AWS Snowball Edge
Edge storage and compute device
Legacy service: AWS Snowball Edge closed to new customers in November 2025. It is a rugged device with storage and compute (EC2 on the device), used to move large amounts of data and process it in places without good connectivity.
- Cost$$ Medium
- Difficulty●●●●●
- Costs money when idle?No
- Managed by AWS
- In examsCLF · SAA
⚠️ Retired or retiring service
Open Snowball Edge on the map →
Closed to new customers since November 2025
Think of it asLike a suitcase holding both a hard drive and a computer, carried to the job site for work and then shipped back.
When to use it
✓ Use it when
Only for existing customers already using it; new projects should choose another solution.
✗ Avoid it when
Data transfer → DataSync / Data Transfer Terminal; on-site compute → Outposts servers.
Common uses
- (Formerly) processing data on ships, at mines, in the military
- (Formerly) moving large data sets to S3
- (Formerly) collecting data in areas without network access
What does it cost?
- Pricing model: Per-job fee or long-term usage commitment per device, plus shipping.
Related services
SAA-C03 study guide
Snowball Edge is covered in these study modules: