Transfer Appliance is a physical device for offline migration of large data volumes to Google Cloud when network transfers would take too long.
What is Google Transfer Appliance?
Transfer Appliance is a physical storage device provided by Google for offline transfer of large data volumes to Google Cloud Storage. The service is suited to situations where network transfers would take significantly longer than physical shipping, due to data volume or limited bandwidth. Google ships the device to you, you copy data locally via network protocols such as NFS, SMB, SSH, or SCP, send it back, and Google uploads the data to your Cloud Storage bucket.
Currently (version 4.0), two capacity levels are available: TA40 with 40 TB capacity for medium data volumes and TA300 (versions V1 and V2) with 300 TB for large migrations and datacenter exits. Both models are available as rackable variants and as freestanding variants (TA40F/TA300F). For even larger data volumes, multiple appliances can be deployed in parallel. The devices feature a 10 Gbps configuration port and data ports with up to 40 Gbps (TA40, TA300 V1) or up to 100 Gbps (TA300 V2).
Security is a high priority: the appliances use encrypted SSD storage, and the device is shipped with tamper-evident sealing. After upload, all data is securely erased. The entire shipping chain is trackable and documented.
Core Features
- Two capacity levels: TA40 (40 TB) and TA300 (300 TB, V1/V2)
- Rackable and freestanding device variants
- Network-based data transfer via NFS, SMB, SSH, or SCP
- High-speed data ports with up to 100 Gbps (TA300 V2)
- Encrypted storage and tamper-evident sealing
- Seamless integration with Cloud Storage after return shipping
Typical Use Cases
Datacenter Exit and Cloud Migration
A company closes a datacenter and migrates to Google Cloud. Several hundred terabytes of data would take months over the network. Multiple TA300 appliances transfer the data in parallel within a few weeks. The datacenter can be closed on schedule.
Archive Digitization
A broadcaster digitizes historical tapes. Large volumes of video material are digitized locally and copied to Transfer Appliance via a network protocol. Upload to Cloud Storage is then performed by Google while digitization continues.
Backup Initial Load
A company starts cloud backup for large volumes of production data. The initial full copy would take a very long time over WAN. Transfer Appliance delivers the baseline much faster, after which incremental backups synchronize online via Storage Transfer Service.
Scientific Data Collaboration
A research institute shares large volumes of genome data with partners worldwide. Transfer Appliance copies data to Cloud Storage, from where partners can download it. Often faster and cheaper than international data lines.
Media Production Workflow
A film studio backs up raw footage after wrap. Large volumes of high-resolution footage are copied to Transfer Appliance and sent to Cloud Storage. The material is then available from the cloud for post-production, freeing up local storage.
Integration with innFactory
As a certified Google Cloud partner, innFactory supports you with Transfer Appliance: migration planning, data preparation, selecting the right model, and Cloud Storage integration.
Contact us for a consultation on Transfer Appliance and Google Cloud migration.
Available Tiers & Options
TA40
- 40 TB capacity
- Rackable and freestanding variants available
- Fast delivery
- Limited capacity
TA300
- 300 TB capacity
- Higher throughput (up to 100 Gbps on V2)
- Ideal for petabyte migrations
- Larger and heavier
Typical Use Cases
Technical Specifications
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Google Transfer Appliance?
Transfer Appliance is a physical storage device that Google ships to you. You copy data locally to the device via network protocols such as NFS, SMB, SSH, or SCP, send it back, and Google uploads the data to Cloud Storage. Ideal for terabytes to petabytes of data that would take too long over the network.
When should I use Transfer Appliance?
Transfer Appliance makes sense when an online transfer would take significantly longer than shipping plus local copying, due to data volume or limited bandwidth. Typically relevant from several tens of terabytes upward with constrained connectivity.
What capacities are available?
TA40 offers 40 TB capacity, and TA300 (in versions V1 and V2) offers 300 TB for large migrations. Both models are available as rackable or freestanding variants. For even larger data volumes, multiple appliances can be used in parallel.
How is data protected?
The appliances use encrypted SSD storage. The device is shipped with tamper-evident sealing. After data transfer, all data is securely erased and the device prepared for its next use.
How long does the process take?
Total time includes shipping to the customer, local data copying (depending on data volume and infrastructure), return shipping, and upload to Cloud Storage by Google. Lead-time details are available on the order page in the Google Cloud console.
In which countries is Transfer Appliance available?
Transfer Appliance is offered in countries including the US, the EU, the UK, Canada, Japan, Singapore, and India. For the complete, current country list, Google refers customers to the order page in the Cloud console.
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 Google Cloud (official documentation). This page does not represent an offer by Google Cloud.
