Confirm the shared-file requirement
Two servers using the same folder have different needs from two independent disks. I would check whether the software requires filesystem operations before choosing the service. The application’s access pattern should drive the decision.
Plan how clients mount it
A mount depends on client support, the network path, access rules and filesystem configuration. Review the relevant mount targets and permissions. Seeing the filesystem in the console does not prove that the application can read and write it.
Test authorised and denied access
Create a harmless file from one client and inspect it from another. Then check that an unauthorised user is rejected. Also test the application’s locking and concurrent-write behaviour; shared storage does not supply those guarantees for every application.
Try it yourself
Draw two Linux clients and a shared filesystem. List the connectivity and permission checks before testing files from both clients.
A common question
Is EFS just another EBS volume?
No. Their interfaces and sharing models differ. Choose according to the application requirements.
References & video notes
Use the video to follow the topic with me. Console screens and older offers can change, so check the current AWS documentation before performing a lab.
Keep learning
- Block, file and object storage: choose the access pattern
- Instance store vs EBS: where should your data live?
- EBS volume types: understand IOPS and throughput