Firevault vs AWS Glacier
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.
Cold Cloud or Truly Offline
The fundamental architectural difference. Everything else flows from this.
AWS Glacier
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.
- Always on the network
- IAM and account dependent
- Per GB egress and retrieval fees
Firevault Offline Secure Storage
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.
- No NIC and no IP when offline
- Identity verified scheduled access
- Flat VAT inclusive UK pricing
Where the Choice Actually Bites
Network exposure, jurisdiction, pricing model and retrieval behaviour. The places customers regret picking the wrong tier.
Network Exposure
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.
- Glacier: always reachable
- Firevault: physically offline
- No exploitable IP surface
Jurisdiction
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.
- Named UK locations
- Documented chain of custody
- No silent region failover
Pricing Model
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.
- Predictable monthly cost
- No surprise egress in incidents
- VAT inclusive
Retrieval Behaviour
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.
- Scheduled access windows
- Identity verified
- Audited every time
Want to see how this compares against tape, NAS and other cloud options too.
Compare five storage architecturesFirevault vs Glacier, Common Questions
Straight answers on how Offline Secure Storage® behaves in practice.
Get the right offline copy, not just a cold one
Talk to Firevault about replacing or complementing AWS Glacier with a Layer 1 offline copy.
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