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AWS DataSync

AWS DataSync discovers, transfers, and verifies files and objects between on-premises, edge, other-cloud, and AWS storage locations.

Explore pricing models, common use cases, infrastructure support, and the AWS services that commonly work with AWS DataSync.

Data movement, verification, and cost planning

AWS DataSync Pricing, Migrations & Backup Comparison

Use DataSync to move and verify file or object data; use a backup service to retain recovery points under a recovery policy. A recurring synchronization task is not automatically a backup because source changes or deletions can be propagated to the destination.

Official AWS sources reviewed 2026-08-07.

What is AWS DataSync used for?

DataSync automates online file and object transfers between supported on-premises, edge, other-cloud, and AWS storage locations. It handles parallel transfer, scheduling, filtering, retries, metadata options, verification, metrics, and reports for migration or recurring synchronization.

How AWS DataSync works

What drives AWS DataSync pricing?

Estimate data moved under the selected task mode plus discovery usage where applicable. Add source and destination storage requests, storage capacity, retrieval, network transfer, agents, logging, and any private-connectivity charges separately.

Official AWS DataSync pricing

Is DataSync the same as AWS Backup?

No. DataSync is primarily a data movement and synchronization service. AWS Backup manages policy-based backups and recovery points for supported resources. Use transfer verification and cutover controls for migration, and define retention plus restore testing separately for backup.

Getting started with AWS Backup

Related AWS services for this plan

  • Amazon Simple Storage Service — Move file or object datasets into, out of, or between supported Amazon S3 locations.
  • Amazon Elastic File System — Use DataSync for supported migrations and recurring transfers involving Amazon EFS.
  • Amazon FSx — Use DataSync for supported migrations involving Amazon FSx file systems.
  • AWS Backup — Use AWS Backup for policy-based recovery points instead of treating synchronization as retention.

AWS DataSync pricing and cost programs

Pricing model: Data transfer task usage

On-Demand
Available
Reserved Instances or reserved capacity
Not applicable
Savings Plans
Not applicable
Spot
Not applicable

Billing dimensions: Data moved · Task mode · Discovery jobs · Related storage and transfer

Programs and modes: Basic mode · Enhanced mode · Discovery

DataSync fees are separate from storage, request, and network-transfer charges at the source and destination.

Free Tier: Service-specific — verify current offers

Pricing reviewed 2026-07-25. Reviewed against the linked official AWS pricing page. Recheck regional rates and program terms before purchase.

Official AWS pricing

Official AWS sources reviewed 2026-07-21.

Why implement AWS DataSync?

  • Automates parallel transfer, encryption in transit, retries, scheduling, filtering, metadata handling, and integrity verification that custom copy scripts must implement themselves.
  • Moves data among supported NFS, SMB, HDFS, object storage, S3, EFS, and FSx locations for migrations and recurring synchronization.
  • Provides task metrics, structured logs in Enhanced mode, reports, and bandwidth controls for observable transfer operations.

How to implement AWS DataSync

  1. Inventory the source, destination, object count, metadata, bandwidth, and time window, then choose Basic or Enhanced task mode from location support and scale needs.
  2. Deploy and activate an agent when the source requires one, create locations with least-privilege credentials, and configure include or exclude filters and transfer options.
  3. Run a representative test, choose the appropriate checksum verification mode, monitor CloudWatch metrics and task reports, and reconcile failures before cutover.

AWS DataSync best practices

  • Confirm protocol, metadata, storage-class, quota, and network requirements before transfer, especially for very large file counts or archive destinations.
  • Use dedicated least-privilege roles and Secrets Manager where supported, keep agents patched and correctly sized, and secure private connectivity.
  • Verify transferred data, preserve task reports, avoid changing source files during point-in-time validation, and rehearse incremental cutover and rollback.

AWS DataSync use cases and server impact

  • NAS and file-server migration to AWS
  • Recurring hybrid data synchronization
  • Moving datasets between S3, EFS, FSx, and other clouds

Replaces custom transfer hosts and scripts for supported locations, but source-system readiness, bandwidth, cutover, and application validation remain customer tasks.

Official implementation resources

Commonly paired AWS services

Planning guides that use AWS DataSync