US Markets
Wednesday, April 17th, 2024 2:08 pm EDT
Key Points
- Amazon’s Snowmobile, once a symbol of rapid data transfer, has been discontinued less than a decade after its grand introduction at the company’s 2016 cloud conference.
- AWS has removed Snowmobile from its website and ceased offering the service, redirecting users to more compact and cost-effective alternatives such as Snowball Edge and Snowcone.
- The decision to axe Snowmobile aligns with Amazon’s cost-cutting measures under CEO Andy Jassy, amidst sluggish sales growth, which has seen thousands of job cuts and project discontinuations across various units, including AWS.
Amazon’s grandiose venture, the Snowmobile, once a symbol of data transfer prowess, now sits defunct less than a decade after its debut at the company’s 2016 cloud conference. Previously a star attraction at AWS events, the Snowmobile was an 18-wheeler designed to expedite data transfer to Amazon Web Services facilities. However, as of March, AWS has shelved the service, redirecting attention to more compact and cost-effective alternatives like the Snowball Edge and Snowcone. Amazon’s decision to discontinue the Snowmobile aligns with broader cost-cutting measures implemented by CEO Andy Jassy amidst stagnant sales growth, which has seen the elimination of tens of thousands of jobs and the axing of various projects. Despite its initial fanfare, including a flashy introduction by Jassy himself at the Reinvent conference, Snowmobile failed to sustain momentum in the market. Although some clients, like satellite operator Maxar, utilized Snowmobile in 2017 for substantial data transfers, subsequent developments such as AWS DataSync and enhanced online data transfer options rendered the behemoth truck obsolete. AWS maintains its dominance in the cloud infrastructure sector, generating substantial revenue, but acknowledges the evolving preferences of customers who favor newer, more efficient technologies over cumbersome legacy solutions like the Snowmobile.
For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/17/aws-stops-selling-snowmobile-truck-for-cloud-migrations.html
