The 4MB Secret
Stop paying for S3 API requests. Discover how Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP aggregates 4KB blocks into 4MB objects to slash TCO by 80-90%.
1. How Aggregation Works
S3 pricing is split between Storage and Requests. In a native S3 environment, 1,000 small files trigger 1,000 expensive `PUT` requests. FabricPool fixes this by bundling data.
Input: 1,024 Blocks
ONTAP collects blocks of 4KB each from the volume.
Output: 1 Object
One single 4MB object is written to S3 via one `PUT` request.
Visualizing 1,024:1 Request Reduction
99.9% Reduction in S3 API Call Volume
The Efficiency Multiplier
Unlike native S3, ONTAP applies In-Line Deduplication and Compression *before* data is tiered. You pay for less storage AND fewer requests.
1. Deduplication
Identical blocks across your volume are stored only once. This shrinks the block set before the 4MB packaging begins.
2. Compression
Remaining unique blocks are compressed. A 4KB block often shrinks to 1KB or less, allowing more "effective data" to fit in that 4MB object.
3. Compaction
Tiny blocks are packed together to maximize the utilization of every single I/O operation.
Comparing API Request Volume
*Assuming 4KB average file size. Request costs based on S3 Standard `PUT` charges. Logarithmic scale used to show magnitude.
The Hudi Lakehouse Edge
Apache Hudi creates thousands of small parquet/log files per commit. Pointing Hudi to FSxN instead of direct S3 prevents the "Request Cost Avalanche."
- ✓ Metadata Stays Local: `LIST` operations run on SSD, not S3 APIs.
- ✓ Zero Latency Commits: Writes land on NVMe flash before background tiering.
- ✓ Instant Recoverability: Revert failed Hudi commits via FSx Snapshots.
Strategic Performance
Using FSxN as the "Hot" layer for your data lakehouse eliminates S3's eventual consistency issues during critical write operations.
Read Latency
Sub-ms
on Primary Tier
Consistency
Strong
File-level Locking