For many businesses using Amazon Web Services (AWS), the two primary cost contributors on their invoice are EC2 (computing) and S3 (storage). Those in data-centric sectors like biotech know the importance of ensuring that computational resources aren’t left dormant. And while it’s easy to shut down an idle virtual machine, the challenge with storage is determining the value of stored data against its associated costs.
Gauging the cost of data storage on S3 by GB is straightforward. Still, estimating egress (transferring data off the cloud) costs can be complex, as shown in this intricate diagram by Duckbill Group.
The Egress Dilemma
Egress costs on platforms like AWS are astoundingly high. For example, the cost of downloading a file once from S3 can be up to four times the price of storing it monthly. Even more shocking is that the actual cost of bandwidth for these cloud providers is minimal, yet AWS marks up its egress costs by 8000%. This setup encourages users to keep their data analysis within the platform they use for storage.
This situation calls for an alternative, and Cloudflare R2 offers an answer. It provides cheaper storage than S3 ($15/TB/mo vs. $23/TB/mo) and eliminates egress fees. Plus, data on R2 is globally distributed without extra costs.
Experiencing R2: What Should You Expect?
When testing R2 using data from the 1000 Genomes Project, the free egress claim held true, resulting in significant cost savings compared to AWS. Moreover, R2’s download speeds were impressive and comparable to S3.
Using R2 is intuitive. It has an S3-compatible API, making the transition smooth for current AWS users. While R2 is still in open beta and lacks features like public buckets, the benefits largely outweigh these limitations.
To explore R2 yourself, log into your Cloudflare account and activate it. For a hands-on experience, access genomics data I’ve hosted on R2 here.
Key Insights
R2 is promising, especially for sectors like bioinformatics, where data sharing and independent computing and storage solutions are crucial. Its impact will resonate in various data-driven industries, especially where egress fees comprise a significant part of the cloud expenditure.
Other Storage Solutions to Consider
While R2 is a notable option, other providers are worth mentioning:
- Wasabi offers affordable storage at $5.9/TB and waives egress fees. However, their egress policy has conditions, and they charge for a minimum storage duration, even if files are deleted sooner.
- BackBlaze B2 has storage at $5/TB and egress fees of $10/TB. However, thanks to a partnership with Cloudflare, streaming data from BackBlaze via Cloudflare results in zero egress fees.
In conclusion, as the cloud storage landscape evolves, businesses have a range of options to consider. The best choice will be based on your specific storage, distribution, and cost priorities.