AWS Snowball vs Azure NetApp Files comparison

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and NetApp are both solutions in the Cloud Migration category. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is ranked #12 with an average rating of 8.2, while NetApp is ranked #8 with an average rating of 7.3. Amazon Web Services (AWS) holds a 0.7% mindshare in CM, compared to NetApp’s 11.7% mindshare. Additionally, 90% of Amazon Web Services (AWS) users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of NetApp users who would recommend it.

AWS Snowball

Read 10 AWS Snowball reviews

2,747 Views
27 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

Azure NetApp Files

Read 17 Azure NetApp Files reviews

2,365 Views
828 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

AWS Snowball

Azure NetApp Files

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 1, 2025

AWS Snowball and Azure NetApp Files compete in cloud data transfer and storage solutions. AWS Snowball is renowned for ease of use and swift customer service, while Azure NetApp Files is preferred for its expansive features and integration within the Azure ecosystem.

Features: AWS Snowball offers secure offline data transfer, end-to-end encryption, and edge computing support. Azure NetApp Files provides high-speed SQL backup, seamless Azure integration, and ultra-fast provisioning. Both products cater to different user priorities, with AWS focusing on offline capabilities and Azure on high-performance cloud integration.

Room for Improvement: AWS Snowball could enhance its software features, improve cloud integration, and diversify protocol support. Azure NetApp Files may improve its pricing transparency, reduce complexity in deployment, and expand support for hybrid clouds. Each product has unique opportunities to refine user experiences and broaden functionality.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: AWS Snowball is known for its straightforward hardware deployment and robust customer support. Azure NetApp Files offers flexible, cloud-based deployment with strong service support within Azure. While AWS shines with standalone implementation ease, Azure's strength lies in seamless Azure ecosystem integration.

Pricing and ROI: AWS Snowball presents a simple pricing model due to its physical nature, offering quick ROI through efficient data migrations. Azure NetApp Files, though complex in cost structure, promises higher ROI with extensive features and integration capabilities within Azure. AWS focuses on cost-effectiveness in data transfer, while Azure emphasizes the value of integrated cloud services.

To learn more, read our detailed AWS Snowball vs. Azure NetApp Files Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

AWS Snowball vs. Azure NetApp Files

September 2025

Download the complete report

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

AWS Snowball

Ranking in Cloud Migration

12th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Data Migration Appliances (1st)

Azure NetApp Files

Ranking in Cloud Migration

8th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Cloud Storage (9th), Public Cloud Storage Services (11th)

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Cloud Migration category, the mindshare of AWS Snowball is 0.7%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Azure NetApp Files is 11.7%, down from 15.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Cloud Migration Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Azure NetApp Files	11.7%
AWS Snowball	0.7%
Other	87.6%

Cloud Migration

Featured Reviews

Kevin-Davis

Global CTO AWS Business Group at Eviden

Seamless data transfer and efficient migration with customizable storage sizes

I like that I can take data and send it straight to S3 when it loads in. The interface for getting my data onto the Snowball is so streamlined. I don't know if you've ever seen it before. It's really cool. I connect them to the backplane of our existing network. I'm able to address it quickly and move the data quickly inside my customers' data centers. There's a little screen on it, which changes the UPS codes and all that stuff. The label and everything AWS electronic, so I don't have to deal with shipping issues. It makes it super simple and easy to use from end to end.

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AjayKumar13

Cloud/Data/Database Manager at a government with 10,001+ employees

Fast, reliable, and helps meet our SLAs

The most valuable feature is that the sixty-terabyte database snapshot can be done in less than two to three minutes. It is faster. It is quicker. It is reliable. You don't need to take the snapshot. Snapshots are compressed. It doesn't take storage from the back end. It takes three minutes to do sixty terabytes of the database. You don't have to go to the tape and store it outside, which takes hours and hours. It also uses a lot less of the storage. It's very easy to restore or copy the snapshots to other locations for disaster recovery. There are a lot of benefits. In terms of the snapshot's rapid restore capability, we were testing the load of performance testing, and we needed to rebuild the DR site. If I need to rebuild the DR for a standby database, it takes sixty terabytes to copy onto the another site, which will take at least a day. Now, the snapshot is easy. We just copy the snapshots, and then we do the cross-region application. The snapshots came along with that, and that's where we were able to build the DR site within a few hours rather than days. All together, instead of a four-day process, instead of a day.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The solution is elastic."

"The most valuable features of AWS Snowball for me are its security measures and its flexibility."

"The features I like best are the tool's high capacity, scalability, end-to-end encryption for data security, ease of use, durability, and cost-effectiveness. It's particularly cost-effective for transferring large amounts of data compared to high-speed internet transfers."

"I like that I can take data and send it straight to S3 when it loads in."

"The way the data is moved is very clever. Also, the interface is very simple and user-friendly."

"The flexibility of AWS Snowball is valuable. Its security allows for the ability to move and secure data without concern if the device is lost and the option to trace it back to AWS data centers."

"The solution is elastic."

"AWS offers managed services which save time and reduce administrative overhead."

More AWS Snowball pros

"Using NetApp Files got us out of a really difficult situation quickly, effectively, and at a reasonable cost."

"The critical features of this solution are SnapMirror for replication, data protection, and SnapLock."

"The most valuable feature is that the sixty-terabyte database snapshot can be done in less than two to three minutes."

"You can change it non-disruptively. You can increase the size and decrease the size online, which is a huge benefit compared to Azure disks. It just works seamlessly. You don't need to stop the instances."

"The most valuable features of the solution is replication to another region and the performance. The solution is stable. The solution is scalable. The initial setup is straightforward."

"I like the SnapMirror feature in Azure NetApp Files. It helps me create backups with snapshots and makes data recovery and compression."

"Azure NetApp Files has been stable."

"It has saved a lot of time. Because in the older, conventional hardware system, they need to raise a ticket to go to storage engineering, then storage engineering would increased the size. Now, it's dynamic. You don't have to do anything. This improved the time by more than 50 percent."

More Azure NetApp Files pros

Cons

"It would be helpful if Snowball provided more kinds of connectivity. That will make it easier to add and move data."

"It's not cheap."

"The stability of the solution isn't ideal and should be improved."

"The costs of services the customer needs also matter, such as storage requirements and whether storage is rational."

"There's always room for improvement as you use the service more and gain expertise. Some challenges I've faced include the time factor (data transfer can be time-consuming), data validation after the transfer, risks associated with physical handling and shipping of the device, and ensuring data security during transit."

"It's not an easy product to start using for a beginner, but If you're a professional, it's easy to understand."

"AWS support could be more responsive."

"If AWS Snowball is intercepted, there is a potential risk of unauthorized access to the data."

More AWS Snowball cons

"The solution needs to improve it's ABS environment."

"I don’t like the solution’s configuration and support."

"This solution would be improved with more innovation."

"The main area for improvement is in the support ticket system. Since it's a SaaS platform, support tickets are managed by Microsoft or NetApp backend. This can sometimes lead to cross-functional challenges for organizations."

"The deployment process is somewhat complex compared to other storage solutions."

"We would like to see more paired regions for the replication."

"The initial setup was not straightforward. We had help from the NetApp team."

"The main hurdle in promoting this solution is the price. Its price definitely requires an improvement. It is more expensive than other options, so customers go for a cheaper option."

More Azure NetApp Files cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool's pricing depends on the type of Snowball device you choose, the amount of data you need to transfer, and the service fees involved. There’s a standard price for larger data transfers and a flat job fee, which includes the first ten days of on-site usage. Typically, there are no additional data transfer fees."

"It's not a cheap solution, but the price is right for the product."

"The price of Azure NetApp Files could be better."

"In the cloud, pricing depends on how you manage it. It's not necessarily cheap, but it's all about optimizing charges and showing the cost back. So, it's more about managing the expenses rather than being inherently expensive or cheap."

"We are currently on a pay-as-you-go model with the storage that we use."

"Our pricing has not been determined because we are still waiting on additional features."

"It is expensive, especially with NetApp Ultra Storage."

"NetApp is a premium offering, so it's not a cheap product, but it is well-priced. It combines a couple of properties which customers like us are willing to pay. Could it be cheaper? Yes, but if you combine fully supported, fully managed, easily provisioned, scalable, and quick all in one product, it's a good selling point. You can ask a lot of money for all these. If you have a use case like we do, it's a perfect match. It's like the Porsche of storage solutions in the cloud. It is totally worth the cost."

"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a seven out of ten."

"This solution is very expensive compared to the alternatives."

More Azure NetApp Files pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

13%

Computer Software Company

13%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	6

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	13

Questions from the Community

Which is better - Microsoft Azure Data Box or AWS Snowball?

Microsoft Azure Databox is a 45-pound, super rugged, tamper-resistant, human-managed hardware appliance that can transfer up to 100TB of data capacity to copy, store, then send to the Azure cloud. ...

See all answers

What do you like most about AWS Snowball?

The most valuable features of AWS Snowball for me are its security measures and its flexibility.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AWS Snowball?

Depending of what is your priority; UseAWS Snowball if you are heavily invested in AWS or need edge computing features Choose Azure Data Box for smooth integration with Azure and potentially lower ...

See all answers

How does Azure NetApp Files compare to NetApp ONTAP?

Azure NetApp Files is a Microsoft Azure file storage service built on NetApp technology. The platform combines the file capabilities of Azure and NetApp to move critical file-based applications to ...

See all answers

What do you like most about Azure NetApp Files?

The availability is good, meaning downtime or network issues rarely occur. The system also offers flexibility, allowing for increases in data volume, IOPS, and other capabilities without requiring ...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure NetApp Files?

It is expensive, especially with NetApp Ultra Storage.

See all answers

Comparisons

Google Transfer Appliance vs AWS Snowball

Compared 50% of the time

Microsoft Azure Data Box vs AWS Snowball

Compared 39% of the time

IBM Cloud Mass Data Migration vs AWS Snowball

Compared 5% of the time

AWS Snowball Edge vs AWS Snowball

Compared 4% of the time

Palantir Foundry vs AWS Snowball

Compared 3% of the time

More AWS Snowball Competitors

Microsoft Azure File Storage vs Azure NetApp Files

Compared 27% of the time

NetApp Cloud Volumes ONTAP vs Azure NetApp Files

Compared 24% of the time

Amazon EFS (Elastic File System) vs Azure NetApp Files

Compared 7% of the time

Nasuni vs Azure NetApp Files

Compared 7% of the time

Amazon FSx vs Azure NetApp Files

Compared 7% of the time

More Azure NetApp Files Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

AWS Snowball

October 2025

Download AWS Snowball product report

Buyer's Guide

Azure NetApp Files

October 2025

Download Azure NetApp Files product report

Also Known As

Amazon AWS Snowball, Amazon Snowball, Snowball

NetApp ANF, ANF

Overview

Snowball is a petabyte-scale data transport solution that uses devices designed to be secure to transfer large amounts of data into and out of the AWS Cloud. Using Snowball addresses common challenges with large-scale data transfers including high network costs, long transfer times, and security concerns. Customers today use Snowball to migrate analytics data, genomics data, video libraries, image repositories, backups, and to archive part of data center shutdowns, tape replacement or application migration projects. Transferring data with Snowball is simple, fast, more secure, and can be as little as one-fifth the cost of transferring data via high-speed Internet.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Azure NetApp Files offers flexibility, speed, and tight Active Directory integration, making it versatile. Its scalability, rapid response time, and replication capabilities like SnapMirror enhance its value, along with SEC compliance through SnapLock and efficient database management.

Azure NetApp Files is a robust service for unstructured data storage within Microsoft Azure and on-premises environments. It supports NFS and CIFS protocol testing, SQL backups, SAP virtualization, Azure Virtual Desktop, and event collection. This service facilitates seamless provisioning, non-disruptive resizing, and fast snapshots for disaster recovery. Known for high availability and cost-effective throughput, its ease of use and security make it preferred by users. Issues with high pricing and support highlight areas for enhancement, alongside desires for expanded regional availability, better security, and integration with diverse solutions.

What are the key features of Azure NetApp Files?

Flexibility: Supports diverse applications with robust Active Directory integration.
Scalability: Easily adjusts to increased performance demands.
Fast Snapshotting: Enhances disaster recovery capabilities.
SnapMirror: Provides effective replication features.
SnapLock: Ensures SEC compliance.

What benefits and ROI should users look for?

High Availability: Delivers reliable performance.
Cost-effective Throughput: Balances performance with expenditure.
Ease of Use: Simplifies data management tasks.
Non-disruptive Resizing: Facilitates seamless storage adjustments.
Enhanced Security: Protects sensitive data effectively.

In educational contexts, Azure NetApp Files shines by offering seamless data handling and high IOPS performance, supporting high-demand environments like research facilities. For enterprises, it aids legacy system migrations and optimizes virtual environments while enhancing data protection and file share performance.

NetApp

Sample Customers

Wazee Digital, Craftsy, Live Nation, Essess

SAP, Restaurant Magic

Buyer's Guide

AWS Snowball vs. Azure NetApp Files

September 2025

Free Report: AWS Snowball vs. Azure NetApp Files

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