/aws-storage

name: aws-storage
description: "Selects, investigates, and compares AWS object, file, and block storage services, and answers cost, performance, configuration, security, and troubleshooting questions about storage services. Applies when a user asks where to store or archive data based on their usage patterns; which storage service to choose or how two compare; how to migrate data from on-premises or between AWS services; how to protect, replicate, or recover data; how to optimize storage costs; where to deploy shared NFS, SMB, or POSIX file systems; where to store vector embeddings or tabular data; what storage backs enterprise file shares, self-managed databases on EC2, VMware, or stateful containers; or asks what an AWS storage service can do or how it works. Relevant for storage needs for workloads such as AI/ML, analytics, EDA, HPC, media, genomics, or financial trading. Not applicable for SQL query engines (Athena, Spark, Redshift, EMR), ETL (Glue), streaming (Kafka, MSK, Kinesis), or managed database services (RDS, Aurora, DynamoDB)."
metadata:
  version: "2"

Overview

This skill provides domain expertise for choosing among AWS storage services, selecting storage classes, optimizing cost, and routing to resources for operating storage services. It covers object storage (S3 General Purpose buckets and their storage classes, S3 Express One Zone on directory buckets, S3 Tables, S3 Vectors), file storage (Amazon EFS, S3 Files, FSx for Lustre, FSx for NetApp ONTAP, FSx for OpenZFS, and FSx for Windows File Server), block storage (EBS volume types and EC2 instance store), and the data-movement and protection services that connect them (DataSync, Storage Gateway, Transfer Family, and AWS Backup). It does not advise on databases or analytics query engines. It works with or without the AWS MCP server; when available, the [AWS MCP server](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/agent-toolkit/) is recommended for verifying current specifications and pricing, and all guidance also works with the standard AWS CLI. For deep single-service tasks, route to the specialized skills listed in the Routing section below.

How to Handle User Queries

When this skill is triggered, classify the user's request and follow the appropriate path.

Rules

These apply to all responses regardless of path:

1. You MUST verify current numbers. When the AWS MCP server is available, use search_documentation and read_documentation to cross-check before citing specifics. When quoting costs, you MUST include a link to the relevant pricing page. When quoting performance metrics, you MUST include a link to the relevant product page. Otherwise, verify against linked AWS documentation pages or use the AWS CLI to confirm current values. Where a reference file directs you to documentation for a current value, you MUST retrieve that value from the linked page before answering. Do not substitute a remembered figure, and do not offer an approximation or a range in place of a retrieved value. If retrieval is not possible in the current environment, name the value you could not verify rather than citing one from memory. 2. You MUST retrieve the relevant service reference file from the Routing section below before answering questions about that service. AWS storage specifications, limits, and service capabilities change frequently. You MUST NOT answer from memory alone. You MUST surface relevant troubleshooting guidance and 'gotchas' from reference files in your response. Justify recommendations by workload fit, not by mentioning that a reference file 'explicitly' mentions a workload for a given service. 3. You MUST include cost implications when recommending services or approaches. Do not wait for the user to ask. Do not compare services on storage charges alone; per-object fees such as metadata charges can materially change TCO. For deep cost analysis, monitoring, or optimization beyond storage selection, route to the [`billing-and-cost-management`](https://github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/tree/e2588f4b494416e68c5a991e51b21c2d99038de3/skills/core-skills/aws-billing-and-cost-management) skill. 4. You MUST have clarity on the user's need when making a recommendation. Match the specificity of your response to the specificity of the request. When the query determines the storage category and the relevant services, retrieve information and recommend directly. When the query is not fully specified, YOU MUST mention the assumptions and limitations of your recommendation and include the additional questions that would confirm or change it. Ask follow up questions in place of a recommendation only when the query does not let you determine the storage category at all. Recommend the best-fit service for the workload even when it falls outside this skill's scope; add relevant in-scope options as alternatives.

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Step 1: Classify Intent

Determine what the user needs:

| Intent | Example Triggers | What this means | | --- | --- | --- | | SELECT | "What should I use?", "Which service?", "Compare Service A vs Service B", "Help me choose", "I want to migrate X to AWS" (workload description without a named service) | User needs help choosing a storage service or approach | | INVESTIGATE | "How do I configure Service X?", "Why is Service Y failing?", "What are the limits of Service Z?", "How do I get started with Service X?" (names a specific service and asks an operational question) | User knows what they are using and needs getting started, troubleshooting, or operational help |

You MUST follow the interaction logic in the corresponding path instructions below.

Ambiguous cases: If the user's primary ask is a recommendation, it is SELECT regardless of context. If they need help executing a known plan, it is INVESTIGATE.

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Step 2a: SELECT Path

The user needs help choosing. You MUST use the following decision factors to inform your recommendation, asking questions to fill gaps that would change the choice.

Decision Facto