[Tech Talk] Cloud Is So Slow That We Receive Data by Courier

Huge Data Takes a Long Time Even with Cloud
Sometimes 'Courier Delivery' Is Faster

It may sound strange, but the core business of Amazon Web Services (AWS), the global cloud leader, is actually 'data delivery.' Literally, it is a business that packages computer data and delivers it to customers' doorsteps. In an era of hyperconnectivity where everything from email viewing to movie streaming is handled through the cloud, why does such a cumbersome business still exist?

Data Delivery Box, Amazon Snowball

Delivery box for transferring data, Amazon AWS Snowball [Image source=Captured from AWS homepage]

In 2016, Amazon created an edge-type computer server called 'Snowball.' Snowball is a small data center safely protected by a special case. It is equipped with the same CPUs and memory devices found in typical AWS data centers, and its functions are identical. The only difference is that its size has been reduced to a small case weighing about 20 kg.

The purpose of Snowball is simple: to physically connect the customer's computer and the cloud. Once an order is placed, Amazon delivers the Snowball to the customer within 4 to 6 days. The customer powers it on, connects their computer to the Snowball via a LAN, and transfers their data to the Snowball. Then, an Amazon employee collects the Snowball and transports it to an AWS data center.

Sometimes a Delivery Person Is Faster Than Communication

Why exchange a box-sized server to transfer data when you can use the cloud? At first glance, it might not make sense. It's like copying an email with a printer and sending it through the post office instead of sending it over the internet.

However, there is a reason Snowball was created. If you have used Google Cloud or similar services, you know that transferring or downloading large files of tens of gigabytes (GB) takes a certain amount of time.

Petabyte-scale data is difficult to handle even with modern communication technology. [Image source=Pixabay]

But the situation is different for enterprises. It is not uncommon to need to transfer data on the scale of terabytes (TB, 1TB is about 1000GB) or petabytes (PB, about 1000TB). Depending on the network environment, it can take roughly 2 to 3 weeks or even several months for files to be transmitted from a local computer through the network to a data center.

The bottleneck caused by data that is too large is a common problem faced by data-centric companies. Hollywood film studios working with 8K to 12K resolution videos, astronomical research institutes transmitting ultra-high-resolution images, and banks are typical examples.

After storing massive data in a snowball, a person directly enters and moves it. [Image source=YouTube]

How can this problem be solved? Surprisingly, the solution is simple. Create a temporary data center to receive the massive data and bring it to the cloud. That is exactly what Snowball is. Amazon already has logistics hubs worldwide. While internet cables struggle to handle data for a month, a delivery person carrying a Snowball can complete the data transfer within a week.

Cloud Transfers Taking 10 Years Reduced to 6 Months

But isn’t physically moving data too risky? It can actually be safer. The special case enclosing the Snowball server uses cutting-edge materials engineering and is so durable that it can be dropped from a U.S. Air Force transport plane with a parachute without damage. Thanks to this, Snowball is also widely used by the military and in disaster areas.

Container-type data center transportation vehicle 'Snomobile'
[Image source=AWS]

There is also a container-type data center called 'Snowmobile,' which connects about 1,100 Snowballs. This data center is transported by a large truck. AWS reportedly devised Snowmobile in response to a request from DigitalGlobe, a satellite imagery company.

DigitalGlobe had about 100PB of photographic data, and transferring all of it to AWS was expected to take 10 years. Instead, by physically transporting it using Snowmobile, the time was drastically reduced to 6 months.

Network Limits Persist Even in the Hyperconnected Era

Snowball demonstrates how challenging the concept of 'communication' remains even in the digital age. Sometimes, a simple delivery truck can be much faster than advanced communication networks.

Of course, offline data transfer systems will gradually become relics of the past. AWS announced last month that it will phase out the Snowmobile service. As the latest data transfer technologies become widespread, there is no longer a need to move container-sized data centers. Someday, when communication networks capable of quickly transferring PB-scale data are established worldwide, Snowball will gradually disappear as well.