During the re: Invent 2024 conference in Las Vegas, Amazon unveiled a new service for AWS users called Data Transfer Terminal. This service offers on-site facilities where customers can link their storage devices to upload data to the AWS cloud.
Here’s how it works: Customers use the AWS management console to book a time slot, optionally assign team members to oversee the process, and visit a Data Transfer Terminal location to upload their data.
In a blog post, AWS Principal Developer Advocate Channy Yun shared details about the Data Transfer Terminal process. Customers check in at the building’s reception on the reserved date and time and are escorted to a secure room at the terminal. For security purposes, there are no AWS signs at the facility to ensure privacy.
The initial Data Transfer Terminal facilities are now active in New York City and Los Angeles, with more locations anticipated shortly. These facilities include a patch panel, fiber optic connections, and a computer for data transfer monitoring.
Why would anyone transport their hard drives to a facility and wait for the upload to finish? Amazon explains that the Data Transfer Terminal provides exceptionally fast upload speeds, reaching up to 400Gbps, through a secure, high-speed connection.
However, this service comes at a cost. Amazon charges based on “per port hour” usage during the reserved time, even if no data is transferred. A support page explains, “At a minimum, charges apply for the number of hours reserved, and fees are incurred for each port used or requested as part of the reservation.”
