# How to Use S3 Intelligent-Tiering for Maximum Cost Savings As a business, you might store a large amount of data in the cloud. However, you might not be accessing all this data frequently. Some files are used on a daily basis while others sit unused for months or even years. AWS charges different rates for object storage based on your storage classes. So, categorizing your data based on access patterns helps to optimize S3 storage costs. To simplify this process, AWS offers S3 Intelligent-Tiering. It automatically moves your data between Frequent Access and Infrequent Access tiers. This reduces your S3 storage costs without sacrificing performance. ## What is Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering? Amazon S3 storage offers various storage classes. Each class has different cost, performance, and retrieval choices. You can choose your storage class based on how frequently you access your data and the level of durability and availability you require.  Source: AWS Here is an overview of the different AWS S3 storage classes: - S3 Standard: Intended for frequently accessed data with minimal latency and high durability. - S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (IA): Low-cost storage for data that is used infrequently but requires speedy recovery. - S3 One Zone-IA: Similar to Standard-IA, but stored in a single availability zone, making it less resilient but more cost-effective. - S3 Glacier: Low-cost archive storage class designed for long-term data retention, with retrieval times ranging from minutes to hours. - S3 Glacier Deep Archive: The cheapest storage option, designed for rarely accessed data, with retrieval times of up to 12 hours. - S3 Intelligent-Tiering: Automated storage class that moves data between different access tiers based on usage. S3 Intelligent-Tiering is ideal for data with unpredictable access patterns. It monitors your data and moves it between Frequent, Infrequent, and Archive Instant Access tiers. You don’t pay extra for retrieval, and you always get the best price for your storage needs. ## How does S3 Intelligent-Tiering work? S3 Intelligent-Tiering automatically shifts your data between access tiers depending on the access patterns. When an AWS object is initially stored in S3 Intelligent-Tiering, it is placed in the Frequent Access Tier. This tier is ideal for data that is accessed regularly.If the object is not accessed within 30 days, it is moved to the Infrequent Access tier. This lowers storage expenses by 40% compared to the Frequent Access Tier. If it remains unused for 90 days, it is moved to the Archive Instant Access tier. This further lowers your storage costs by 68% compared to the Frequent Access Tier.The Archive Access and Deep Archive Access tiers might help you save further on objects that does not require immediate retrieval.Objects that have not been accessed for 90 consecutive days are transferred to the Archive Access Tier. This tier saves up to 71% of your storage cost. If there is no access for 180 days, it is transferred to the Deep Archive Access tier, which is the least expensive. It saves up to 95% on your storage costs. | **Tier Name** | **Purpose** | **Transition Period** | **Cost Savings Compared to Frequent Access** | **Retrieval** | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Frequent Access Tier | For frequently accessed data | Default storage tier | N/A | Instant access | | Infrequent Access Tier | For data accessed less often | After 30 days of no access | 40% | Instant access | | Archive Instant Access Tier | For rarely accessed data | After 90 days of no access | 68% | Instant access | | Archive Access Tier (Optional) | For long-term storage with rare access | After 90 days of no access | 71% | Retrieval required | | Deep Archive Access Tier (Optional) | For rarely accessed data (lowest-cost option) | After 180 days of no access | 95% | Retrieval required | Cost savings with AWS S3 Intelligent-Tiering ## What does the Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering Storage Class Offer? Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering is the best AWS storage class for cost optimization. You can use this storage class for data with unpredictable or changing access patterns. Unlike S3 Standard-IA or S3 Glacier, there are no additional retrieval costs when accessing data from S3 Intelligent-Tiering. It offers various benefits: - It moves data between various access tiers based on usage. This ensures that you always pay the lowest cost for your data without manual intervention. - There are no additional charges for accessing data from S3 Intelligent-Tiering. Even if data is moved to the Archive or Deep Archive Access levels, it is still immediately available at no extra cost. - It has 99.999999999% (11 9’s) durability. Therefore, it offers high availability across several AWS Availability Zones. - You can use S3 Intelligent-Tiering along with [S3 Lifecycle Policies](/aws-s3-lifecycle-management/) to automatically remove or archive data after a set time period. This further reduces storage costs by managing the lifecycle of your data efficiently. ## AWS S3 Intelligent-Tiering Pricing Explained The pricing of S3 Intelligent Tier is structured around three main components: Monitoring & Automation Costs, Storage Costs and Optional Archive Access Tiers. - Monitoring & Automation Costs: A small fee for monitoring and automatically shifting objects between tiers. - Storage Costs: Charges vary depending on the tier where the data is stored. - Optional Archive Access Tiers: Lower-cost options for long-term storage. Monitoring costs around $0.0025/1,000 objects. Storage cost for Frequent Access costs around $0.021–$0.023/GB, Infrequent Access is $0.0125/GB, and archival tiers range from $0.004/GB(Instant) to $0.00099/GB (Deep Archive) for long-term, rarely accessed data. | **Tier** | **Pricing** | **Description** | | --- | --- | --- | | **Monitoring & Automation** | $0.0025 per 1,000 objects (Objects > 128 KB) | Covers automatic tier transitions. | | **Frequent Access Tier** | **First 50 TB:** $0.023/GB **Next 450 TB:** $0.022/GB **Over 500 TB:** $0.021/GB | For frequently accessed data. | | **Infrequent Access Tier** | $0.0125/GB per month | For less frequently accessed data. | | **Archive Instant Access Tier** | $0.004/GB per month | For rarely accessed data with immediate retrieval. | | **Archive Access Tier** (Optional) | $0.0036/GB per month | Lower-cost storage for long-term archival data. | | **Deep Archive Access Tier**(Optional) | $0.00099/GB per month | Lowest-cost storage for data rarely retrieved. | Amazon S3 Pricing Tiers ### What is the Cost to Move Objects Between Tiers of S3 Intelligent-Tiering? S3 Intelligent-Tiering is designed to automatically move objects between access tiers (Frequent, Infrequent, Archive Instant, and optional Archive and Deep Archive tiers). There are no additional fees for moving objects between these tiers, as the monitoring and automation costs are already included in the pricing structure. ## Cost benefits of using S3 Intelligent-Tiering in AWS Since its launch in 2018, S3 Intelligent-Tiering has helped organizations save over $4 billion on storage. Many firms, including Shutterstock, AppsFlyer, Amazon Photos, Teespring, and others have proven to reduce their storage costs with S3 Intelligent-Tiering. The cost benefits are: - Most AWS storage classes charge you to access your files. S3 Intelligent-Tiering has no retrieval fees, making it perfect for unpredictable usage patterns. - It takes hours to restore data using [S3 Glacier](/amazon-glacier-pricing/) and Deep Archive. But S3 Intelligent-Tiering makes data access quick and easily available. You get the cost savings of archival storage without having to wait. It’s ideal for storing backups, archives, or historical data that you may need at any time. - S3 Intelligent-Tiering requires a small monitoring cost. However, the expense is negligible when compared to the benefits. For example, if you store 1 million objects, the monthly monitoring cost is merely $2.50, while the storage savings might be hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. - Some AWS storage classes, like S3 Standard-IA, require a minimum storage period. Others charge extra for small files. S3 Intelligent-Tiering has no such rules. This is ideal for storing small files, changing datasets and workloads with unpredictable file sizes. ## How to Enable S3 Intelligent-Tiering in AWS? There are multiple ways to enable S3 Intelligent-Tiering. You can specify the storage class when uploading new objects or transition existing objects using lifecycle policies. You can also programmatically configure it via AWS SDKs or CLI. Here, we will focus on enabling S3 Intelligent-Tiering using S3 Lifecycle Policies. ### Steps to Enable S3 Intelligent-Tiering using Lifecycle Policies: - Log in to the AWS Management Console and navigate to the Amazon S3 service. - Select the bucket where you want to enable Intelligent-Tiering.  Source: AWS - Go to the Management tab and click Create lifecycle rule.  Source: AWS - Configure the Lifecycle Rule: Rule Name: Provide a name for the rule (e.g., TransitionToIntelligentTiering). Scope: Choose whether the rule applies to all objects in the bucket or a specific subset (e.g., objects with a specific prefix or tag). - Rule Name: Provide a name for the rule (e.g., TransitionToIntelligentTiering). - Scope: Choose whether the rule applies to all objects in the bucket or a specific subset (e.g., objects with a specific prefix or tag). - Set Up Transitions: Under Lifecycle rule actions, select Transition current versions of objects between storage classes. Click Add transition. Choose Transition to Intelligent-Tiering. Specify the number of days after object creation when the transition should occur (e.g., 30 days). - Under Lifecycle rule actions, select Transition current versions of objects between storage classes. - Click Add transition. - Choose Transition to Intelligent-Tiering. - Specify the number of days after object creation when the transition should occur (e.g., 30 days). - Save the Rule: Review the configuration and click Create rule. - Review the configuration and click Create rule.  Source: AWS - Here, we created a Lifecycle rule to immediately transition files uploaded in the S3 Standard storage class into the S3 Intelligent-Tiering storage class.  Source: AWS ## Conclusion S3 Intelligent-Tiering has helped businesses save billions on storage costs. It’s perfect for unpredictable workloads and ever-changing datasets. It’s ideal for unexpected workloads and constantly changing datasets. You can enable it using lifecycle policies or select it during object upload. S3 Intelligent-Tiering eliminates manual S3 storage cost management, avoids superfluous fees, and ensures that your storage costs are always optimal. It’s an intelligent automated solution that saves money on AWS cloud storage. ### Struggling with your Monthly Cloud Expenditure? Managing your cloud costs doesn’t need to be overwhelming. At Economize, we help you reduce your cloud expenses by as much as 30%. Book a free demo today and take the first step toward better control of your cloud budget. See the impact on your spending immediately. --- *Source: https://www.economize.cloud/blog/s3-intelligent-tiering*