Amazon FSx

Amazon FSx is a fully managed file storage service provided by AWS, catering to both Windows-based file storage needs and high-performance workloads.

1. Offers different managed file systems

Amazon FSx offers different managed file systems optimized for specific use cases and operating systems:

  1. FSx for Windows File Server
    1. Designed for: Windows-based workloads.
    2. File System Type: SMB (Server Message Block) protocol.
    3. Operating System: Windows-only.
    4. Use Cases:
      • Windows-based applications requiring shared file storage.
      • Active Directory integration and file storage for Windows Server applications.
  2. FSx for Other File Systems:
    1. FSx for Lustre:
      1. Designed for high-performance computing (HPC) workloads.
      2. Best for big data, machine learning, and media rendering.
    2. FSx for OpenZFS: Optimized for Linux workloads requiring ZFS features (e.g., snapshots, compression).
    3. FSx for NetApp ONTAP: Suitable for advanced storage features like NetApp ONTAP, supporting Linux, Windows, and hybrid workloads.

Is the SMB (Server Message Block) protocol used only for Windows?

SMB is commonly associated with Windows, but it's not exclusive to it. SMB is a network file-sharing protocol that allows applications and users to access files and resources over a network. While it was originally developed by Microsoft for Windows, other operating systems (like Linux and macOS) also support SMB.

2. Amazon FSx for Windows File Server

  1. Supports industry-standard Server Message Block (SMB) protocol.
  2. Supports Microsoft's Distributed File System (DFS), use to organize file shares into a single namespace.
  3. Used for user quotas, end-user file restore, and Microsoft Active Directory (AD) integration.
  4. Integrates with Active Directory (AD) to allow Windows-based authentication and permissions management.
  5. Best for Windows-based applications that require shared storage but not optimized for high-performance workloads.

3. Amazon FSx for Lustre

  1. World’s most popular high-performance file system optimized for compute-heavy workloads.
  2. Used for workloads such as machine learning, high-performance computing (HPC), video processing, and financial modeling.
  3. Use it where storage speed matters.
  4. Does not support Microsoft’s Distributed File System (DFS)

Lustre(file system)?

Lustre is a high-performance, parallel distributed file system commonly used in large-scale computing environments, especially in scientific research, supercomputing, and data-intensive applications. The name Lustre is a combination of Linux (the operating system it often runs on) and cluster (as it is used to manage storage across a large cluster of machines)

4. AWS Managed Microsoft AD

  1. Fully managed, cloud-based Active Directory service that is built on actual Microsoft AD.
  2. Provides core AD features like user and group management, domain join, and access control.
  3. Doesn't include the full set of ADfeatures, such as DFS, that is available in an on-premises AD environment.
  4. As AWS Managed Microsoft AD doesn't support DFS, use Amazon FSx for Windows File Server as an alternative to implement DFS functionality.

5. DFS (Distributed File System)

DFS (Distributed File System) is a Microsoft technology that allows organizations to create a unified namespace and replicate file shares across multiple servers. It relies on certain Active Directory features, such as DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication, to organize and synchronize file shares.

6. Core Functions of Active Directory

  1. Authentication and Authorization: AD verifies user credentials and determines what resources a user can access based on their permissions and group memberships.
  2. Centralized Management: Administrators can manage all aspects of users, computers, and network resources in one central location
  3. Directory Services: AD acts as a database that stores information about all network objects (users, devices, services, etc.) and provides a way to organize and retrieve this information.
  4. Security and Policy Enforcement: AD allows administrators to set security policies, manage access controls, and enforce password policies across the network.

7. FSx File Gateway

Visit to read more about FSx File Gateway