CargoShip

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Tier-aware storage ​

Tier-aware storage lets CargoShip assign an S3 storage class per chunk based on how recently the files in it were accessed, instead of writing everything to one class. Cold data lands in cheaper, slower tiers (GLACIER, DEEP_ARCHIVE) while hot data stays instantly readable — cutting storage cost on archives that are rarely touched.

Enable it with --auto-tier on cargoship upload and choose a strategy:

bash
cargoship upload ./my-data s3://my-bucket/archives/ \
  --auto-tier --tier-strategy tier-aware --tier-max GLACIER

Strategies ​

--tier-strategy controls how files are grouped into chunks before a class is assigned (it requires --auto-tier):

StrategyBehaviorUse when
youngest-file (default)Conservative — a chunk takes the class implied by its youngest file, so nothing is tiered colder than any recent file it containsYou want savings without risking that a recently touched file lands in Glacier
tier-awareGroups files by tier before chunking, so cold files cluster into cold chunks for the best savingsYou have a clear hot/cold split and want maximum cost reduction

Age thresholds ​

The tier a chunk lands in is decided by how many days since a file was last accessed:

  • --tier-hot-days — up to this age stays hot / STANDARD (default 30).
  • --tier-cold-days — beyond this becomes cold / GLACIER (default 90).
  • --tier-archive-days — beyond this becomes archive / DEEP_ARCHIVE (default 180).

Use --tier-max to cap how cold anything can go regardless of age: STANDARD, STANDARD_IA, GLACIER, or DEEP_ARCHIVE. Setting --tier-max STANDARD_IA, for example, prevents any chunk from being written to Glacier or Deep Archive.

Cost confirmation ​

Cost implication

--tier-strategy tier-aware prompts for confirmation before it runs because GLACIER and DEEP_ARCHIVE carry commitments that are easy to overlook:

  • GLACIER — 90-day minimum storage, per-GB retrieval charges, multi-hour restore times.
  • DEEP_ARCHIVE — 180-day minimum storage, higher per-GB retrieval, up to ~12-hour restore.
  • Early deletion penalties apply if an object is removed before its minimum duration.

Best for long-term archives accessed less than once a year. Pass --yes to accept the prompt in automation, and set --tier-max to bound how cold anything can go.

See also ​