Amazon Glacier: AWS Archive Storage Service

Introduction

Amazon Glacier is designed as a long-term archival storage solution, characterized by:

• Very low storage costs

• Slower access speeds

• Infrequent data retrieval

• Often referred to as "cold storage" or "offline storage"

Core Components

Glacier Vault

• Equivalent to an S3 bucket

• Primary storage container

• Managed through its own API

• Can exist independently of S3

Archives

• Equivalent to S3 objects

• Maximum size: 40 TB

• Immutable: cannot be modified once uploaded

• Can be files, ZIP files, or TAR files

• Can be deleted or overwritten, but not changed

Security and Access Control

Vault Policies

• Define rules for vault behavior

• Can enforce deletion restrictions

• May require multi-factor authentication

• Control archive management

Access Management

• Managed through IAM

• Roles assigned for vault administration

• Separate from vault policies

Vault Lock Process

1. Create Glacier Vault Lock

2. Initiate lock process

3. 24-hour confirmation window:

   • Can abort during this period

   • Can complete lock before window expires

   • Auto-aborts if not confirmed within 24 hours

4. Once completed, lock becomes permanent and immutable

Integration and Usage

• Backend storage for AWS Storage Gateway Virtual Tape Library

• Integrated with S3 through lifecycle management

• Can be used independently through Glacier API

• Available within S3 console for convenience

Retrieval Options

• Primary focus on long-term archival

• Recent introduction of faster retrieval options:

  • Available at higher cost

  • Still significantly slower than S3

  • Not suitable for online content delivery

Key Characteristics

• Immutable storage

• Designed for infrequent access

• Focus on data integrity

• Long-term preservation

• Cost-effective for archival purposes

Best Practices

• Use for truly archival data

• Plan for slow retrieval times

• Consider vault lock policies carefully

• Implement appropriate access controls

• Verify vault locks during confirmation window