AWS Storage Gateway
AWS Storage Gateway provides hybrid cloud storage integration. Bridge on-premises environments with AWS storage services.
What is Storage Gateway? (Simple Explanation)
Storage Gateway is an AWS service in the Storage category. AWS Storage Gateway provides hybrid cloud storage integration.
When Would You Use Storage Gateway?
- Hybrid cloud backup and DR
- On-premises file shares backed by S3
- Tape replacement with Virtual Tape Library
- Low-latency cached access to S3 data
Who Uses Storage Gateway?
From startups to enterprises, Storage Gateway powers:
What Makes Storage Gateway Powerful
Storage Gateway Pricing & Free Tier
Free Tier: 5GB Standard storage, 20,000 GET requests, 2,000 PUT requests (12 months). After that, ~$0.023/GB/month.
Storage Gateway Best Practices
- 1Block all public access by default (never grant s3:* to *)
- 2Enable versioning and MFA delete on critical buckets
- 3Use lifecycle policies to automatically tier to Glacier after 90 days
- 4Encrypt at rest with SSE-KMS (not SSE-S3)
- 5Enable S3 Access Logs or CloudTrail data events for audit trail
Getting Started with Storage Gateway in 5 Minutes
- 1Open the AWS Console and navigate to Storage Gateway
- 2Click "Create bucket" or "Create file system"
- 3Name your resource (globally unique for S3) and choose a region
- 4Configure public access settings (block all public access by default) and click "Create"
Storage Gateway CLI Quick Reference
2 production-ready commands. Full CLI Library (225+ services) →
aws storage-gateway helpView all Storage Gateway CLI v2 commands and subcommandsaws storage-gateway describe-storagegateway --helpView options for describing Storage Gateway resourcesPros & Cons of Storage Gateway
Pros
- S3 File Gateway — NFS/SMB file shares in S3
- Volume Gateway — iSCSI block volumes
- Tape Gateway — virtual tape library in Glacier
- Local caching for frequently accessed data
- Hardware appliance option
Cons
- ✕Storage costs compound over time — data tends to grow, not shrink
- ✕Cross-region replication adds latency and egress costs
- ✕Inexperienced users can accidentally expose data publicly (misconfigured bucket policies)
Storage Gateway vs Alternatives
Storage Gateway vs S3
Choose Storage Gateway for Hybrid cloud backup and DR and On-premises file shares backed by S3. It excels at s3 file gateway — nfs/smb file shares in s3.
Choose S3 as an alternative when your requirements differ. Each service in the Storage category serves different architectural patterns.
Services That Work with Storage Gateway
Storage Gateway is rarely used alone. It is typically combined with:
Compliance & Security
How AWS Storage Gateway fits into major compliance standards. Browse all 41 frameworks →
Storage Gateway configuration is audited by CIS Benchmarks v1.5–v3.0 for secure cloud defaults.
NIST 800-53Storage Gateway access controls, encryption, and audit logging map to NIST 800-53 AC, SC, and AU control families.
PCI DSS 4.0Storage Gateway encryption, access control, and logging support PCI DSS for cardholder data environments.
SOC 2Storage Gateway security, availability, and confidentiality controls evaluated under SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria.
ISO 27001Storage Gateway configuration and monitoring controls map to ISO 27001 Annex A information security management.
Frequently Asked Questions About Storage Gateway
What is AWS Storage Gateway?
AWS Storage Gateway provides hybrid cloud storage integration. Bridge on-premises environments with AWS storage services.
What is Storage Gateway used for?
Storage Gateway is commonly used for: Hybrid cloud backup and DR; On-premises file shares backed by S3; Tape replacement with Virtual Tape Library; Low-latency cached access to S3 data. It's a core service in the storage category of AWS.
Is Storage Gateway free?
Free Tier: 5GB Standard storage, 20,000 GET requests, 2,000 PUT requests (12 months). After that, ~$0.023/GB/month.
What are the key features of Storage Gateway?
Storage Gateway's most important capabilities include: S3 File Gateway — NFS/SMB file shares in S3. Volume Gateway — iSCSI block volumes. Tape Gateway — virtual tape library in Glacier. Local caching for frequently accessed data. Hardware appliance option. Each of these is designed to help teams hybrid cloud backup and dr.
How does Storage Gateway compare to alternatives?
Storage Gateway competes with both AWS-native alternatives (S3, EBS, Glacier) and third-party equivalents. The right choice depends on your specific requirements for scalability, cost, and operational overhead. See the comparisons section below for detailed guidance.
Which compliance frameworks apply to Storage Gateway?
CIS AWS v3.0: Storage Gateway configuration is audited by CIS Benchmarks v1.5–v3.0 for secure cloud defaults. NIST 800-53: Storage Gateway access controls, encryption, and audit logging map to NIST 800-53 AC, SC, and AU control families. PCI DSS 4.0: Storage Gateway encryption, access control, and logging support PCI DSS for cardholder data environments. SOC 2: Storage Gateway security, availability, and confidentiality controls evaluated under SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria. ISO 27001: Storage Gateway configuration and monitoring controls map to ISO 27001 Annex A information security management.
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