What is AWS S3?
Let’s learn about AWS S3 and its various uses.
What is S3?
S3 stands for “Simple Storage Service.” As the name suggests, S3 is a service provided by AWS for simplified storage.
It offers the following benefits:
- High scalability
- High availability
- High durability
- Robust security
- Easy management
We’ll discuss the above terms in upcoming lessons.
Moreover, AWS uses the Hypertext Type Protocol (HTTP) interface, making it easier for application developers to integrate S3 objects into their applications.
What is S3 used for?
S3 provides web interfaces to store files. Our data files (image files, video files, text files, etc.) are stored as objects within buckets. Buckets serve as containers for objects.
Just as normal household buckets store water, S3 buckets store objects, like data files.
Using S3 ensures the protection of our data and their easy retrieval.
Amazon S3 Use cases
There are various fields and domains where S3 proves to be particularly useful. Some of them are listed below.
Internet data storage
We can store image and video files for the high performance of our applications and websites. Companies like Netflix, Airbnb, and Amazon Prime do the same.
Data files are stored in buckets within S3. The stored data files are known as objects. We will discuss the terms “buckets” and “objects” in detail later on in the course.
We can store unlimited data in the form of objects inside a bucket. Each object’s data can be up to 5 terabytes (TB) in size.
Data archiving
Data archiving is one of the most-in-demand facilities provided by AWS. It helps in reducing the cost and maintenance involved in managing on-premises storage devices for storing archived files.
However, remember that this facility proves to be helpful only with proper planning. The archived S3 data files are transferred to Amazon Glacier. We don’t need to know much about Amazon Glacier right now.
Data backup
S3 can work as a backup facility because of its high durability. We can easily store and retrieve data, anytime and anywhere in S3.
Snapshots are features provided by AWS for storing backups in any region or zone to ensure retrieval of data anywhere across the globe.
Hosting
Website Hosting
S3 can store various static objects. These days a lot of web applications are becoming single pages (using frameworks like ReactJS or Angular), and hosting them on a web server comes with huge costs. S3 provides static website hosting which allows us to host our website with minimum charges.
Media hosting
Data files, including images and videos, can be uploaded as objects inside buckets. These images and videos can be hosted for public access in cases where we want to include these media in our static or dynamic websites.
Application hosting
S3 can be used to host applications that can be accessed globally through the internet. It provides the facility to deploy, host, install and manage web applications. These applications are different from static websites because they perform some operations. These applications are different from the static sites and they perform some operations.
Disaster recovery
The data files are stored in multiple data centers or regions of a zone ensures high availability and durability.
This means our data is protected even if a natural disaster hits one of the data centers, such as an earthquake, fire, flood, and so on. Also, it is kept safe from human intervention with multiple layers of security and encryption methods. In other words, a cloud data center is one of the safest places to store our data.
Integrating third-party tools
S3 provides the facility to include various third-party tools integration. Thus, we do not need to move our data or store it in multiple places. This allows us to carry high-level processes within the cloud itself using third-party tools.
In addition, S3 provides a sophisticated in-place querying functionality to run powerful analytics on data that is stored inS3.
Software delivery
We can upload our software in S3 to make it available to the public. The software can be accessed across the globe. Anyone can download and utilize the uploaded software.
Top firms using AWS S3
Netflix
Netflix is a subscription-based video streaming platform. They host a range of video content such as TV shows and movies.
Owing to the numerous benefits associated with S3, Netflix uses S3 to store its content.
Netflix has clients thatrepresent any device that is accessing the Netflix application. The devices can vary from a smartphone, a tab, a PC, or a TV. Netflix manages them all.
The recommendations, the images, the thumbnails, and whatever else appears are all hosted on S3.
Airbnb
Airbnb is a company that unites property owners and travelers for booking vacation spaces around the world.
With an increasing number of customers visiting the website, the traffic of Airbnb has grown multiple times over the years. With so much traffic to be handled, they needed an auto-scaling facility.
Auto-scaling means increasing and decreasing the number of resources as per need. Airbnb started using AWS EC2 and S3 services and increased their income immensely.
Tobi Knaup, an engineer at Airbnb, says “Because of AWS, there has always been an easy answer (in terms of time required and cost) to scale our site.”
Pinterest is an application that saves images, videos, or products as pins.
Pins are like bookmarks that clients or users can use to save creative images, videos, or products of their choice.
Over the years, the traffic has increased on the application, and Pinterest wanted high performance across the globe. So they, too, started using AWS EC2 and S3, which allows them to deliver data like images and videos at high speeds globally through the internet.
Unilever
Unilever serves as a marketplace for products ranging from food, home care, personal care, refreshments, and more.
Unilever started using AWS S3 and Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) and benefited greatly. S3 helped them improve business agility and operational efficiency. It allowed them to quicken the launch of their digital marketing campaigns and increased their rate of innovation.
We now have a clear idea of what S3 is, its uses, and its benefits.
