Amazon Glacier

Security is a key feature of Glacier; all data is encrypted by default, and access can be controlled using AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) policies. This makes Glacier ideal for situations like regulatory compliance, where data integrity and security over long periods are crucial, or for digital media preservation, where data must be kept safe and accessible for future use.

When retrieving data, Amazon Glacier offers several options:

• Expedited Retrieval: Access within 1-5 minutes for urgent needs.
• Standard Retrieval: Available within 3-5 hours, suitable for most scenarios.
• Bulk Retrieval: Designed for large data sets, taking 5-12 hours, often free for certain storage classes, promoting cost-effective large data retrievals.
• Provisioned Retrieval: For predictable high-demand periods, guaranteeing expedited capacity, though with a monthly charge.

Amazon Glacier offers different storage classes to suit various access needs:

• S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval: For data that needs occasional access with quick, millisecond retrieval times.
• S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval: Provides different retrieval times based on cost preferences.
• S3 Glacier Deep Archive: The most cost-effective option for data that may not be accessed for years, with retrieval times up to 12 hours.

Pricing is based on storage, retrieval, requests, and data transfer. The Deep Archive is particularly affordable at about $0.00099 per GB-month, but deleting data early (within 90 days, or 180 days for Deep Archive) incurs a fee to ensure cost-effectiveness for true archival purposes.

Amazon Glacier integrates seamlessly with Amazon S3, allowing you to set up lifecycle policies to automatically move data to Glacier for long-term storage. This helps optimize costs and manage data efficiently as it ages. Common uses for Glacier include long-term backups, digital media archiving, and compliance-driven storage where data retrieval is rare.