Amazon S3 Glacier Reviews

Name: Amazon S3 Glacier
Brand: Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Rating: 4.3 (38 reviews)

Vendor: Amazon Web Services (AWS)

4.3 out of 5

38 reviews
90% willing to recommend

315 followers

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What is Amazon S3 Glacier?

Amazon Glacier is a secure, durable, and extremely low-cost cloud storage service for data archiving and long-term backup. Customers can reliably store large or small amounts of data for as little as $0.007 per gigabyte per month, a significant savings compared to on-premises solutions. To keep costs low, Amazon Glacier is optimized for infrequently accessed data where a retrieval time of several hours is suitable.

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Amazon S3 Glacier is the #2 ranked solution in top Public Cloud Storage Services. PeerSpot users give Amazon S3 Glacier an average rating of 8.6 out of 10. Based on the analysis of the 38 most recent Amazon S3 Glacier reviews, the overall sentiment is positive, with a sentiment score of 7.8. (Among the highest in the category). Amazon S3 Glacier is most commonly compared to Microsoft Azure File Storage: Amazon S3 Glacier vs Microsoft Azure File Storage. Amazon S3 Glacier is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 42% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a educational organization, accounting for 34% of all views.

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Featured reviews

Alan Bloor

Geographic Information System Developer at Public Sector

Their pricing structure is always a big topic. It's so difficult to understand. I had a personal account once, and I was so scared to type in my credit card because I wasn't sure how much I would be charged. At home, I might turn on the VM to test something, and I might be on there for three minutes wondering how much it could cost. The solution might tell you there are so many hours of free usage and a free VM, but it's still scary because you don't know how much it will cost, even if you go over one second. The price structure needs massive simplifying and made crystal clear so people know what they're paying.

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Deepak Nagar

Manager, Strategic Alliances at Softcell Technologies Limited

The solution's initial setup is straightforward and not complex. In the initial legacy, we used to put our servers in our data centers, look for storage, and give a path to that storage. In Amazon S3 Glacier, you can directly put your credentials for the portal login and upload your data.

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Shambhu Narayan Singh

IT Manager at Axis Securities Limited

We use Amazon S3 Glacier for our storage purposes Amazon S3 Glacier is a scalable and easy-to-manage solution with good read-write capability. The solution's dashboard is a bit complicated and could be improved. I have been using Amazon S3 Glacier for six months. Around 20 to 25 users are…

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Amazon S3 Glacier mindshare

As of December 2024, the mindshare of Amazon S3 Glacier in the Public Cloud Storage Services category stands at 17.4%, up from 15.2% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Public Cloud Storage Services

Key learnings from peers

Last updated Nov 6, 2024

Valuable Features

Amazon S3 Glacier offers cost-effective data archiving with significant savings compared to other storage options. Users appreciate its durability, integration with AWS services, seamless data transfer, and easy-to-use interface. The platform provides automated replication, ensuring data safety across regions. It scales efficiently and supports secure storage management. Its performance in data retrieval is fast and consistent, contributing to overall satisfaction. Businesses utilize it for storing infrequently accessed data, enhancing budget management.

"Its auto-scaling capabilities allow us to add data continuously without needing to pre-provision storage."
"Amazon S3 Glacier is easy to use. The platform is straightforward, and the interfaces are user-friendly and responsive. Even with a limited budget, you can train someone without an AWS certification to use it. With on-the-job training, you can ensure they understand what needs to be done to use the service."
"The deployment process was straightforward."

Room for Improvement

Amazon S3 Glacier's data retrieval time is slow, and users desire a faster response. Technical support and cloud security should be enhanced. Pricing is costly, leading to concerns about billing complexity and integration capabilities. Users require a more user-friendly experience with improved transfer rates. There is a need for better compliance handling, simplified reporting, and increased storage capacity. Enhanced direct access, especially concerning third-party reliance, and clearer pricing structures could add value.

"I would like to see improvements in the transfer rate as it takes quite a long time to retrieve data from Glacier compared to standard S3 storage."
"The cost can be lower."
"The product could be improved in terms of the customer support team's response times."

ROI

Organizations observed a significant ROI using Amazon S3 Glacier, citing value and impact. The service facilitates easy data sharing among large datasets, proving cost-effective by eliminating on-premises infrastructure needs. Users experienced around 300% returns, saving on infrastructure, security compliance, and technical staff costs. Amazon S3 Glacier's ease of use contributes to cost efficiencies. Organizations redirected savings from operational expenses toward other investments, benefiting from a scalable model where expenditure aligns with client usage and demands.

Pricing

Enterprise buyers evaluating Amazon S3 Glacier find it generally cost-effective for archiving, with a pay-as-you-go model and no licensing requirements. However, pricing can be confusing, particularly for large data volumes or specific use cases, and can appear expensive compared to on-premises solutions. While some users appreciate the lower upfront costs, others express concern over monthly expenses and additional fees associated with related services, urging better transparency and discounts for educational sectors.

"The pricing is average and reasonable. It varies depending on the region."
"I've operated with Amazon S3 Glacier in two modes. Firstly, there's the trial mode, where I experimented with the platform, learned its functionalities, and applied it to my work. Secondly, there's the corporate account mode, where my team handles the operations, and I receive billing reports."
"The price point at which the product is available is pretty good."

Popular Use Cases

Users employ Amazon S3 Glacier for various purposes, including cold storage, long-term backups, archival storage, data migration, secure archiving, and compliance with data retention regulations. It's leveraged for hosting, automating cloud resources, and facilitating cross-region verification. Industries utilize it for retaining data over extensive periods, particularly in sectors like financial services. The platform supports both internal projects and client requirements, emphasizing its role in providing efficient data handling and backup strategies for large-scale data storage needs.

Service and Support

Amazon S3 Glacier's customer service and support have mixed responses. Many find the support knowledgeable, helpful, and responsive, offering different levels like standard and premium. Some experience delays and communication loops, requiring patience. Several users rarely contact support due to the robust documentation, while a few rate it poorly. Enterprise users seem satisfied, but support costs are a concern. Those needing assistance generally receive timely help within 24 hours.

Deployment

Amazon S3 Glacier's initial setup is generally described as straightforward and quick, taking less than an hour for experienced users. Users appreciate its cloud-based nature, which eliminates installation requirements. Some users find the process complicated due to security aspects and rely on vendor support or additional training. Common steps include creating an AWS account, setting up storage buckets, and configuring permissions. Despite complexity in some areas, the ease of use is highlighted by many.

Scalability

Amazon S3 Glacier demonstrates outstanding scalability, easily handling different data volumes and user needs. Users highlight its limitless scalability potential, with numerous organizations successfully expanding usage. Common praise involves its reliable performance, seamless integration, and effective data management. With many users expressing strong satisfaction, ratings frequently reach high scores. DevOps and database teams rely on its capabilities, finding it user-friendly and efficient across various scales and applications.

Stability

Amazon S3 Glacier is praised for its stability, with most users rating it between eight and ten. Users experience few outages or downtime and highlight its reliability within the AWS cloud environment. Shared data services and high SLAs contribute to user satisfaction. Instances of regional issues causing outages are mentioned but are rare and recover quickly. Users appreciate the need for monitoring apps and systems, recommending auto-scaling and alerts during deployment.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Amazon S3 Glacier Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.