Amazon AMZN 102,05 -3,40 -3,22% is allowing users to ship them a hard disk with their data on it to allow it to be imported into the cloud. This overcomes the prime challenge of moving data to the cloud, that of bandwidth and time. As datasets get larger, network bandwidth isn’t keeping pace. This means that it takes longer and longer to transfer data over today’s network links. Amazon state that it would take 80 days to upload 1TB of data over a traditional T1 connection.
You copy the data to your device, sign-up to Amazon’s AWS Import/Export service, send them your device, and wait awhile. Amazon will notify you once the upload is complete. The upload takes place over high-bandwidth (and more importantly, low-latency) connection to the AWS cloud.
Amazon will support either eSATA or USB connected hard disks. Amazon can also support devices that weigh less than 50lbs (22.5kg), and that fit within 8U of a 19″ rack. This is a beta-level service, expect much communication, especially if considering a less standard device for sending the data.