file share to the S3 File Gateway.

Key Takeaways

The key constraints are migrating 70 TB as fast as possible with the least network bandwidth; the common trap is choosing an S3 File Gateway approach that still pushes all 70 TB over the network, or failing to account for Direct Connect provisioning delays of 1–2 months.

This question tests choosing the optimal data migration method to Amazon S3 for 70 TB of static video files when speed and minimal network bandwidth are required. AWS Snowball Edge is the correct answer because it physically transports data off-premises, avoiding network bandwidth entirely.

Common mistake: Choosing option C (S3 File Gateway with a public endpoint) or option D (Direct Connect with S3 File Gateway). Learners often think File Gateway avoids network usage, but it still transfers all 70 TB over the network. Option D adds weeks of Direct Connect provisioning time, failing the 'as soon as possible' requirement.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

Option B (AWS Snowball Edge) is the correct answer. Snowball Edge devices provide up to ~80 TB of usable storage per job, making 70 TB a standard use case. The data is copied locally onto the physical device and shipped back to AWS for import into S3 — meaning zero network bandwidth is consumed for the migration itself. The entire process typically completes in 6–9 working days, making it both the fastest and least bandwidth-intensive option. The fact that total storage is 'no longer growing' is a deliberate signal that Snowball Edge's fixed capacity is sufficient and ideal.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

Option A uses the AWS CLI to upload 70 TB directly to S3 over the internet, consuming the full 70 TB of network bandwidth and taking weeks depending on connection speed — violating both requirements. Option C deploys an S3 File Gateway but transfers data over a public service endpoint, still pushing all 70 TB through the network; it does not reduce bandwidth usage. Option D adds Direct Connect, which typically takes 1–2 months to provision, making it the slowest option despite the dedicated bandwidth; the long provisioning time fails the 'as soon as possible' requirement.

Community Comment Notes

Gatt's analysis is the most thorough, calculating that Snowball Edge transfers 70 TB in under 2 hours locally and completes in 6–9 working days including shipping — far faster than network-based approaches. LuckyAro and th3cookie correctly identify that Direct Connect can take weeks to provision, invalidating option D. PhucVuu's breakdown correctly marks B as the answer because it uses no network bandwidth at all. The dissenting view from Uncolored8034 arguing for C is incorrect: Snowball Edge does not consume network bandwidth — the data is physically shipped, which is precisely why it satisfies the 'least possible network bandwidth' requirement.

Official Reference

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/snowball/latest/developer-guide/whatissnowball.html

This link opens the official vendor documentation in a new tab.

Exam Strategy

When a question specifies a large static dataset with 'no longer growing' and demands minimal network bandwidth, immediately look for AWS Snowball Edge as the answer. Also watch for Direct Connect options — the long provisioning lead time (weeks to months) almost always makes DX the wrong choice for 'as soon as possible' migrations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't S3 File Gateway count as using the least possible network bandwidth?

S3 File Gateway still transfers all 70 TB of data over the network (internet or Direct Connect) to reach S3. Unlike Snowball Edge, which physically ships data on a device, File Gateway relies entirely on network connectivity.

How long does Direct Connect provisioning take and why does it matter here?

Direct Connect typically takes 4–8 weeks to provision a new physical connection. Since the question requires migrating 'as soon as possible,' the long setup time makes Direct Connect unsuitable compared to Snowball Edge's 6–9 day timeline.

Can Snowball Edge handle files up to 500 GB?

Yes. Snowball Edge devices support large individual files well beyond 500 GB. The device capacity per job is approximately 80 TB, easily accommodating the 70 TB total dataset in this scenario.

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Discussion 195 contributions

Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.

From public community threads 30 of 195

  1. Gatt 👍 131 Answered B
    Let's analyse this: B. On a Snowball Edge device you can copy files with a speed of up to 100Gbps. 70TB will take around 5600 seconds, so very quickly, less than 2 hours. The downside is that it'll take between 4-6 working days to receive the device and then another 2-3 working days to send it back and for AWS to move the data onto S3 once it reaches them. Total time: 6-9 working days. Bandwidth used: 0. C. File Gateway uses the Internet, so maximum speed will be at most 1Gbps, so it'll take a minimum of 6.5 days and you use 70TB of Internet bandwidth. D. You can achieve speeds of up to 10Gbps with Direct Connect. Total time 15.5 hours and you will use 70TB of bandwidth. However, what's interesting is that the question does not specific what type of bandwidth? Direct Connect does not use your Internet bandwidth, as you will have a dedicate peer to peer connectivity between your on-prem and the AWS Cloud, so technically, you're not using your "public" bandwidth. The requirements are a bit too vague but I think that B is the most appropriate answer, although D might also be correct if the bandwidth usage refers strictly to your public connectivity.
  2. LuckyAro 👍 14
    But it said "as soon as possible" It takes about 4-6 weeks to provision a direct connect.
  3. th3cookie 👍 13
    The company must transfer the data asap. Direct connect takes a month to setup doesn't it?
  4. PhucVuu 👍 11
    Keyword: - The total storage is 70 TBs - No longer growing - As soon as possible - Least possible network bandwidth A: Incorrect - It uses 70TBs of network bandwidth and more than one week to transfer. B: Correct - it doesn't use any network. It is an alternative for transfer big network more than one week. C: Incorrect - it takes more than one week to transfer and consumes 70TBs of network bandwidth. D: Incorrect - Direct Connect uses private network and speed can up to 100Gbps but it takes a month to setup direct connect.
  5. Uncolored8034 👍 10
    This calculation is out of the scope. C is right because the company wants to use the LEAST POSSIBLE NETWORK BANDWITH. Therefore they don't want or can't use the snowball capabilities of having a such fast connection because it draws too much bandwith within their company.
Show 25 more comments
  1. Gatt 👍 10
    I will add that the question does not specify if the company already has DA in place or not. If they don't have DA in place, it will take a long time (weeks) for DA connectivity to be setup. Another point for B here, as Snowball is much quicker from this perspective.
  2. abhishek_m89 👍 8
    and it says, "The total storage is 70 TB and is no longer growing". Thats why it should be B.
  3. YDUYGU 👍 7
    DX Lead times are often longer than I month to establish a new connection.That’s why D is the wrong answer on the other hand.
  4. pentium75 👍 7
    It does, because option D says "SET UP a DirectConnect connection", not "use an existing DirectConnect connection".
  5. darn 👍 7
    you are out of scope
  6. sensei705 👍 5
    Option C is the first to be ruled out. File gateway (storage gateway) is not a migration tool. It simply bridges data from on-prem and AWS (e.g. S3) with local caching on-prem. They are asking about migrating data... file gateway does not migrate data, it is not a migration solution.
  7. Foulstryke 👍 5
    The problem with D is it takes over a month to get a new Direct Connection. It’s quite possibly the slowest option.
  8. JayBee65 👍 4
    "The company must migrate the video files as soon as possible while using the least possible network bandwidth." C required 70TB of network traffic, B requires zero, so B is a better answer.
  9. Help2023 👍 4
    D is a viable solution but to setup D it can take weeks or months and the question does say as soon as possible.
  10. Yonimoni 👍 4 Answered C
    while using the least possible network bandwidth they want to do it over the internet
  11. pentium75 👍 4
    Snowball Edge is physically shipped to AWS, it doesn't take ANY network bandwidth.
  12. lorenziello15 👍 4 Answered B
    "as soon as possible" + "least possible network bandwidth" = Snowball Edge
  13. Johnoppong101 👍 3
    Select answer: B Why? The essence of the S3 File Gateway is to provide a seamless interface for on-premises apps to store and retrieve data in Amazon S3 using standard protocols such as NFS and SMB. On the other hand, As I write this, the first AWS Official use case for Snowball is to migrate data especially when network conditions are limited. The question is a bit tricky. But applying simple logical linguistic analysis, "as soon as possible" coupled with "the least network bandwidth possible" means the question's focal point is network bandwidth. So, whatever the least network bandwidth is, it`s corresponding time to get the data into AWS S3 bucket is the value for "as soon as possible".
  14. Ruffyit 👍 3
    Correct answer is C. The key words are NFS, S3 and low bandwidth. S3 File Gateway retains access through NFS protocol so that existing users don't have to change anything while being able to use S3 to store the files. The question also gives a clue that we only need to upload existing 70TB and no new data is added. This gives a clue that users only need to read data via NFS and don't need to write to S3 bucket. The existing data can be quickly uploaded (via endpoint) to S3 bucket by admin.
  15. Gatt 👍 3
    That's a good point, indeed, DA might take weeks to establish (depending on your local ISP). And the question does not state that DA has already been established for this company. If they are starting fresh, then certainly DA would be taking too long.
  16. D2w 👍 3 Answered C
    Amazon S3 File Gateway offers SMB or NFS-based access to data in Amazon S3 with local caching. It can be used for on-premises data-intensive Amazon EC2-based applications that need file protocol access to S3 object storage.
  17. Six_Fingered_Jose 👍 3 Answered B
    I go with B because out of all the options it uses the least bandwidth (none at all), and 70 TB is pretty much the amount of data where you would want to use snowball
  18. pentium75 👍 3
    Actually D involves "SET UP a DirectConnect connection", that indicates that it does not exist yet. And setting it up would would take longer than the other options.
  19. Wajif 👍 3 Answered C
    I am choosing C only because it says least network bandwidth didnt say "No" network bandwidth. It is extremely vague though. They could frame it a bit better.
  20. SebastianBar 👍 3
    Actually Gatt's calculation is right. This is 1gbps (bits per second) not 1GBps (bytes per second), hence it'll be 7010008/60/60/24 = 6.5 days. So B.
  21. f9ly 👍 3 Answered C
    In my opinion, i think it is C, because the question requires usage of a network bandwidth, and Snowball Edge device doesn't use network bandwidth.
  22. 3680113 👍 3
    C cannot be because it's using a whole of 70TB. It was clearly stated that you must use the least amount of bandwidth. B is th3 right choice
  23. OBIOHAnze 👍 3
    B is the correct answer because the migration needs to be completed as soon as possible with limited bandwidth
  24. james2033 👍 3 Answered B
    Keyword "70 TB and is no longer growing", choose AWS Snowball
  25. debolek 👍 3
    but they said as soon as possible

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