Accelerate High-Volume Data Transfer to AWS with Data Transfer Terminal

Data migration to the cloud is a critical step in any digital transformation journey. However, when companies face limited or unstable network connections, transferring large data volumes online becomes a challenge.

That’s where AWS Data Transfer Terminal comes in — a physical, network-ready facility designed for fast, secure, and large-scale data movement to or from AWS. Together with Softprom, an official AWS Partner, organizations can plan, execute, and optimize their migration strategy to achieve maximum performance and efficiency.

What Is AWS Data Transfer Terminal?

AWS Data Transfer Terminal provides access to a secure, physical facility (“Terminal”) where customers can bring their own storage devices and transfer data directly to AWS using dedicated high-speed fiber connections.

Each terminal offers:

• Up to 200 Gbps aggregate bandwidth using dual fiber connections,
• Private, reservable suites for data upload,
• Global availability in select AWS locations,
• Flexible reservation durations (up to 24 hours),
• Simple hourly pricing for on-demand usage.

While Amazon S3 is the most common target destination, transfers can also be made to Amazon EC2 and other public AWS services.

This solution is ideal for customers with limited network capacity, intermittent connectivity, or petabyte-scale data that needs to be migrated efficiently and securely.

How to Use AWS Data Transfer Terminal

Organizations can begin their transfer in a few simple steps:

1. Choose a Location – Find the nearest AWS Data Transfer Terminal site listed in the service FAQs.
2. Book a Session – Reserve a time slot through the AWS Management Console (at least 24 hours in advance).
3. Prepare Hardware – Ensure your storage devices are compatible with 100G QSFP-LR4 fiber connections and optimized for high throughput.
4. Bring Your Devices – Provide device serial numbers for check-in and security verification.
5. Transfer Data – Connect your pre-configured system to the dedicated port and initiate the transfer.
6. Secure Exit – After completion, remove all equipment and confirm serial numbers before leaving.

This streamlined process provides a secure, compliant, and high-speed environment to accelerate data migration without relying on unstable internet connections.

Performance Optimization at 100 Gbps and Beyond

Achieving top transfer speeds (100–200 Gbps) requires balanced hardware, optimized software, and high-performance storage systems.

The key performance factors include:

• Software Efficiency: Using optimized transfer tools such as aws s3 cp or aws s3 sync with the AWS Common Runtime (CRT) for enhanced performance.
• Storage Performance: NVMe Gen5 SSDs can reach up to 14 GB/s — ideal for 100 Gbps transfers. SATA or HDDs, by contrast, introduce significant bottlenecks.
• Network Interfaces: Modern NICs with 100GBASE-LR4 optical transceivers ensure maximum utilization of available bandwidth.
• File Type Considerations: Larger files transfer faster than many small ones due to reduced overhead.

Customers should also account for around 15% throughput overhead from network and protocol operations when estimating total transfer times.

Choosing the Right Transfer Setup

Depending on the business scenario, organizations may select from different configurations:

• Small Data Transfers: Lightweight, cost-effective setups for recurring uploads of moderate data volumes.
• Media & Entertainment: High-throughput configurations ideal for daily multi-terabyte video uploads.
• Enterprise Migrations: Large-scale systems capable of handling petabyte-level infrastructure migrations efficiently.

For instance, Rivian, an automotive company, achieved 3x faster upload times using AWS Data Transfer Terminal — demonstrating its ability to handle demanding, data-heavy operations.

Managed “White-Glove” Transfer Services

For enterprises preferring a fully managed experience, AWS and its Partners — including Softprom — offer comprehensive, end-to-end transfer services that include:

• Delivery and setup of storage devices at customer sites,
• Data loading assistance and system configuration,
• Scheduling and management of upload suite reservations,
• Secure transport of devices to AWS facilities,
• Monitoring and verification of successful data uploads,
• Secure data clearing and device return after completion.

This approach eliminates operational complexity, minimizes risk, and ensures a seamless migration experience from start to finish.

Why Work with Softprom

As an official AWS Partner, Softprom provides the expertise, tools, and support necessary to make cloud migration — including offline data transfers — efficient and reliable. Our team helps enterprises:

• Select the best data transfer strategy for their goals,
• Optimize hardware and software configurations,
• Manage logistics for AWS Data Transfer Terminal usage,
• Ensure secure, compliant handling of data throughout the process.

With Softprom and AWS, organizations can accelerate their journey to the cloud while maintaining control, performance, and data integrity.

Conclusion

Whether you’re transferring terabytes of media files or migrating an entire data center, AWS Data Transfer Terminal offers unmatched speed, security, and scalability for large-scale offline data migration. By combining AWS infrastructure with Softprom’s technical expertise, your organization can:

• Overcome bandwidth limitations,
• Achieve consistent, predictable transfer speeds,
• Move data securely to AWS — faster than ever before.