Question #1083
A company is migrating its Windows-based applications and file storage from on-premises data centers to AWS. During the migration period, both cloud-based and on-premises users and applications must access the file data with low latency. The solution must require no changes to existing file access protocols and minimize administrative tasks. The company uses AWS Direct Connect for high-speed connectivity between on-premises infrastructure and AWS.
What should a solutions architect recommend to fulfill these requirements?
Deploy and configure Amazon FSx for Windows File Server on AWS. Migrate the on-premises file data to FSx for Windows File Server. Update all workloads to access the FSx file system directly in AWS.
Deploy an Amazon S3 File Gateway on premises. Migrate the on-premises file data to Amazon S3. Modify both on-premises and cloud workloads to access data through the S3 File Gateway or Amazon S3 APIs.
Deploy an Amazon FSx File Gateway on premises. Migrate the on-premises file data to Amazon FSx for Windows File Server in AWS. Configure on-premises workloads to use the FSx File Gateway and cloud workloads to access FSx directly.
Deploy Amazon FSx for Windows File Server on AWS. Deploy an Amazon FSx File Gateway on premises. Migrate the file data to the FSx File Gateway. Configure cloud workloads to use FSx for Windows File Server and on-premises workloads to use the FSx File Gateway.
Explanation
Option D is correct because:
- Amazon FSx for Windows File Server provides fully managed Windows-compatible file storage in AWS, ensuring compatibility with existing applications.
- FSx File Gateway (a type of AWS Storage Gateway) deployed on-premises allows local users to access the FSx file system via SMB, maintaining protocol consistency. The gateway caches frequently accessed data locally, reducing latency over Direct Connect.
- Cloud-based workloads access FSx directly in AWS, avoiding unnecessary latency.
- Data is migrated to FSx in AWS, and the gateway handles on-premises access transparently, minimizing administrative tasks.
Other options fail because:
- A requires updating all workloads to point to FSx, which is a protocol change.
- B forces workloads to use S3 APIs, altering access protocols.
- C implies migrating data to FSx but may require reconfiguring on-premises clients to use the gateway, increasing administrative overhead.
Key Points:
- Use Storage Gateway (FSx File Gateway) for hybrid file access with caching.
- Maintain existing protocols (SMB) for seamless migration.
- Direct Connect ensures low-latency connectivity between on-premises and AWS.
Answer
The correct answer is: D