AWS Instance Stores

AWS Instance Store provides temporary block-level storage for Amazon EC2 instances. It is ideal for applications requiring high-performance storage for ephemeral data, such as caches or buffers. While Instance Store offers unmatched speed, its data is not persistent across instance stops, making it unsuitable for critical data storage.

What is AWS Instance Store?

AWS Instance Store is physically attached storage to the host hardware of EC2 instances. It delivers ultra-low latency and high IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second). However, the storage is ephemeral, meaning the data persists only during the lifecycle of the instance.

Key Features:

  1. High Performance: Ideal for applications requiring low-latency storage.
  2. Ephemeral Data Storage: Data is lost when the instance stops or terminates.
  3. Cost-Effective: No additional charges as it is included in the EC2 instance cost.

Use Cases for Instance Store

  1. Caching:
    • Store frequently accessed data for faster read/write operations.
  2. Buffers:
    • Temporary storage for data processing pipelines.
  3. Scratch Space:
    • Intermediate data during computations like video encoding or big data analysis.
  4. Temporary Storage for Logs:
    • Storing logs that don’t require long-term retention.

Instance Store Volume Types

Instance Store volumes are backed by NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) or SSD drives. The storage performance varies depending on the EC2 instance type.

  • NVMe SSD: Ultra-fast storage attached via the NVMe interface.
  • HDD (Hard Disk Drive): High-capacity storage for sequential I/O workloads.

Instance Store vs EBS (Elastic Block Store)

FeatureInstance StoreEBS (Elastic Block Store)
PersistenceData lost on instance stop/terminationPersistent across instance lifecycle
PerformanceHigher performance, ultra-low latencyHigh performance, but depends on volume type
Data BackupNot supportedSnapshots and backups available
CostIncluded in EC2 costCharged separately

Best Practices

  1. Don’t Store Critical Data:
    • Use Instance Store only for data that can be regenerated or doesn’t need to persist.
  2. Combine with EBS or S3:
    • Use EBS or S3 for data persistence while leveraging Instance Store for temporary tasks.
  3. Monitor Usage:
    • Track usage with CloudWatch to avoid overloading the storage.
  4. Select the Right Instance Type:
    • Choose EC2 instances with Instance Store optimized for your workload.

Limitations of Instance Store

  1. Data Loss:
    • Data is lost if the instance stops, hibernates, or terminates.
  2. No Backups:
    • Unlike EBS, there is no snapshot feature for Instance Store.
  3. Limited Size:
    • The size and type of storage depend on the selected EC2 instance.

Instance Store Example:

# Launching an EC2 Instance with Instance Store
aws ec2 run-instances \
  --image-id ami-xxxxxxxx \
  --instance-type i3.large \
  --block-device-mappings '[{"DeviceName":"/dev/sdb","VirtualName":"ephemeral0"}]'

Why Use AWS Instance Store?

AWS Instance Store is a powerful solution for applications requiring fast, temporary storage. Its high-speed performance is unmatched for ephemeral workloads, making it a great choice for data that doesn’t require persistence.

To learn more about optimizing AWS storage solutions, explore our tutorials at The Coding College.

Conclusion

AWS Instance Store is a niche but powerful option for high-speed temporary storage. While it comes with limitations like data loss, its performance benefits make it essential for specific use cases like caching and buffer storage. Pair it with persistent storage solutions like EBS or S3 for a complete storage strategy.

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