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AWS Snowball vs Microsoft Azure Data Box comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 12, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

AWS Snowball
Ranking in Data Migration Appliances
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
9
Ranking in other categories
Cloud Migration (16th)
Microsoft Azure Data Box
Ranking in Data Migration Appliances
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
8.7
Number of Reviews
9
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the Data Migration Appliances category, the mindshare of AWS Snowball is 41.6%, down from 43.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Azure Data Box is 30.0%, up from 30.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Data Migration Appliances
 

Featured Reviews

Vijay Gawade - PeerSpot reviewer
Saves time and reduces administrative overhead but needs responsive customer support
I use Amazon products in two instances.  First, I run a startup leveraging AWS, where our workloads are on the cloud.  Second, I help customers using AWS cloud. I work as an authorized instructor with training partners AWS offers managed services which save time and reduce administrative…
Saul Perales - PeerSpot reviewer
Enable efficient infrastructure management with high availability and quick adaptability
Our primary use case is for application implementations and migrations, mostly in an enterprise environment. It specifically involves cloud solutions and middleware services like data and virtual machines The scalability and availability of Microsoft Azure Data Box allow us to provide necessary…

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The flexibility of AWS Snowball is valuable. Its security allows for the ability to move and secure data without concern if the device is lost and the option to trace it back to AWS data centers."
"The features I like best are the tool's high capacity, scalability, end-to-end encryption for data security, ease of use, durability, and cost-effectiveness. It's particularly cost-effective for transferring large amounts of data compared to high-speed internet transfers."
"The way the data is moved is very clever. Also, the interface is very simple and user-friendly."
"The most valuable features of AWS Snowball for me are its security measures and its flexibility."
"AWS helps save time and costs, being a managed cloud provider with evolving services."
"It's a nice way of shipping a lot of data without using a network."
"AWS offers managed services which save time and reduce administrative overhead."
"The solution is elastic."
"We use the solution for integration purposes."
"The solution has allowed the organization to safely transfer and store into the cloud easily and quickly large amounts of data that can then be readily accessed."
"The availability and quick scalability of Microsoft Azure Data Box are highly valuable."
"We're looking at this solution because it's part of an overall tool suite, so the integration piece is what's striking our interest in it."
"The Azure Data Box saves us a great deal of time when migrating data to Azure."
"It provides secure transfer of large amounts of data."
"One valuable aspect is the support we receive from Microsoft Azure vendors."
"The availability and quick scalability of Microsoft Azure Data Box are highly valuable."
 

Cons

"I think AWS Snowball could improve by expanding its availability to more countries."
"24/7 support is more expensive on AWS compared to Azure."
"There's always room for improvement as you use the service more and gain expertise. Some challenges I've faced include the time factor (data transfer can be time-consuming), data validation after the transfer, risks associated with physical handling and shipping of the device, and ensuring data security during transit."
"If AWS Snowball is intercepted, there is a potential risk of unauthorized access to the data."
"It's not an easy product to start using for a beginner, but If you're a professional, it's easy to understand."
"The stability of the solution isn't ideal and should be improved."
"The costs of services the customer needs also matter, such as storage requirements and whether storage is rational."
"It would be helpful if Snowball provided more kinds of connectivity. That will make it easier to add and move data."
"The device must be transported off-site before the data is uploaded into the Microsoft Azure Cloud."
"I am not confident in this device's ability to perform a network backup in our data center."
"On an enterprise level, a per-user license for more than 1,000 users is very costly."
"Currently, I do not see any areas for improvement."
"Deployment can be a major challenge. It's important to understand the organization's policies, the data store where the data will be going, the necessary permissions, and the specific type of Data Box being used. We also need to consider the encryption keys that need to be utilized."
"When it comes to old applications, they may not be the most suitable environment for Microsoft's current focus on Azure and the latest technologies. It would be helpful if Microsoft could provide some guidelines or recommendations for transitioning from old to new."
"The solution is straightforward with simple application migration, but plug-and-play AI is not involved simultaneously."
"It's a single node solution. If it can be spread out across more of the enterprise and have more segregation in its virtual environment, that would be good."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It's not a cheap solution, but the price is right for the product."
"The tool's pricing depends on the type of Snowball device you choose, the amount of data you need to transfer, and the service fees involved. There’s a standard price for larger data transfers and a flat job fee, which includes the first ten days of on-site usage. Typically, there are no additional data transfer fees."
"This is a pay-as-you-go solution, where you pay for the amount of storage space that you are using."
"The pricing is based on the size of the appliance needed to store the data."
"The product’s pricing is normal for enterprises but higher for SMBs."
"On a scale of one to five, with one being not good and five being competitive, I would rate this solution as a four."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Government
11%
Manufacturing Company
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

Which is better - Microsoft Azure Data Box or AWS Snowball?
Microsoft Azure Databox is a 45-pound, super rugged, tamper-resistant, human-managed hardware appliance that can transfer up to 100TB of data capacity to copy, store, then send to the Azure cloud. ...
What do you like most about AWS Snowball?
The most valuable features of AWS Snowball for me are its security measures and its flexibility.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AWS Snowball?
The cost of using services like SQS can increase significantly, as frequent polling becomes expensive.
What do you like most about Microsoft Azure Data Box?
We use the solution for integration purposes.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Azure Data Box?
Pricing is a concern for every company, however, those making these decisions are aware of the necessary investment. I do not have detailed knowledge of the costs.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Azure Data Box?
Currently, I do not see any areas for improvement since most of the requirements or features we use have been met effectively.
 

Also Known As

Amazon AWS Snowball, Amazon Snowball, Snowball
Azure Data Box, MS Azure Data Box
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Wazee Digital, Craftsy, Live Nation, Essess
Oceaneering
Find out what your peers are saying about AWS Snowball vs. Microsoft Azure Data Box and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
832,138 professionals have used our research since 2012.