Case Study: Arizona State University achieves 3–4 millisecond file storage latency with Amazon Web Services

How Arizona State University centralized its IT operations on AWS by achieving single-digit millisecond latency using AWS Local Zones

Arizona State University (ASU) needed a faster, more efficient way to run file-sharing applications after migrating over 400 TB of data to Amazon FSx, but latency remained an issue when the workload ran from the Oregon AWS Region. To improve performance for latency-sensitive users, ASU looked to Amazon Web Services and AWS Local Zones, and also needed a solution that could meet the requirements of a public institution with a slow procurement process.

ASU implemented Qumulo on Amazon Web Services in the Phoenix AWS Local Zone, with AWS Direct Connect providing a secure, reliable network link from its data centers. The result was a drop in latency to 3–4 milliseconds, a 93% reduction, while also cutting procurement time from 9 months to minutes and saving 6% in costs through better cloud efficiency and lower ownership costs.

Arizona State University

John Rome

Deputy Chief Information Officer