**This page is only for existing customers of the Amazon Glacier service using Vaults and the original REST API from 2012.**

If you're looking for archival storage solutions, we recommend using the Amazon Glacier storage classes in Amazon S3, S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval, S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval, and S3 Glacier Deep Archive. To learn more about these storage options, see [Amazon Glacier storage classes](https://www.amazonaws.cn/s3/storage-classes/glacier/).

Amazon Glacier (original standalone vault-based service) is no longer accepting new customers. Amazon Glacier is a standalone service with its own APIs that stores data in vaults and is distinct from Amazon S3 and the Amazon S3 Glacier storage classes. Your existing data will remain secure and accessible in Amazon Glacier indefinitely. No migration is required. For low-cost, long-term archival storage, Amazon recommends the [Amazon S3 Glacier storage classes](https://www.amazonaws.cn/s3/storage-classes/glacier/), which deliver a superior customer experience with S3 bucket-based APIs, full Amazon Web Services Region availability, lower costs, and Amazon service integration. If you want enhanced capabilities, consider migrating to Amazon S3 Glacier storage classes by using our [Amazon Solutions Guidance for transferring data from Amazon Glacier vaults to Amazon S3 Glacier storage classes](https://www.amazonaws.cn/solutions/guidance/data-transfer-from-amazon-s3-glacier-vaults-to-amazon-s3/).

# Step 1: Before You Begin with Amazon Glacier
<a name="getting-started-before-you-begin"></a>

Before you can start with this exercise, you must sign up for an Amazon Web Services account (if you don't already have one), and then download one of the Amazon SDKs. See the following sections for instructions.

**Topics**
+ [Sign up for an Amazon Web Services account](#sign-up-for-aws)
+ [Secure IAM users](#secure-an-admin)
+ [Download the Appropriate Amazon SDK](#getting-started-download-sdk)

## Sign up for an Amazon Web Services account
<a name="sign-up-for-aws"></a>

If you do not have an Amazon Web Services account, use the following procedure to create one.

**To sign up for Amazon Web Services**

1. Open [http://www.amazonaws.cn/](http://www.amazonaws.cn/) and choose **Sign Up**.

1. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Amazon sends you a confirmation email after the sign-up process is complete. At any time, you can view your current account activity and manage your account by going to [http://www.amazonaws.cn/](http://www.amazonaws.cn/) and choosing **My Account**.

## Secure IAM users
<a name="secure-an-admin"></a>

After you sign up for an Amazon Web Services account, safeguard your administrative user by turning on multi-factor authentication (MFA). For instructions, see [Enable a virtual MFA device for an IAM user (console)](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/IAM/latest/UserGuide/id_credentials_mfa_enable_virtual.html#enable-virt-mfa-for-iam-user) in the *IAM User Guide*.

To give other users access to your Amazon Web Services account resources, create IAM users. To secure your IAM users, turn on MFA and only give the IAM users the permissions needed to perform their tasks.

For more information about creating and securing IAM users, see the following topics in the *IAM User Guide*: 
+ [Creating an IAM user in your Amazon Web Services account](https://docs.amazonaws.cn//IAM/latest/UserGuide/id_users_create.html)
+ [Access management for Amazon resources](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/IAM/latest/UserGuide/access.html)
+ [Example IAM identity-based policies](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/IAM/latest/UserGuide/access_policies_examples.html)

## Download the Appropriate Amazon SDK
<a name="getting-started-download-sdk"></a>

To try the getting started exercise, you must decide which programming language you want to use, and then download the appropriate Amazon SDK for your development platform.

The getting started exercise provides examples in Java and C\#. 

### Downloading the Amazon SDK for Java
<a name="getting-started-download-sdk-java"></a>

To test the Java examples in this developer guide, you need the Amazon SDK for Java. You have the following download options: 
+ If you are using Eclipse, you can download and install the Amazon Toolkit for Eclipse by using the update site [http://www.amazonaws.cn/eclipse/](http://www.amazonaws.cn/eclipse/). For more information, see [Amazon Toolkit for Eclipse](http://www.amazonaws.cn/eclipse/).
+ If you are using any other IDE to create your application, download the [Amazon SDK for Java](http://www.amazonaws.cn/sdkforjava). 

### Downloading the Amazon SDK for .NET
<a name="getting-started-download-sdk-dotnet"></a>

To test the C\# examples in this developer guide, you need the Amazon SDK for .NET. You have the following download options:
+ If you are using Visual Studio, you can install both the Amazon SDK for .NET and the Amazon Toolkit for Visual Studio. The toolkit provides Amazon Explorer for Visual Studio and project templates that you can use for development. To download the Amazon SDK for .NET, go to [http://www.amazonaws.cn/sdkfornet](http://www.amazonaws.cn/sdkfornet/). By default, the installation script installs both the Amazon SDK and the Amazon Toolkit for Visual Studio. To learn more about the toolkit, see the [Amazon Toolkit for Visual Studio User Guide](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/AWSToolkitVS/latest/UserGuide/). 
+ If you are using any other IDE to create your application, you can use the same link provided in the preceding step and install only the Amazon SDK for .NET.