AWS DataSync
Online file data transfer
Moves and syncs file/object data over the network between NFS, SMB, HDFS, on-premises or other-cloud object storage and S3, EFS, FSx; automatically verifies integrity, encrypts, and can be scheduled.
- Cost$$ Medium
- Difficulty●●●●●
- Costs money when idle?No
- Serverless
- In examsSAA · SOA · CLF
Think of it asLike a professional moving service: it packs, ships, and checks off every item on delivery.
When to use it
✓ Use it when
You need to transfer large amounts of files over the network once or sync them to AWS periodically.
✗ Avoid it when
Bandwidth too limited for hundreds of TB of data → Snowball; need continuous hybrid on-prem access → Storage Gateway; need SFTP for partners → Transfer Family.
Common uses
- Move on-prem NAS to S3 or EFS
- Sync data between two Regions
- Periodically back up file shares to S3
What does it cost?
- Pricing model: Charged per GB of data transferred (Enhanced mode adds per-task and per-object fees); plus storage and request fees at the destination.
⚠️ Cost traps
PUT requests to S3 and data transfer out fees (when the source is AWS) are charged separately.
Related services
SAA-C03 study guide
DataSync is covered in these study modules: