AWS Certified Solutions Architect – ProfessionalDesign Solutions for Organizational ComplexityMedium
A global pharmaceutical company is planning to migrate a critical, on-premises legacy application to AWS. This application relies heavily on shared file storage that uses the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol for Windows-based servers and requires low-latency access from both on-premises and AWS environments. The company also needs to maintain strict data residency requirements for certain patient data. Which AWS service should a Solutions Architect recommend to meet these requirements efficiently?
- AAmazon S3 with S3 File Gateway to provide SMB access to cloud storage.
- BAWS Storage Gateway configured as a File Gateway with Amazon S3 as the backend.
- CAmazon FSx for Windows File Server, integrated with AWS Direct Connect.
- DAmazon Elastic File System (EFS) with AWS Transfer Family for SMB access.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Amazon FSx for Windows File Server, integrated with AWS Direct Connect.
Amazon FSx for Windows File Server provides fully managed, highly reliable, and scalable file storage that is accessible via the SMB protocol. Integrating it with AWS Direct Connect ensures low-latency access from on-premises, and its native Windows compatibility makes it suitable for the legacy application. It also supports data residency.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. S3 File Gateway provides SMB access but S3 is object storage, not a native file system, which might not meet the legacy application's specific file system semantics or performance expectations for low-latency, transactional access.
- B. AWS Storage Gateway (File Gateway) provides SMB access to S3, but it's a caching gateway. For critical applications requiring low-latency, direct file system access, a fully managed native Windows file system like FSx for Windows File Server is generally more appropriate and performs better for direct application integration.
- D. Amazon EFS is a POSIX-compliant file system, primarily for Linux. While AWS Transfer Family can provide SFTP/FTPS/FTP access to EFS, it does not natively support the SMB protocol for Windows file sharing required by the legacy application.
Amazon FSx for Windows File Server
A fully managed native Microsoft Windows file system that provides highly reliable, scalable, and secure file storage accessible via the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol.
- Native SMB support for Windows-based applications.
- Fully managed service, reducing operational overhead.
- Integrates with Active Directory and supports data residency.
Memory trick: FSx for Windows is the native bridge for your legacy file shares.