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AWS Storage Gateway

AWS Storage Gateway exposes on-premises file, volume, or virtual-tape interfaces backed by AWS storage for hybrid access, migration, backup, and archive workflows.

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

AWS Storage Gateway pricing and cost programs

Pricing model: Hybrid storage gateway usage

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

Billing dimensions: Gateway type · Stored volume · Data written · Retrieval and transfer

Programs and modes: S3 File Gateway · FSx File Gateway · Volume Gateway · Tape Gateway

Gateway fees are separate from the AWS storage and network services used behind the gateway.

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 Storage Gateway?

  • Lets existing applications use NFS, SMB, iSCSI block, or virtual tape interfaces while durable data is stored in AWS.
  • Provides local caching for active data and managed transfer to cloud storage without replacing every application at once.
  • Supports hybrid file shares, cloud-backed volumes, and virtual tape-library modernization with CloudWatch monitoring and AWS security controls.

How to implement AWS Storage Gateway

  1. Choose S3 File Gateway, Volume Gateway, or Tape Gateway from the client protocol, recovery, cache, and backup-software requirements.
  2. Deploy the supported VM, hardware appliance, or EC2 image; size local cache and upload buffers; validate DNS, time, firewall, bandwidth, and service connectivity.
  3. Activate the gateway, configure encryption and access, create the storage resource, connect clients, and add CloudWatch logs, alarms, backup, and replacement procedures.

AWS Storage Gateway best practices

  • Size cache, upload buffers, CPU, memory, and network bandwidth from measured working-set and change rates, and monitor cache pressure plus upload backlog.
  • Use supported hypervisors and current software, secure management and service endpoints, restrict share or volume access, and encrypt data in transit and at rest.
  • Test gateway replacement and disaster recovery, keep durable data in AWS rather than only the cache, and evaluate DataSync for finite migrations instead of persistent hybrid access.

AWS Storage Gateway use cases and server impact

  • Hybrid file shares backed by S3
  • Cloud-backed virtual tape libraries
  • Cached volumes for on-premises applications

Replaces portions of on-premises file, block, or tape infrastructure while retaining a local gateway appliance, network dependency, and application-facing storage protocol.

Official implementation resources

Commonly paired AWS services