Episode 8: EBS vs EFS vs S3: The Complete Storage Decision Guide | AWS Solutions Architect Prep

EBS vs EFS vs S3 - The complete comparison! Which storage should you use? This 40-minute episode answers it definitively with decision frameworks, real architectures, and exam traps.📦 THE THREE STORAGE TYPES- Block (EBS): Virtual hard drive for ONE instance- File (EFS): Shared network drive for MANY instances - Object (S3): API-accessed unlimited storage💾 EBS - 6 VOLUME TYPES1. gp3 - Default choice: 3K IOPS, $0.08/GB2. io2 Block Express - 256K IOPS! Databases3. st1 - HDD for big data: 500 MB/s4. sc1 - Cheapest optionCRITICAL: EBS is AZ-locked. Use snapshots to move across AZs. Only SSD can boot. Multi-Attach: max 16 instances, same AZ, io2 only.📁 EFS - MULTI-AZ FILE SHARING- Linux only (exam trap!)- 3x more expensive than EBS (~$0.30/GB vs $0.08/GB)- Works across multiple AZs- Automatic scaling- One Zone-IA: 90% savings for dev!🔍 COMPARISON- EBS: $0.08/GB, AZ-locked, one instance, high IOPS- EFS: $0.30/GB, multi-AZ, many instances, Linux only- S3: $0.023/GB, regional, infinite scale, HTTP APIDECISION FRAMEWORK:✓ Choose EBS: Single instance, database, boot volume✓ Choose EFS: Multiple instances, shared files, Linux✓ Choose S3: Objects, HTTP access, infinite scale🏗️ 5 REAL ARCHITECTURES1. E-commerce: EBS for OS, EFS for shared images, S3 for uploads2. WordPress: EFS for wp-content, all servers see uploads instantly3. ML Training: S3 datasets → EBS io2 training → S3 models4. Hybrid App: EBS OS, EFS config, Instance Store cache, S3 logs5. Dev/Prod: One Zone-IA for dev (90% cheaper), Multi-AZ for prod⚠️ 12 EXAM TRAPS1. EBS is AZ-locked (snapshot to move)2. EFS is Linux only (Windows = FSx)3. S3 not mountable as file system4. HDD cannot boot (only SSD)5. Multi-Attach: max 16, same AZ, io2 only6. EFS performance mode permanent7. Delete on Termination (root deleted by default)8. Snapshots during peak = bad performance9. Instance Store vs EBS (ephemeral vs persistent)10. EFS cost - use One Zone-IA for dev11. S3 for DR backups (not Deep Archive - too slow)12. S3 for static websites (not EBS)Perfect for SAA-C03 exam prep and real-world architecture decisions!#AWS #EBS #EFS #S3 #Storage #SolutionsArchitect #SAAC03 #CloudArchitecture #BlockStorage #FileStorage #ObjectStorage⭐ Leave a 5-star rating if this helps you master storage!🔗 Resources: docs.aws.amazon.com/ebs | docs.aws.amazon.com/efs | docs.aws.amazon.com/s3📱 Questions? Share your storage architecture challenges!