What is the AWS Snow Family?
The AWS Snow Family is a set of physical devices for data transfer and edge computing. Instead of transferring large data volumes over the network, customers copy data onto encrypted hardware devices that are shipped to AWS and automatically imported into Amazon S3 on arrival.
The portfolio has shrunk significantly in recent years: AWS Snowmobile (the truck-based exabyte-scale transfer service) was discontinued in 2024, and AWS Snowcone in November 2024. The Snow Family today essentially consists of AWS Snowball Edge devices in Storage Optimized and Compute Optimized variants. Since November 2025, these devices can only be ordered by existing customers; for new migration projects, AWS points to online solutions such as AWS DataSync, AWS Data Transfer Terminal, or partner solutions.
Core Features
- Snowball Edge Storage Optimized: High-capacity storage device for pure data migration
- Snowball Edge Compute Optimized: Additional CPU capacity for on-site edge computing workloads
- Automatic Import: Data is automatically imported into Amazon S3 upon arrival at AWS
- Encryption: Data is encrypted at rest and in transit on the device
- Tracking: Status and shipment tracking via the AWS Console
Typical Use Cases
Migrating Large Existing Datasets (Existing Customers): Organizations that already have Snowball Edge access continue to use the devices for large, one-time data migrations under limited network connectivity.
Edge Computing at Remote Locations: Snowball Edge Compute Optimized enables local data processing where no reliable cloud connectivity exists, before results are synchronized.
New Migration Projects: For customers without existing Snowball access, AWS now generally recommends AWS DataSync for online transfers or AWS Data Transfer Terminal and partner solutions for physical transfers.
Benefits
- Still useful for existing customers with very large, network-constrained data volumes
- Encrypted, trackable physical transport
- Edge computing capacity directly at the deployment site
- No additional bandwidth load on existing network infrastructure
Integration with innFactory
As an AWS Reseller, innFactory supports you in planning data migration projects: assessing whether Snowball Edge (where existing access applies) or modern alternatives such as AWS DataSync and AWS Outposts are the right fit, and implementing the chosen migration strategy.
Typical Use Cases
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AWS Snow Family today?
The AWS Snow Family currently consists of AWS Snowball Edge devices (Storage Optimized and Compute Optimized) for physical data transfer and edge computing. AWS Snowcone and AWS Snowmobile have been discontinued and can no longer be ordered.
Can new customers still order Snowball Edge?
Since November 2025, Snowball Edge devices have been available only to existing customers. For new migration projects, AWS points to online alternatives such as AWS DataSync, AWS Data Transfer Terminal, or AWS Partner solutions.
When is physical data transfer more practical than a network upload?
For very large data volumes with limited or unreliable network connectivity, offline transfer via Snowball Edge can still be faster and more cost-effective than an internet upload. For most workloads, however, AWS now recommends AWS DataSync as the primary solution.
How secure is data transport with Snowball Edge?
Data on Snowball Edge devices is encrypted at rest and in transit. The devices are designed to be tamper-resistant and are securely wiped after being returned to AWS.
What is the alternative for edge computing?
For running native AWS services locally, AWS increasingly recommends AWS Outposts as an alternative to Snowball Edge Compute Optimized, particularly for permanent edge deployments rather than temporary projects.
Note: All product information on this page has been compiled with care, but is provided without guarantee and may be outdated or incomplete. Cloud services evolve rapidly — features, pricing, SLAs, and availability change frequently. Authoritative and up-to-date information can only be found on the official product page of AWS (official documentation). This page does not represent an offer by AWS.