Rejoice! The ransom is gone!

March 2024 - Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure (MA), and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) now offer free egress for single migrations when teams choose to leave a respective platform, either to move data to a different cloud-based solution, like Suite, or to relocate it to an on-premises server for local management. Simply put, media teams storing files on the “big three” are now freed of budget-crushing migration fees when they want to complete out a major data transfer—hoorah!

Teams using AWS, Google, and Microsoft have previously felt trapped & daunted by hefty, upfront egress costs, so this is BIG NEWS for anyone seeking alternative solutions to data storage. The largest stacks of archival media, the biggest project files & folders of RAW footage, and all those hours of B-roll you’re still saving—those large data transfers can now happen without incurring additional costs for your studio or business. Here’s what we know & why you should care…

How do I access free egress for my data migration?

To get your company or creative studio reimbursed for a large data migration, the process is the same on all three CSPs—users are required to contact support and request additional, direct approval for any transfer larger than 100 GB leaving the respective service. AWS, Microsoft, and Google all note that they will approve requests on a case-by-case basis & provide credits for the amount of data transferred & the reimburse the cost. Get in touch with your CSP directly when it's time to make the switch.

Does this mean unlimited free egress for every file transfer?

No. This remuneration only applies to customers who plan to leave their respective CSP. The cool part, though, is that it doesn’t matter anymore how much data you want to relocate...

Why does free egress matter to media teams?

Technology moves faster than most teams can keep up with; for remote & hybrid media professionals, especially those trying to collaborate across long distances, there are more solutions than ever that promote this kind of work. That said, keeping the files you need most close-at-hand doesn’t always mean sticking with the same workflow; you need to act quickly & pivot when there’s a better solution. Now, media teams can transfer any amount of data off of their CSP, thankfully eliminating the overhead that came with trying to customize or rework a storage solution.

What’s next for your data?

While Amazon touts that “over 90 percent” of its customers avoid egress costs thanks to Amazon-provided 100 GB/month egress cost coverage (Microsoft & Google also offer this coverage) when transferring large files & lots of them, this coverage doesn’t really help. Over time, it became apparent that media businesses, like video post production teams, large-scale creative agencies, and anyone else handling professional-quality video, VFX, or audio content, weren’t the ones benefitting from the protocol when, oddly, they needed it most…

So, the team at Suite is excited to relay this news to our community of forward-thinking creatives: Media professionals can once again take ownership of their data without feeling constrained by the price-tag associated with moving it elsewhere. This means, if & when a better solution arises for how your team is storing & sharing media on the cloud, you can capitalize on it.

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