Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service) is one of the most popular storage services provided by AWS. It allows you to store and retrieve data securely, whenever you need it. However, not all data is the same, and storing it can have different needs based on how often you access it and how long you keep it. To address this, AWS offers different S3 Storage Classes.
In this article, we will explain the various S3 storage classes step by step in simple language, so you can easily understand and choose the right one for your needs.
What are S3 Storage Classes?
S3 storage classes are different tiers for storing data in Amazon S3. Each class has different costs, durability, and availability. You can choose a class based on:
How frequently you need to access your data.
How long you plan to store it.
Cost efficiency for your use case.
The main S3 storage classes include:
S3 Standard
S3 Intelligent-Tiering
S3 Standard-IA (Infrequent Access)
S3 One Zone-IA
S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval
S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval
S3 Glacier Deep Archive
1. S3 Standard
The S3 Standard storage class is the default option in Amazon S3. It is perfect for frequently accessed data.
Key Features:
High Performance: Fast access to your data.
Durability: 99.999999999% (11 nines) durability, meaning your data is very safe.
Availability: 99.99% availability.
Cost: Slightly higher because it is optimized for frequent access.
Use Cases:
Storing application data that is accessed often.
Hosting static website content.
Backup files that you need regularly.
2. S3 Intelligent-Tiering
The S3 Intelligent-Tiering class automatically moves data between access tiers (frequent and infrequent) based on how often the data is accessed.
Key Features:
Automatic Optimization: AWS automatically decides which tier (frequent or infrequent access) to use, saving you costs.
Durability: 99.999999999% durability.
Availability: 99.9% availability.
Cost: Slightly lower than S3 Standard for infrequently accessed data.
Use Cases:
Data with unpredictable access patterns.
Ideal if you’re unsure how often data will be used.
3. S3 Standard-IA (Infrequent Access)
The S3 Standard-IA (Infrequent Access) class is for data that you access less frequently but still need quickly when required.
Key Features:
Lower Storage Cost: Cheaper than S3 Standard for storage.
Retrieval Cost: You pay a small fee to retrieve data.
Durability: 99.999999999% durability.
Availability: 99.9% availability.
Use Cases:
Backup files that you rarely need to access.
Disaster recovery data.
Old project files or documents.
4. S3 One Zone-IA
The S3 One Zone-IA class is like Standard-IA but stores your data in only one Availability Zone (not multiple zones like the other classes).
Key Features:
Lower Cost: It is cheaper because data is stored in a single location.
Durability: 99.999999999% durability.
Availability: 99.5% availability (slightly lower than Standard-IA).
Risk: If the Availability Zone fails, your data might be lost.
Use Cases:
Data you can recreate or recover easily.
Backups for non-critical systems.
5. S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval
The S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval class is designed for archived data that you still need to access instantly.
Key Features:
Low Storage Cost: Cheaper than Standard-IA.
Instant Access: Data retrieval is immediate.
Durability: 99.999999999% durability.
Use Cases:
Data you want to archive but still need quick access to.
Medical images or old logs you occasionally use.
6. S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval
The S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval class is designed for long-term archive storage where speed is not critical.
Key Features:
Very Low Storage Cost: Extremely cost-effective for long-term data.
Retrieval Time: Data retrieval takes minutes to hours.
Durability: 99.999999999% durability.
Use Cases:
Long-term backups (e.g., yearly backups).
Old files that you rarely access.
7. S3 Glacier Deep Archive
The S3 Glacier Deep Archive class is the cheapest storage option in S3. It is ideal for data that you rarely (if ever) need to access.
Key Features:
Lowest Cost: Cheapest of all storage classes.
Retrieval Time: Data retrieval takes hours (12-48 hours).
Durability: 99.999999999% durability.
Use Cases:
Regulatory data you need to keep for compliance (e.g., 7+ years).
Data you may never access but must store (e.g., legal records).
How to Choose the Right Storage Class?
Here’s a simple way to choose the right S3 class based on your needs:
| Requirement | Best Storage Class |
| Frequently accessed data | S3 Standard |
| Unpredictable access patterns | S3 Intelligent-Tiering |
| Infrequently accessed data | S3 Standard-IA |
| Low-cost single-zone storage | S3 One Zone-IA |
| Archived data (fast access) | S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval |
| Archived data (slow access) | S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval |
| Long-term deep archive storage | S3 Glacier Deep Archive |
Conclusion
Amazon S3 offers a variety of storage classes to suit different data storage needs. By understanding how often you access your data and how long you need to store it, you can choose the right S3 storage class.
S3 Standard for frequently accessed data.
S3 Intelligent-Tiering for unpredictable access.
S3 Standard-IA and S3 One Zone-IA for infrequent access.
S3 Glacier options for archiving data cost-effectively.
Choosing the right storage class can help you save costs while ensuring your data is always secure and available when you need it. As you continue to explore AWS, understanding S3 storage classes is a great step toward managing your data efficiently!