Glacier and Deep Archive are the cheapest S3 classes, ideal for copies that are hardly ever looked at. The trade-off is that an archived file can't be downloaded directly: first you have to ask AWS to restore it, wait for it to be prepared and check back to see if it's ready. In the console that's several steps, and it's easy to forget to come back.
In Simplio you press restore on the file itself and choose how many days you want it available. Simplio saves the request and, when AWS has it ready, shows it to you when you open Storage, with the link to download it. If you want, it also moves it back to a normal storage class so you don't have to restore it again.
How it works
You request it from the file
In Storage, archived files stand out from the rest. You press restore and choose how many days the restored copy stays available, from 1 to 30.
AWS prepares it
Depending on the class it can take hours. Simplio saves the request, so you don't have to remember to check back.
Simplio shows it to you when it's ready
When you open Storage a notice appears with the file already restored, the link to go to it and until when it will be available.
If you want, it stops being archived
When you request it you can choose a normal storage class: once it's restored, Simplio moves it to that class and it won't need restoring again.
How secure it is
It's logged
Every restore request and every class change is recorded in the activity log, with who requested it and when.
What it costs, in plain sight
While the restored copy is available it's charged as standard storage, on top of the archived one: that's why you choose the days.
Only people with access to that bucket
Requesting a restore requires having access to that bucket in Simplio; anyone without it doesn't even see it.
The same task, in AWS and in Simplio
| On your own in AWS | In Simplio | |
|---|---|---|
| Recovering a file from Deep Archive | Find the object, start the restore, choose days and tier, and check back hours later to see if it's ready | Restore from the file; Simplio shows it to you when it's ready |
| No longer restoring it every time | Copy the object onto itself changing the class, by hand or from the command line | Choose the class when you request it |
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take?
AWS decides based on the file's class; in Deep Archive it's usually a matter of hours. Simplio saves the request and shows it to you when it's ready.
Does it alert me by email?
For now, the notice appears on the Storage screen when you open it: there you see the files already restored, with their link and until when they're available.