AWS EBS and Instance-Store Volume

Before going to AWS EBS, we need to understand the basic knowledge of storages, which is being used in Cloud environment and we are using directly or indirectly. I have tried to cover all aspects of AWS EBS which help you understand the AWS EBS fundamental.

Basically, in Cloud world, we heard below Buzz world while working with Storage.

1.       File Level Storage

2.       Block storage

3.       Direct attached storage(DAS)

4.       Network Attached storage(NAS)

5.       Storage Area Network(SAN)

File based Storage

                Data is stored as a single file of information in a folder, so if you want to update the information you need to overwrite the whole file.

                Use cases: File sharing, archive data

Block storage

Data is written in raw block and access by servers through a network. Means when update data, then only required block get updated, which is fast.
Its provide lowest latency, Highest performance and highly redundant (data are redundant across the multiple  volumes)

Use cases: DB storage, VM Data Drive etc.

Direct attached storage(DAS):

Direct-attached storage (DAS) is a digital storage directly attached to the virtual server. So virtual server and storage both are on the same physical server. Use for low latency I/O operations.

Network attached storage(NAS)

It is file based network storage.

As name implies, this type of storage connected from virtual Server via Some Network.

e.g. Google Drive, shared file etc.

 Storage Area Network(SAN)

SAN is Block level storage. This storage is connected to the server via HBA card. HBA (Host Bus Adapter) is a hardware device that provides I/O processing and physical connectivity server and storage device.

e.g.  SSD (Solid State drive), HDD (Hard disk drive), Magnetic.

AWS Elastic Block Storage (EBS):  

This is Block level storage provided by AWS. AWS provided majorly three type of EBS based on their feature and uses.

Per AWS account you can create max 5000 EBS volumes.

EBS volumes are Availability specific. EBS volumes creates under the Availability.

  

SSD backed:

When you are more concerned with provisioning IOPS then it is your answer. AWS provided two flavor of SSD.

General purpose(GP2):

                Use case: Development and Test Workload

It is default storage of Amazon EC2 instance.

                You can use as Root Volume Instance with Low latency.

                Volume size is 1TB to 16TB.

                Ratio 3 IOPS/GB up to 16000 IOPS

Provisioned IOPS:

These volume is for IOPS and Throughput intensive workload that required low latency or mission critical application.

You can use as Root Volume Instance

It is designed for IO intensive application such as database.

It can provide 32000 IOPS per volume and go max for 64000 for Neutron Enhance networking.

Volume size is 4TB to 16TB.

HDD backed:

Throughput Optimized HDD (st1):

It is good for frequently accessed throughput intensive workload. E.g. Big data, Dataware house, Log processing

It cannot be use as root volume.

Can provisioned 500 IOPS per volume

Volume Size 500GB to 16 TB

Cold HDD (sc1):

                Lowest cost storage for infrequent access data.

                Used in file servers.

It cannot be use as root volume.

Can provisioned 250 IOPS per volume

Volume Size 500GB to 16 TB

Magnetic:

Standard:

Suitable where data is access infrequently and required low cost storage with small    volume size.

Can be use as root volume.

Can provisioned 40 - 200 IOPS per volume

Volume Size 1 GB to 1 TB

AWS instance store:

 This direct attached storage(DAS), So virtual servers and storage both are on same physical server.  There is some limitation of AWS instance store volume. Maximum size of Instance stored volume as Root Volume is 10 GB. If you are using Instance stored as root volume of AWS VM then you cannot stop this VM.

If you are using Instance store as data Drive, then after start/stop data will be lost Instance stored volume.

We will cover behavior of EBS and Instance stored volume in EC2 lecture.

Click Here to study EBS Snapshot

Cheers!
Sandeep 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandeep-sharma-40a40b22/