Cold cloud is still cloud. Compare what an actual offline copy looks like next to AWS Glacier on the four dimensions that matter in a real incident.
Head To Head
The fundamental architectural difference. Everything else flows from this.
Cold cloud, always reachable
Glacier is cheap cold storage inside the AWS control plane. The data is reachable through IAM, the API and your AWS account at any time. Retrieval takes minutes to hours and per gigabyte egress applies on the way out.
Layer 1 disconnected, no IP
Firevault stores the data on dedicated hardware in Firevault Bunkers, physically disconnected from the network. There is no IP address to attack, no IAM policy to misconfigure, and no per gigabyte egress charge to budget around.
Four Dimensions
Network exposure, jurisdiction, pricing model and retrieval behaviour. The places customers regret picking the wrong tier.
Reachable vs unreachable
Glacier is reachable through the AWS API at all times. Firevault has no network interface when disconnected. The single biggest difference, and the reason ransomware crews can target Glacier accounts but cannot target a disconnected Firevault.
Multi region vs Firevault Bunker
Glacier data location depends on the region you choose and the AWS account that holds it. Firevault data is held in named UK colocation bunkers with documented physical security and clear chain of custody.
Per GB plus egress vs flat subscription
Glacier looks inexpensive at rest but recovery and egress can dominate the bill in a real incident. Firevault uses a flat monthly subscription with VAT inclusive UK pricing and predictable retrieval cost.
Tiered minutes to hours vs scheduled physical
Glacier retrieval is tiered from a few minutes to many hours depending on what you pay. Firevault retrieval uses scheduled identity verified connection windows. Slightly different operational shape, similar real world recovery time.
Want to see how this compares against tape, NAS and other cloud options too.
Compare five storage architecturesQuestions worth asking
Yes. Glacier is excellent for compliance archives where the regulator only requires immutability and the data must remain queryable through the cloud. It is not the right choice when the goal is a true offline copy that survives an account compromise.
Same architecture, longer retrieval times, lower at rest price. The fundamental property is unchanged: it is reachable through the AWS API and tied to your AWS account identity.
Yes, and many customers do. Use Glacier for compliance archive that must stay queryable. Use Firevault for the gold copy that must remain offline until you choose to reach it.
Restoring large volumes from Glacier triggers retrieval and egress charges that can be material in an incident. Firevault recovery cost is predictable because it is part of the subscription, not a per gigabyte event.
Firevault operates against ISO 27001 aligned controls and provides attestation packs covering physical, technical and procedural measures. Talk to the team for the latest control mapping.
Talk to Firevault about replacing or complementing AWS Glacier with a Layer 1 offline copy.