Storage Class¶

Storage classes in Amazon S3 determine how data is stored and retrieved. They are designed to optimize costs based on data access patterns and retention needs. Each storage class offers different levels of durability, availability, and performance.

Types of Storage Classes¶

Amazon S3 offers several storage classes, including:

S3 Standard:

Key Features:¶

General purpose storage for frequently accessed data
Low latency and high throughput performance
Designed to deliver 99.99% availability with an availability SLA of 99.9%

For more information, visit the AWS S3 Storage Classes page.

S3 Intelligent-Tiering:

Automatically moves data between two access tiers (frequent and infrequent) based on access patterns.

Key Features:¶

Cost Optimization: Automatically moves data to lower-cost tiers based on access patterns.
Access Tiers: Frequent, Infrequent, Archive Instant Access, and optional Deep Archive Access tiers.
Performance: Low-latency and high-throughput, similar to S3 Standard.
Cost Savings: Save up to 40% (Infrequent), 68% (Archive), and 95% (Deep Archive) on storage.
No Retrieval Fees: Objects automatically move between tiers based on access without additional charges.
Availability: Designed for 99.9% availability with an SLA of 99%.
Monitoring Fee: Small monthly charge for monitoring access patterns.

For more information, visit the AWS S3 Storage Classes.

S3 Standard-IA (Infrequent Access):

Suitable for less frequently accessed data that requires rapid access when needed.

Key Features:¶

Infrequent Access: Ideal for infrequently accessed data that still requires millisecond access.
High Performance: Offers the same low latency and high throughput as S3 Standard.
Availability: Designed to deliver 99.9% availability with an SLA of 99%.

For more information, visit the AWS S3 Storage Classes.

S3 One Zone-IA:

Similar to Standard-IA but stored in a single Availability Zone, offering a lower-cost option for infrequent access.

Key Features:¶

Re-creatable Infrequent Access: Suitable for re-creatable data that is infrequently accessed.
High Performance: Delivers the same low latency and high throughput as S3 Standard.
Availability: Designed to provide 99.5% availability with an SLA of 99%.

**S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval **

Amazon S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval is an archive storage class that provides the lowest-cost storage for long-lived data, rarely accessed but requiring retrieval in milliseconds. This storage class offers the fastest access to archive data, making it ideal for use cases such as medical images, news media, or archives of user-generated content.

Key Features:¶

Long-lived Data: Designed for data accessed a few times per year, with instant retrieval.
Instant Access: Millisecond-level data retrieval with the same performance as S3 Standard.
Availability: Designed to provide 99.9% availability with an SLA of 99%.
Minimum Object Size: Requires a 128 KB minimum object size.
Direct Upload & Migration: Supports direct uploads via the S3 PUT API and S3 Lifecycle management for automatic object migration.

For more details, visit the Amazon S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval page.

S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval (Formerly S3 Glacier)¶

Amazon S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval provides low-cost storage, up to 10% lower than S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval, for archive data that is accessed 1–2 times per year and retrieved asynchronously. It offers flexible retrieval options balancing cost and access times from minutes to hours, with free bulk retrievals. Ideal for backup and disaster recovery, S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval delivers long-term durability and availability.

Key Features:¶

Low-cost Backup and Archive: Suitable for rarely accessed data with lower storage costs.
Availability: Designed to deliver 99.99% availability with a 99.9% SLA.
Data Security: Supports SSL for data in transit and encryption at rest.
Ideal for Backup & Recovery: Allows retrieval of large data sets in minutes, ideal for disaster recovery use cases.
Flexible Retrieval: Configurable retrieval times (minutes to hours), with free bulk retrievals.
Direct Upload & Lifecycle Management: Supports S3 PUT API for direct uploads and automatic object migration via S3 Lifecycle policies.

For more details, visit the Amazon S3 Glacier storage classes page.

S3 Glacier Deep Archive¶

Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive is the lowest-cost storage class in Amazon S3, designed for long-term retention and digital preservation of data that is accessed once or twice a year. This storage class is ideal for highly-regulated industries like financial services, healthcare, and public sectors that need to retain data for 7–10 years or longer for regulatory compliance. It can also be used for backup and disaster recovery use cases, offering a cost-effective alternative to magnetic tape systems, both on-premises and off-premises.

Key Features:¶

Very Low-Cost Archive: Suitable for data that is rarely accessed, offering the lowest-cost storage.
Availability: Designed to deliver 99.99% availability with a 99.9% SLA.
Alternative to Tape Libraries: Provides a modern, easy-to-manage alternative to magnetic tape systems.
12-Hour Retrieval: Data can be restored within 12 hours.
Direct Upload & Lifecycle Management: Supports S3 PUT API for direct uploads and automatic object migration using S3 Lifecycle policies.

For more details, visit the Amazon S3 Glacier storage classes page.

S3 Reduced Redundancy Storage¶

Reduced Redundancy Storage is an Amazon S3 storage option for storing noncritical, reproducible data at lower redundancy levels than standard Amazon S3 storage. It is designed for scenarios where data durability is less important because the data can be easily reproduced, such as thumbnails, transcoded media, or content distributed from other durable sources. RRS provides a cost-effective, highly available solution by storing objects on multiple devices across multiple facilities, but with fewer replications than standard S3.

Key Features:¶

Lower Redundancy: Suitable for noncritical data that can be easily reproduced, with lower levels of redundancy than S3 Standard.
High Availability: Backed by the Amazon S3 Service Level Agreement (SLA) for availability.
Durability: Designed to provide 99.99% durability and 99.99% availability of objects over a year.
Resilience: Can sustain the loss of data in a single facility while still protecting objects.

For more details, visit the Amazon S3 storage classes page.

Storage Class for Objects and Folders¶

Storage classes can be applied to both individual objects (files) and folders in an S3 bucket. Changing the storage class of a folder will also affect its contained objects, ensuring all data is stored according to the selected class.

How to Change the Storage Class¶

Follow these steps to change the storage class of a file or folder:

Select the single file or folder you want to modify.
Click on the More Icon (⋮) next to the selected item.
Click on the Storage Class button.
Select the desired storage class from the options available.
Click on the Apply button.
You will see a message confirming that the storage class has been successfully edited.