Question #2022
A company operates an on-premises video editing application that requires high-performance access to large media files. To reduce storage costs, the company has migrated all data to Amazon S3. The application demands low-latency access to storage to maintain seamless editing workflows. Which storage solution balances cost-effectiveness and performance while ensuring minimal latency for the on-premises application?
Deploy an AWS Storage Gateway with a Volume Gateway configuration to create an iSCSI-based block storage volume for the on-premises application.
Implement an Amazon S3 File Gateway to provide a file interface with local caching for frequently accessed data, enabling low-latency access to S3 storage.
Sync data from Amazon S3 to an on-premises NAS using AWS DataSync and configure the application to access the NAS directly.
Use AWS Direct Connect to establish a dedicated network connection between the on-premises application and Amazon S3 for faster data retrieval.
Explanation
The correct answer is B because:
- Amazon S3 File Gateway offers a file-based interface (NFS/SMB) compatible with on-premises applications, allowing seamless integration without modifying workflows.
- Local caching ensures frequently accessed media files are stored on-premises, reducing latency during editing while maintaining cost efficiency by storing all data in S3.
- Cost-effectiveness: S3 is cheaper than on-premises storage, and File Gateway minimizes egress costs by caching hot data locally.
Why other options are incorrect:
- A: Volume Gateway (iSCSI block storage) is less suitable for file-based workflows and lacks native S3 integration.
- C: Syncing data to an on-premises NAS via DataSync increases storage costs and complexity, negating S3's cost benefits.
- D: Direct Connect reduces network latency but does not address storage access latency, as S3 alone cannot provide the required low-latency performance.
Key Points:
- Use S3 File Gateway for file-based, low-latency access with local caching.
- Prioritize cost-effectiveness by retaining S3 as the primary storage tier.
- Avoid solutions requiring full data synchronization or block storage interfaces.
Answer
The correct answer is: B