DigitalOcean NFS vs AWS EFS vs GCP Filestore

• Fully Managed Enterprise Storage: DigitalOcean Network File Storage eliminates the operational overhead of managing file servers, providing a fully managed, POSIX-compliant solution that integrates seamlessly with Droplets, Kubernetes clusters, and App Platform.
• High-Performance Capabilities: Delivers up to 1 GB/s read throughput and 650 MB/s write throughput with up to 50K read IOPS and 30K write IOPS, supporting demanding workloads like AI/ML model training and HPC simulations.
• Predictable, Transparent Pricing: Flat-rate allocation-based pricing at $0.30 per GiB per month with no variable IOPS or data retrieval costs, plus free intra-VPC data transfer—providing cost predictability that AWS EFS and GCP Filestore cannot match.
• Built-in Data Protection: Point-in-time snapshots at $0.06 per GiB per month (usage-based) enable backup and cloning workflows without additional infrastructure, accessible through a read-only .snapshot directory.
• Seamless Ecosystem Integration: Native integration across DigitalOcean’s infrastructure platform enables unified management of compute, networking, and storage through a single control plane and API, with VPC-based security and zero egress fees.

1. Fully Managed and POSIX-Compliant

DigitalOcean NFS is fully managed, eliminating the need to deploy or maintain file servers. Its POSIX compliance ensures compatibility with enterprise workloads, applications, and frameworks across compute platforms.

2. Scalable, High-Performance File Storage

Each NFS share can range from 50 GiB to 16 TiB, delivering:

• Read throughput: up to 1 GB/s
• Write throughput: up to 650 MB/s
• IOPS: up to 50K reads / 30K writes

This performance profile supports concurrent access for distributed, high-throughput workloads including AI/ML model training, simulation outputs, and continuous integration systems.

3. Built-in Snapshots

Network File Storage supports point-in-time snapshots, which preserve data consistency for backup or cloning.
Snapshots are usage-based ($0.06 per GiB per month) and accessible through a read-only .snapshot directory within the share. Each share supports up to five snapshots, managed through the API.

4. Seamless Integration with the DigitalOcean Ecosystem

NFS integrates natively across the DigitalOcean infrastructure platform:

• Attach shares directly to Droplets, DigitalOcean Kubernetes clusters (DOKS), or App Platform services.
• Manage compute, networking, and storage through a single control plane and API.
• Use VPC networking for secure, high-speed, and cost-free data transfer between services.

This tight integration provides unified visibility and operational efficiency across environments.

5. Enterprise Reliability, Operational Simplicity

DigitalOcean NFS combines enterprise-grade availability and durability with simplified operations:

• Redundancy and failover are built into the architecture.
• No manual intervention for replication, patching, or scaling.
• Storage management, performance optimization, and data durability are handled by the platform.

This ensures consistent reliability for production workloads without the complexity of traditional file server management.

6. Built for Predictability and Scale

DigitalOcean NFS scales seamlessly with your workloads while maintaining transparent, allocation-based pricing:

• Flat-rate billing for provisioned capacity with no variable IOPS or data retrieval costs.
• Free intra-VPC data transfer, eliminating egress and cross-zone charges.
• Consistent performance and predictable total cost of ownership (TCO) at any scale.

Each share provides 50–16,000 GiB of capacity and can be mounted on up to 8 Droplets or DOKS nodes within the same VPC.

When comparing file storage solutions across cloud providers, three dimensions matter most: cost predictability, operational simplicity, and integration efficiency. Here’s how DigitalOcean NFS compares.

In summary: DigitalOcean NFS offers a simpler and more predictable model for enterprises that prioritize reliability, performance, and cost transparency without the operational overhead of traditional file storage systems.

DigitalOcean Network File Storage provides the performance, scalability, and operational control required for modern production workloads.

With flat-rate, allocation-based pricing, VPC-level security, and seamless integration across the DigitalOcean infrastructure ecosystem, it delivers the reliability and transparency enterprises expect from a cloud storage foundation without the complexity of legacy systems or variable-cost models.

Provision a Network File Storage share using the DigitalOcean Control Panel or API:

1. Navigate to Network File Storage in the Control Panel.
2. Create a share (50 GiB – 16 TiB).
3. Mount it on Droplets or DOKS nodes using standard NFS commands.
4. Use the API to automate snapshot creation and lifecycle management.

If your account doesn’t have access, request Droplet access directly from the NFS page in the Control Panel.

1. What is Network File Storage (NFS) and how does it work?

Network File Storage (NFS) is a distributed file system protocol that allows multiple computers to access files over a network as if they were stored locally. DigitalOcean Network File Storage uses the NFSv4.1 protocol, which operates on a client-server model where an NFS server shares file systems, and client computers mount these shares to access them.

In DigitalOcean’s implementation, NFS shares are fully managed and POSIX-compliant, meaning they work seamlessly with enterprise applications and frameworks. When you mount an NFS share on a Droplet or Kubernetes node, the remote files appear as local directories, enabling concurrent access for distributed workloads like containerized applications and AI/ML pipelines.

2. What’s the difference between NFS and NAS?

NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a physical storage device or appliance that provides centralized file storage on a network, while NFS (Network File System) is a protocol that defines how files are accessed over a network. Think of NAS as the hardware and NFS as the “language” it uses to share files.

DigitalOcean Network File Storage is a cloud-based managed service that uses the NFS protocol. Unlike traditional NAS devices that require physical hardware management, DigitalOcean NFS is fully managed, you don’t need to deploy or maintain file servers. It provides the benefits of NAS (centralized storage, shared access) with the scalability and operational simplicity of cloud infrastructure.

3. Is NFS still used today?

Yes, NFS is widely used in modern enterprise environments, particularly for Linux/Unix-based systems, high-performance computing, virtualization platforms, and containerized applications. NFSv4.1, the version used by DigitalOcean Network File Storage, includes modern features like improved security, better performance, and support for parallel access.

DigitalOcean NFS is specifically designed for contemporary workloads including AI/ML model training, continuous integration systems, and distributed applications running on Kubernetes clusters. Its POSIX compliance ensures compatibility with enterprise applications and frameworks.

4. How does DigitalOcean NFS compare to AWS EFS and GCP Filestore?

DigitalOcean Network File Storage offers several advantages over AWS EFS and GCP Filestore:

• Pricing Predictability: Flat-rate pricing at $0.30 per GiB per month with no variable IOPS or data retrieval costs, compared to AWS EFS’s usage-based pricing that includes throughput and request charges.
• Cost Efficiency: Snapshot pricing at $0.06 per GiB per month (usage-based) is significantly lower than AWS EFS and GCP Filestore, which charge $0.20 per GiB per month.
• Simplified Setup: One-step provisioning through the Control Panel or API, versus AWS EFS’s multi-step process requiring VPC and mount target configuration.
• Free Data Transfer: No charges for intra-VPC data transfer, while AWS EFS applies cross-AZ charges.
• Unified Integration: Native integration with Droplets, Kubernetes, and App Platform through a single control plane.

For enterprises prioritizing cost transparency, operational simplicity, and seamless ecosystem integration, DigitalOcean NFS provides a more predictable and manageable solution.

5. How do I set up and use DigitalOcean Network File Storage?

Setting up DigitalOcean Network File Storage is straightforward:

1. Provision a Share: Navigate to Network File Storage in the DigitalOcean Control Panel or use the API to create a share (50 GiB to 16 TiB capacity).
2. Mount on Droplets: Use standard NFS mount commands on your Ubuntu Droplets or other Linux-based compute instances. The share appears as a local directory once mounted.
3. Integrate with Kubernetes: Attach NFS shares to DigitalOcean Kubernetes (DOKS) clusters as persistent volumes for containerized applications.
4. Manage Snapshots: Use the API to automate snapshot creation and lifecycle management for backup and cloning workflows.

For detailed setup instructions, see our guide on configuring persistent storage for Kubernetes applications or deploying containerized applications that require shared file storage.

DigitalOcean Network File Storage provides enterprise-grade file storage that combines high performance, predictable pricing, and operational simplicity—making it an ideal choice for modern, data-intensive workloads. With its fully managed architecture, POSIX compliance, and seamless integration across the DigitalOcean ecosystem, it eliminates the complexity of traditional file server management while delivering the reliability and transparency enterprises require.

The service’s flat-rate pricing model, free intra-VPC data transfer, and cost-effective snapshot capabilities offer significant advantages over AWS EFS and GCP Filestore, particularly for organizations prioritizing cost predictability and operational efficiency. Whether you’re running AI/ML pipelines, HPC simulations, or containerized applications, DigitalOcean NFS scales seamlessly from 50 GiB to 16 TiB while maintaining consistent performance and transparent total cost of ownership.

Ready to get started? Provision your first Network File Storage share using the DigitalOcean Control Panel or see our Kubernetes documentation for integration details. To learn more about deploying scalable workloads, check out our tutorials on building Docker-based applications and setting up a production-ready Django stack.

You can also check out our DigitalOcean Network File Storage documentation for more information.