A Snowmobile is a 45-foot long, ruggedized shipping container pulled by a semi-trailer truck. It is, in effect, a data center on wheels, capable of transporting up to 100 Petabytes (PB) of data in a single trip.
When to Use Snowmobile
Snowmobile is designed for a very specific use case: migrating extremely large volumes of data that would take years to transfer over the internet.
-
Data Volume: Your total data size is 10 PB or greater. For anything less, multiple Snowball Edge devices are typically more practical.
-
Use Cases:
-
Migrating an entire on-premises data center.
-
Moving massive video libraries, scientific datasets, or financial records.
-
Complete shutdown of old data centers as part of a cloud migration initiative.
-
Key Specifications
-
Form Factor: 45-foot long, 8-foot wide, 9.6-foot tall shipping container.
-
Total Capacity: Up to 100 PB per Snowmobile.
-
Power: Requires significant power from your data center.
-
Connectivity: Uses a removable, high-speed network switch that connects to your local network. It can support up to 1 Tb/s of data transfer speed aggregated across multiple 40 Gbps or 100 Gbps connections.
The Snowmobile Workflow: A High-Touch Process
Unlike other AWS services, ordering a Snowmobile is a consultative process managed directly by AWS personnel.
-
Initial Assessment & Planning: You start by contacting AWS. An AWS solutions architect will work with you to conduct a site survey, understand your migration needs, and plan the logistics.
-
Site Preparation: AWS provides requirements for parking the truck, providing sufficient power, and making a network connection point available.
-
Snowmobile Arrival: An AWS-operated Snowmobile arrives at your data center.
-
Connection and Data Ingestion: AWS personnel handle all aspects of managing the Snowmobile. They will connect it to your network and work with your team to start the high-speed data transfer from your servers to the Snowmobile.
-
Return to AWS: Once your data is loaded, AWS personnel drive the Snowmobile to the pre-determined AWS region.
-
Data Import: At the AWS data center, your data is imported directly from the Snowmobile into your specified Amazon S3 buckets or Amazon S3 Glacier vaults. This process is significantly faster than any online transfer method.
Multi-Layered Security
Security is paramount for Snowmobile and is implemented across several physical and digital layers.
Physical Security
-
Tamper-Resistant: The container is physically hardened, waterproof, and climate-controlled.
-
GPS Tracking: The vehicle is tracked by a dedicated GPS device.
-
Video Surveillance: 24/7 video monitoring via onboard cameras.
-
Security Escort: An optional security vehicle escort can follow the Snowmobile during transit.
-
AWS Personnel: The truck is operated exclusively by AWS personnel who have undergone extensive background checks.
Digital Security
-
256-Bit Encryption: All data is encrypted with keys that you provide before it is written to the Snowmobile.
-
AWS KMS: You use the AWS Key Management Service (KMS) to create and manage your encryption keys. AWS personnel have no access to your unencrypted data.
-
Secure Erasure: After your data is successfully imported, AWS performs a secure erasure of all data on the Snowmobile, following NIST guidelines.
Snowmobile vs. Snowball Edge
| Feature | AWS Snowmobile | AWS Snowball Edge |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Data Capacity | Up to 100 PB | Up to 80 TB |
| Use Case | Exabyte-scale data migration | Petabyte-scale migration, Edge Compute |
| Management | Fully managed and operated by AWS personnel | Self-managed by the customer |
| Form Factor | 45-foot truck | Rugged, portable appliance |
| Order Process | Consultative engagement with AWS | Self-service via AWS Console |