4.5 Introduction about S3 Intelligent-Tiering

Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering is a storage class designed for data with unknown or changing access patterns, offering a cost-effective solution by automatically moving data between two access tiers: frequent and infrequent access. This storage class eliminates the need to analyze and specify access patterns, as it optimizes costs by automatically moving data to the most cost-effective tier based on usage. S3 Intelligent-Tiering is suitable for data that might be accessed unpredictably, providing the high durability, availability, and performance of the S3 Standard for frequently accessed data and lower-cost storage for infrequently accessed data.

4.6 How is S3 Intelligent-Tiering Works on AWS S3

Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering works by automatically moving data between two access tiers based on how frequently the data is accessed. When data is uploaded or migrated to the S3 Intelligent-Tiering storage class, it’s initially placed in the frequent access tier. If the data is not accessed for 30 consecutive days, it’s automatically moved to the infrequent access tier, which costs less. If the data is accessed later, it’s automatically moved back to the frequent access tier. This process optimizes storage costs by ensuring data is stored in the most cost-effective tier based on access patterns, without any performance impact or operational overhead.

How to configure the aws s3 intelligent-tier on aws s3 console

To configure AWS S3 Intelligent-Tiering in the AWS S3 Console:

1. Log into AWS Management Console: Go to the Amazon S3 dashboard.
2. Select or Create a Bucket: Choose the bucket where you want to apply the Intelligent-Tiering storage class, or create a new one.
3. Upload or Select Data: Either upload new data or select existing objects in the bucket.
4. Change Storage Class: For new uploads, you can set the storage class to Intelligent-Tiering during the upload process. For existing objects, select them, choose “Actions,” and then “Change Storage Class.”
5. Select Intelligent-Tiering: Choose the Intelligent-Tiering storage class from the list and apply the changes.

This will configure your selected objects or future uploads to utilize the Intelligent-Tiering class, which will automatically move the data between the frequent and infrequent access tiers based on usage patterns.

4.7 Use Cases and Cost Optimization

Use Cases for AWS S3 Intelligent-Tiering:

1. Data with Uncertain Access Patterns: Ideal for data where it’s unclear how often it will be accessed, like new applications or datasets.
2. Content Repositories: Suitable for diverse content (videos, images, documents) where each item’s popularity varies over time.
3. Data Lakes: For storing large volumes of data with mixed access patterns, ensuring cost-effectiveness.

Cost Optimization:

• Automatic Cost Savings: S3 Intelligent-Tiering automatically moves data to the most cost-effective access tier based on usage, saving costs without manual intervention.
• No Retrieval Fees: Unlike some other tiered storage options, there are no retrieval fees for accessing your data.
• Monitoring and Automation Charge: There’s a small monthly fee for monitoring and automation per object stored in the Intelligent-Tiering class.

Intelligent-Tiering is efficient for long-term storage where access patterns might change, as it reduces costs without sacrificing data availability.

4.8 Monitoring and managing data in AWS S3 Intelligent-Tiering

1. Using AWS Management Console: Provides a visual interface to monitor and manage storage. You can view the storage class of objects and change it if necessary.
2. AWS CloudWatch: Enables tracking and alerting on various metrics, like the number of objects and storage used in each access tier.
3. S3 Analytics: Helps analyze storage access patterns to ensure that Intelligent-Tiering is the right choice.
4. Cost Management Tools: AWS provides tools like Cost Explorer and Budgets to monitor and control storage costs, crucial for managing Intelligent-Tiering effectively.
5. Lifecycle Policies: These can be used in conjunction with Intelligent-Tiering to manage data lifecycle comprehensively, including automatic transition to Glacier for long-term archiving.

Proactive management through these tools ensures efficient use of Intelligent-Tiering, balancing cost and access needs.

Please find the aws offical document :Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering – Amazon Simple Storage Service