Migrating existing file storage to FSx for Windows File Server

To migrate your existing files to FSx for Windows File Server file systems, we recommend using Amazon DataSync, an online data transfer service designed to simplify, automate, and accelerate copying large amounts of data to and from Amazon storage services. DataSync copies data over the internet or Amazon Direct Connect. As a fully managed service, DataSync removes much of the need to modify applications, develop scripts, or manage infrastructure. For more information, see Migrating existing files to FSx for Windows File Server using Amazon DataSync.

As an alternative solution, you can use Robust File Copy, or Robocopy, which is a command line directory and file replication command set for Microsoft Windows. For detailed procedures on how to use Robocopy to migrate file storage to FSx for Windows File Server, see Migrating existing files to FSx for Windows File Server using Robocopy.

Best practices for migrating existing file storage to FSx for Windows File Server

To migrate large amounts of data to FSx for Windows File Server as quickly as possible, use Amazon FSx file systems configured with solid state drive (SSD) storage. After the migration is complete, you can move the data to Amazon FSx file systems using hard disk drive (HDD) storage if that is the best solution for your application.

To move data from an Amazon FSx file system using SDD storage to HDD storage, you can take the following steps. (Note that HDD file systems have a minimum 2TB storage capacity, and you cannot change storage capacity when restoring from a backup.)