FSx for WindowsLustreNetAppOpenZFS

Amazon FSx is a fully managed service that provides high-performance file storage for a wide range of workloads. By automating complex management tasks—such as provisioning, replication, patching, hardware maintenance, and backups—Amazon FSx allows businesses to focus on core activities rather than manual file server management.

Unlike Amazon EFS, which supports only Linux environments, Amazon FSx is designed to work seamlessly with both Windows and other operating systems. This flexibility enables you to deploy file storage solutions across diverse environments while AWS manages the underlying infrastructure.

Key Features and Benefits

Amazon FSx offers multiple features tailored to modern storage needs:

• Storage and Management: Enjoy secure, reliable storage while AWS handles server setup and maintenance.
• Scalability: Easily adjust your storage capacity to match changing data requirements.
• Shared Access: Enable multiple users or systems to access data concurrently, ideal for collaborative projects.
• Automated Backups: Benefit from automatic backups to safeguard your critical data.

FSx Flavors

Amazon FSx is available in several variants, each designed for specific workloads.

Amazon FSx for Windows File Server

Optimized for Windows environments, this service leverages Windows Server and the SMB protocol to deliver a seamless file server experience. Key features include:

• Native integration with Microsoft Active Directory
• Support for data deduplication and quota management

Amazon FSx for Lustre

Designed for high-performance parallel file processing, FSx for Lustre is ideal for:

• Scientific computing
• Machine learning
• Data analytics

Built on the Lustre file system, it delivers low-latency, high-throughput data access. Integration with AWS services such as Amazon S3, AWS DataSync, and AWS Batch ensures that your file system can scale efficiently with workload demands.

Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP

Powered by NetApp's ONTAP file system, this version offers high-performance storage that is accessible from Linux, Windows, and macOS. It supports multiple protocols, including:

• NFS
• SMB
• iSCSI

Additional capabilities like dynamic scalability, snapshots, clones, and replication make it a robust choice for enterprise environments.

Amazon FSx for OpenZFS

This variant is built on the open-source OpenZFS file system and provides:

• Cross-platform support for Linux, Windows, and macOS via the NFS protocol
• Powerful features including data compression, snapshots, and data cloning
• Built-in data protection and security mechanisms

Deployment Options and Service Comparison

FSx for Windows, NetApp ONTAP, and OpenZFS support both single Availability Zone (AZ) and multi-AZ deployments, whereas FSx for Lustre is available only in single AZ deployments. For a detailed side-by-side comparison of client compatibility, protocol support, latency, throughput, and maximum file system size, refer to the diagram below:

Summary

Amazon FSx streamlines the deployment and management of high-performance file storage in the cloud. Its various options are tailored to meet diverse workload requirements:

• FSx for Windows: A fully managed Windows file server using the SMB protocol with seamless Active Directory integration.
• FSx for Lustre: Tailored for high-performance, parallel file processing tasks, making it suitable for fields such as scientific computing and machine learning.
• FSx for NetApp ONTAP: A versatile solution built on NetApp's ONTAP, supporting multiple protocols and delivering robust scalability.
• FSx for OpenZFS: Leveraging the open-source OpenZFS file system, it offers advanced data management features and cross-platform accessibility.