{
  "id": "google-cloud-filestore-vs-amazon-efs",
  "ids": [
    "google-cloud-filestore",
    "amazon-efs"
  ],
  "title": "Google Cloud Filestore vs Amazon EFS: managed NFS filesystems and application fit",
  "heading": "Google Cloud Filestore vs Amazon EFS",
  "kicker": "Cloud software comparison",
  "deck": "Compare Google Cloud Filestore vs Amazon EFS for managed NFS filesystems and application fit. Review the deployment model, migration work and proposed acceptance checks.",
  "description": "Google Cloud Filestore vs Amazon EFS: compare managed NFS filesystems and application fit before choosing a deployment.",
  "answerHeading": "Which option fits the workload?",
  "answer": "Consider Google Cloud Filestore when Linux workloads in Google Cloud need a managed NFS file service. Consider Amazon EFS when AWS workloads need shared file storage through Amazon EFS. Validate the required configuration and operating responsibilities before comparing costs.",
  "checkedAt": "2026-10-25",
  "researchTag": "Architecture, migration and operating scope",
  "researchLimit": "Official product documentation and product pages reviewed. Proposed exercises are evaluation briefs, not completed performance benchmarks or private product trials.",
  "datasetDescription": "Seven differences and four proposed workload acceptance checks for Google Cloud Filestore vs Amazon EFS.",
  "type": "workflow-buying",
  "sharedBuyingNeed": "Evaluate alternative services for managed NFS filesystems and application fit.",
  "rows": [
    [
      "Provider",
      "Google Cloud",
      "AWS"
    ],
    [
      "Storage type",
      "Managed file storage",
      "Managed elastic file storage"
    ],
    [
      "Application interface",
      "NFS file access",
      "NFS file access"
    ],
    [
      "Deployment configuration",
      "Filestore instance and service tier",
      "EFS filesystem and selected performance configuration"
    ],
    [
      "Network access",
      "Google Cloud network configuration",
      "AWS VPC and mount-target configuration"
    ],
    [
      "Data protection",
      "Review supported backup and recovery settings",
      "Review supported backup and recovery settings"
    ],
    [
      "Cost exercise",
      "Provisioned configuration, capacity and protection requirements",
      "Storage, access pattern and configured performance requirements"
    ]
  ],
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "NFS mount",
      "question": "Can the team mount the test filesystem from the intended application hosts?",
      "left": "Using Google Cloud Filestore, mount the test filesystem from the intended application hosts.",
      "right": "Using Amazon EFS, mount the test filesystem from the intended application hosts.",
      "note": "Only approved hosts can mount and access the share."
    },
    {
      "name": "Permissions",
      "question": "Can the team create files under the application's intended user identities?",
      "left": "Using Google Cloud Filestore, create files under the application's intended user identities.",
      "right": "Using Amazon EFS, create files under the application's intended user identities.",
      "note": "File ownership and access modes match requirements."
    },
    {
      "name": "Concurrent access",
      "question": "Can the team run a representative multi-client application operation?",
      "left": "Using Google Cloud Filestore, run a representative multi-client application operation.",
      "right": "Using Amazon EFS, run a representative multi-client application operation.",
      "note": "The application behaves correctly with shared access."
    },
    {
      "name": "Recovery",
      "question": "Can the team recover a disposable test directory using the planned protection method?",
      "left": "Using Google Cloud Filestore, recover a disposable test directory using the planned protection method.",
      "right": "Using Amazon EFS, recover a disposable test directory using the planned protection method.",
      "note": "Recovered files and permissions pass application checks."
    }
  ],
  "exampleTable": {
    "caption": "Proposed acceptance checks using authorised non-production resources. Record the selected region, configuration and observed result.",
    "headers": [
      "Requirement",
      "Proposed exercise",
      "Accept when"
    ],
    "rows": [
      [
        "NFS mount",
        "Mount the test filesystem from the intended application hosts.",
        "Only approved hosts can mount and access the share."
      ],
      [
        "Permissions",
        "Create files under the application's intended user identities.",
        "File ownership and access modes match requirements."
      ],
      [
        "Concurrent access",
        "Run a representative multi-client application operation.",
        "The application behaves correctly with shared access."
      ],
      [
        "Recovery",
        "Recover a disposable test directory using the planned protection method.",
        "Recovered files and permissions pass application checks."
      ]
    ]
  },
  "sections": [
    {
      "id": "architecture-and-fit",
      "title": "Architecture and application fit",
      "paragraphs": [
        "Filestore and EFS serve applications that need a shared filesystem rather than an object bucket. Start with NFS compatibility, file ownership, permissions, directory structure and the application's locking requirements.",
        "A Google Cloud workload usually has a simpler integration path to Filestore, while an AWS workload has a simpler integration path to EFS. Cross-cloud mounts introduce network and operating considerations that a storage-feature checklist can miss."
      ],
      "links": [
        {
          "url": "https://docs.cloud.google.com/filestore/docs?hl=en",
          "label": "Google Cloud Filestore product documentation"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://aws.amazon.com/efs/",
          "label": "Amazon EFS product information"
        }
      ],
      "navLabel": "Architecture"
    },
    {
      "id": "cost-and-migration",
      "title": "Cost and migration planning",
      "paragraphs": [
        "Price the storage configuration against the same dataset, throughput needs and resilience requirement. Provisioning and performance models differ, so comparing capacity alone can misrepresent the cost.",
        "Migrate a representative directory tree and verify permissions and application behaviour. A byte-count match is insufficient if file ownership, access modes or application concurrency changes after migration."
      ],
      "navLabel": "Costs & migration"
    }
  ],
  "faqs": [
    {
      "question": "When should I choose Google Cloud Filestore over Amazon EFS?",
      "answer": "Consider Google Cloud Filestore when Linux workloads in Google Cloud need a managed NFS file service. Consider Amazon EFS when AWS workloads need shared file storage through Amazon EFS. Validate the required configuration and operating responsibilities before comparing costs."
    },
    {
      "question": "What should we include in the cost comparison?",
      "answer": "Price the storage configuration against the same dataset, throughput needs and resilience requirement. Provisioning and performance models differ, so comparing capacity alone can misrepresent the cost."
    },
    {
      "question": "What should we test before a production migration?",
      "answer": "Migrate a representative directory tree and verify permissions and application behaviour. A byte-count match is insufficient if file ownership, access modes or application concurrency changes after migration."
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "url": "https://docs.cloud.google.com/filestore/docs?hl=en",
      "facts": "Official product scope, deployment context and capabilities used in this comparison."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://aws.amazon.com/efs/",
      "facts": "Official product scope, deployment context and capabilities used in this comparison."
    }
  ],
  "relatedLinks": [
    {
      "path": "/categories/backup-recovery/",
      "title": "Backup Recovery software"
    },
    {
      "path": "/categories/cloud-platforms/",
      "title": "Cloud Platforms software"
    }
  ]
}