Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers a suite of cloud storage services. Among the most widely adopted are Amazon S3 and Amazon EBS, known for their robust scalability, performance, and flexibility for a wide range of workloads.
However, AWS also offers Amazon Elastic File System (EFS). This is a serverless file storage service for workloads that need shared, scalable storage for use with AWS services and on-premises resources.
Unlike S3 and EBS, EFS enables multiple instances to access files simultaneously, making it ideal for big data, DevOps, and machine learning applications.
But how much does it cost?
This guide breaks down AWS EFS pricing, covering key cost factors and ways to optimize spending.
But first…
How AWS EFS Works
Amazon EFS is a regional service, meaning it spans multiple AZs within an AWS region. Each AZ acts as an independent, isolated infrastructure zone, reducing the risk of failure.
EFS automatically replicates data across these AZs to ensure high availability and fault tolerance.
How Amazon EFS works with Amazon EC2
Amazon EFS enables multiple EC2 instances to share the same file system simultaneously. Unlike Amazon EBS, which attaches to a single EC2 instance at a time, EFS supports concurrent access across instances.
AWS uses mount targets to enable this connection, which serve as access points between EC2 instances and EFS. Each mount target resides within a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) subnet and allows instances in the same network to access the file system using the Network File System (NFS) version 4 protocol.
This setup ensures that EFS behaves like a traditional shared network drive, enabling multiple instances to read and write files without additional configuration.
How Amazon EFS Works with AWS Direct Connect and AWS Managed VPN
Amazon EFS can be accessed from on-premises servers using AWS Direct Connect or AWS Managed VPN.
AWS Direct Connect provides a dedicated, high-speed link between an on-premises data center and AWS. It bypasses the public internet, reducing latency, congestion, and security risks.
Once configured, on-premises servers can mount EFS as a network drive, ensuring fast, consistent access to files stored in AWS. Direct Connect is best for workloads that require low latency and high throughput.
AWS Managed VPN is an alternative to Direct Connect. It establishes a secure, encrypted tunnel over the public internet, allowing on-premises servers to access EFS without a dedicated connection.
This option is cost-effective and quick to deploy. However, performance depends on internet bandwidth, making it less suitable for high-speed workloads.
How Amazon EFS Differs From S3 And EBS
We’ve shared an in-depth comparison of Amazon EFS vs. Amazon EBS here. Here are the key differences between EFS, S3, and EBS.
Feature | Amazon EFS | Amazon S3 | Amazon EBS |
Storage type | File storage | Object storage | Block storage |
Access | Multiple EC2 instances can be accessed concurrently | Accessed via internet APIs; not limited to EC2 | Attached to a single EC2 instance at a time |
Use cases | Big data analytics, media processing, content management, web serving | Backup and restore, archival, big data analytics, data lakes | Databases, enterprise applications, throughput-intensive workloads |
Scalability | Automatically scales as files are added or removed | Virtually unlimited storage; scales automatically | Must be provisioned; can be resized manually |
Performance | Offers scalable performance with low latencies | High durability and availability; performance varies by storage class | High-performance storage for mission-critical applications |
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In terms of cost, AWS EFS pricing is higher than both S3 and EBS. Let’s break down its pricing and the factors that influence your bill.
AWS EFS Storage Classes And Pricing
Amazon EFS offers three primary storage classes customized to different data access patterns and redundancy requirements:
- EFS Standard: For frequently accessed data, offering high performance with multi-AZ redundancy.
- EFS Infrequent Access (IA): Optimized for data that is accessed less frequently, providing cost savings while maintaining high durability and multi-AZ redundancy.
- EFS Archive: Cost-optimized for long-lived data accessed a few times a year or less, suitable for archival storage needs.
Here is a quick table summarizing the pricing for each storage class in the US East (N. Virginia) region.
Storage class | Storage cost (per GM/month) | Access cost (per GB transferred) |
EFS Standard | $0.30 | N/A |
EFS IA | $0.016 | $0.01 (per read or write) |
EFS Archive | $0.003 | $0.03 (per read) / $0.06 (per write) |
AWS EFS pricing depends on where and how data is stored. AWS provides two deployment options:
- Multi-AZ (Regional) Storage: This type stores data across multiple Availability Zones (AZs) for high durability and automatic failover. While this ensures reliability, it comes at a higher cost.
- Single-AZ (One Zone) Storage: Stores data within a single AZ, reducing costs by up to 47% compared to Multi-AZ storage. However, it does not offer the same level of redundancy.
AWS further categorizes Single-AZ storage into:
- EFS One Zone: Suitable for workloads that do not require multi-AZ resilience, offering a lower-cost alternative for frequently accessed data.
- EFS One Zone-Infrequent Access (IA): Ideal for rarely accessed data, combining One Zone’s cost savings with IA’s lower storage costs.
Other factors that influence AWS EFS pricing include:
1. Throughput performance modes
EFS offers two throughput performance modes:
- Bursting throughput: This default mode scales throughput with the size of your file system. It is ideal for most applications without additional costs.
- Provisioned throughput: Enables you to specify a desired throughput level independent of your storage size, incurring additional charges. This option is beneficial for applications requiring consistent high performance.
2. Backup and replication
Implementing backup and replication strategies enhances data protection but also affects costs:
- AWS backup: Automates backup processes for EFS, with charges based on the amount of data backed up and restored.
- EFS replication: This option enables the replication of your file system across regions or Availability Zones, incurring extra storage and data transfer costs.
3. Data transfer between AWS services
Accessing EFS from other AWS services can lead to data transfer charges:
- Cross-AZ or cross-region access: Accessing your EFS file system across different Availability Zones or regions incurs data transfer fees.
- Integration with services: Services such as Lambda or EC2 accessing EFS may contribute to higher data transfer costs, depending on the architecture.
4. API requests and Lambda invocations
Using AWS services in conjunction with EFS can influence costs:
- Amazon API Gateway requests: The number of requests to API Gateway can affect overall costs.
- AWS Lambda invocations: Frequent invocations of Lambda functions interacting with EFS contribute to cumulative costs.
5. Region-specific pricing
AWS EFS pricing varies by AWS region:
- Regional differences: Storage and data transfer rates differ across regions. This impacts the total costs depending on where your data is stored and accessed.
With AWS EFS pricing covered, let’s explore how to reduce costs and optimize your file storage efficiently.
EFS Features You Can Leverage To Optimize Storage Costs
AWS EFS offers several features to help lower costs while keeping storage efficient. Here’s how you can make the most of them:
1. Use lifecycle management
AWS EFS can automatically move files between storage classes based on how often they’re used.
- Inactive files are moved to lower-cost storage. If a file hasn’t been accessed for a set time, EFS can move it from Standard to Infrequent Access (IA) or Archive storage.
- Custom policies help control storage costs. You can set rules that match your needs, automatically ensuring that old data moves to cheaper storage.
This reduces costs without manual work while keeping files accessible when needed.
2. Monitor data usage
Checking how often files are used can help you store them in the right class.
- Move rarely accessed files to cheaper storage. Files only needed occasionally should not stay in Standard storage, which costs more.
- Keep frequently used data in high-performance storage. Files that need fast access should remain in Standard or One Zone storage.
3. Adjust throughput settings
EFS offers two options for managing data transfer speeds:
- Bursting throughput (default): Adjusts automatically based on storage size. No extra costs.
- Provisioned throughput: This lets you set a custom speed, which is useful for high-performance applications but adds costs.
Choosing the right mode for your workload prevents overpaying for unnecessary speed.
4. Delete unused files
Removing old or unnecessary files frees up storage and lowers costs.
- Set data retention policies to remove outdated files after a certain period.
- Use automated cleanup scripts to delete unused data regularly.
5. Consider AWS cost optimization services
AWS Cost Explorer helps track EFS spending with detailed reports, while AWS Budgets lets you set cost limits and receive alerts when usage exceeds thresholds. Using these tools, you can monitor trends, control costs, and adjust storage strategies before costs get out of hand.
But with CloudZero, you get more. Think of real-time cost insights, anomaly detection, and precise cost attribution across teams, products, microservices, and more.
Cloudzero:
- Tracks EFS and cloud costs by product, team, or feature
- Monitors AWS, Azure, GCP, Kubernetes, and SaaS spending in one place
- Identifies sudden cost spikes and alerts teams instantly
- Predicts future costs and helps set spending limits
- Breaks down container and pod-level costs
- Offers clear, actionable cost summaries
- Ensures spending aligns with budgets and policies
- Shares cost insights across teams for better decision-making
to see CloudZero in action.
FAQs
How does Amazon EFS handle data security?
Amazon EFS secures data with encryption at rest using AWS Key Management Service (KMS) and encryption in transit via Transport Layer Security (TLS). It also supports IAM-based access control, VPC security groups, and file system policies to regulate permissions and protect sensitive data.
How does Amazon EFS manage storage capacity?
EFS automatically scales storage capacity up or down as files are added or removed, eliminating the need for manual provisioning.
How can I access Amazon EFS from my on-premises servers?
You can access EFS from on-premises servers using AWS Direct Connect or AWS VPN, enabling seamless integration with your existing infrastructure.
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