Difference between Amazon Elastic File System (EFS) and Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS)

Amazon Elastic File System (EFS) and Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) are both storage services provided by AWS, but they serve different purposes and are optimized for different use cases. Here is a detailed comparison of EFS and EBS:

Amazon Elastic File System (EFS)

Overview:

• Type: Managed network file system.
• Purpose: Provides scalable file storage for use with AWS Cloud services and on-premises resources.
• Use Cases: Shared file storage for applications, web serving, content management, data analytics, machine learning, and media processing workflows.

Key Features:

1. Scalability:

   • Automatically scales storage capacity up or down based on the amount of data stored, without the need for provisioning.
   • Suitable for workloads requiring high throughput and the ability to handle multiple connections simultaneously.

2. Accessibility:

   • Supports Network File System (NFS) protocol, allowing multiple EC2 instances and on-premises servers to access the file system concurrently.
   • Ideal for scenarios where file systems need to be shared across multiple instances or users.

3. Performance Modes:

   • Offers two performance modes: General Purpose (default) and Max I/O.
   • General Purpose mode is suitable for latency-sensitive use cases, while Max I/O mode is designed for high throughput, highly parallel applications.

4. Durability and Availability:

   • Stores data redundantly across multiple Availability Zones (AZs) in an AWS region, providing high durability and availability.

5. Cost Model:

   • Pay only for the storage you use, with no upfront costs or provisioned capacity requirements.
   • Cost-effective for workloads with varying storage needs.

Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS)

Overview:

• Type: Block storage service.
• Purpose: Provides persistent block storage volumes for use with Amazon EC2 instances.
• Use Cases: Databases, file systems, enterprise applications, container storage, and other applications requiring granular control over storage performance and capacity.

Key Features:

1. Volume Types:

   • Provides several volume types optimized for different use cases, including General Purpose SSD (gp3, gp2), Provisioned IOPS SSD (io2, io1), Throughput Optimized HDD (st1), and Cold HDD (sc1).
   • Allows fine-tuning of storage performance and cost based on workload requirements.

2. Performance:

   • High performance with low-latency access to data, suitable for performance-sensitive applications.
   • Ability to provision specific IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second) for SSD-backed volumes, ensuring consistent performance.

3. Durability and Availability:

   • Data is automatically replicated within the same Availability Zone to prevent data loss due to hardware failures.
   • Snapshots can be created and stored in Amazon S3, providing backup and disaster recovery options.

4. Elasticity:

   • Volumes can be resized without downtime, allowing you to adjust storage capacity and performance as needed.
   • Supports live configuration changes, such as increasing volume size and modifying volume type.

5. Cost Model:

   • Pay for the provisioned capacity and any additional IOPS (for SSD volumes), making costs predictable.
   • Suitable for workloads with consistent storage needs and performance requirements.

Key Differences

1. Access Patterns:

   • EFS: Designed for shared file access, allowing multiple instances to access the file system concurrently. Suitable for use cases that require a distributed file system.
   • EBS: Designed for single-instance attachment, providing block storage directly attached to an EC2 instance. Suitable for applications requiring high-performance block storage.

2. Scalability:

   • EFS: Automatically scales storage capacity up or down based on the amount of data stored.
   • EBS: Requires manual resizing of volumes to increase storage capacity.

3. Performance:

   • EFS: Provides two performance modes and scales automatically to meet throughput demands.
   • EBS: Offers multiple volume types with configurable performance characteristics, allowing precise control over IOPS and throughput.

4. Durability and Availability:

   • EFS: Replicates data across multiple AZs, providing higher durability and availability.
   • EBS: Replicates data within a single AZ, with snapshots providing additional durability and backup options.

5. Use Cases:

   • EFS: Ideal for shared storage scenarios, web and content serving, and workloads requiring distributed access.
   • EBS: Ideal for high-performance applications, databases, and workloads requiring dedicated block storage.