At its re:Invent 2024 conference in Las Vegas, Amazon unveiled a new service for Amazon Web Services (AWS) customers: the Data Transfer Terminal. This service offers physical locations where users can upload data directly to the AWS cloud using their own storage devices.
The process, outlined in a blog post by Channy Yun, a principal developer advocate at AWS, begins with customers reserving a time slot through the AWS management console. They can assign data transfer specialists from their teams if needed and visit one of the secure terminal locations for the upload.
“On your reserved date and time, [you’ll] visit the location and confirm access with the building reception,” Yun explained. Customers are then escorted to their reserved rooms, which are designed to maintain security and anonymity. AWS has deliberately avoided branding at these sites to protect customer privacy.
Locations and Features
Currently, the first Data Transfer Terminals are operational in New York City and Los Angeles, with plans to expand to more cities. Each location is equipped with advanced infrastructure, including patch panels, fiber optic cables, and monitoring PCs to ensure seamless data transfers.
Why Use Data Transfer Terminal?
Amazon claims the service offers significant advantages, including ultra-fast upload speeds of up to 400Gbps through secure, high-throughput connections. The terminals are designed for customers with massive data volumes, for whom traditional online uploads would be time-consuming or impractical.
Pricing
Using the service comes at a cost. Customers are billed per port hour, even if no data is transferred during the reserved time. Rates are $300 per hour for U.S.-to-U.S. uploads and $500 per hour for U.S.-to-EU uploads. Prices for other regions have not been disclosed.
“At a minimum, you’ll be charged per port hour for the number of hours reserved,” states an Amazon support page, adding that the charges apply to each port used or reserved.
The Data Transfer Terminal initiative is part of Amazon’s broader strategy to cater to customers with demanding data needs, particularly in industries like media, research, and technology. As cloud services continue to evolve, AWS’s innovative solutions aim to address both security and efficiency for large-scale data migration projects.
