aws_ cost estimation
A managed NetApp ONTAP file system with multiprotocol access and NetApp features, billed per GB of SSD capacity plus throughput. 1 TB Multi-AZ is ~$256/month.
An aws_
ONTAP is the priciest FSx flavor up front, but its tiering and efficiency features can claw cost back: data automatically tiers from SSD to a much cheaper capacity pool as it goes cold, and dedup/compression reduce the SSD footprint you provision. So the effective cost depends heavily on enabling those features and on the hot/cold data ratio.
The levers: use Single-AZ where you don't need cross-AZ durability, provision SSD to the hot working set (let tiering handle cold data), enable dedup/compression, and size throughput to actual need rather than over-provisioning.
c3x prices the file system from storage_
Terraform example
A minimal but realistic configuration that C3X can estimate.
resource "aws_fsx_ontap_file_system" "shared" {
storage_capacity = 1024
subnet_ids = aws_subnet.storage[*].id
deployment_type = "MULTI_AZ_1"
throughput_capacity = 256
preferred_subnet_id = aws_subnet.storage[0].id
}Pricing dimensions
What you actually pay for when you provision aws_.
| Dimension | Unit | What's being charged |
|---|---|---|
| SSD storage | per GB-month | Provisioned SSD capacity. Multi-AZ costs more than Single-AZ. Automatic tiering moves cold data to a cheaper capacity pool. ~$0.25/GB-month (Multi-AZ SSD) → 1 TB ≈ $256/month |
| Throughput capacity | per MB/s-month | Provisioned independently of storage. Over-provisioning is a common cost. |
| Capacity pool (tiered) | per GB-month | Cold data automatically tiered off SSD bills at a much lower rate. Usage-based on the hot/cold ratio. |
Sample C3X output
A 1 TB Multi-AZ SSD ONTAP file system:
aws_fsx_ontap_file_system.shared
└─ SSD storage (Multi-AZ) 1024 GB-month $256.00
Monthly $256.00Optimization tips
Common ways to reduce aws_ cost without changing the workload.
Enable automatic tiering
Large for cold-heavy datasetsONTAP's defining cost feature: cold data tiers off expensive SSD to a much cheaper capacity pool automatically. For datasets where most data is cold, tiering dramatically reduces the SSD you provision and pay for.
Use Single-AZ where you don't need cross-AZ durability
Difference between Single-AZ and Multi-AZMulti-AZ replicates across zones at a higher rate. Use it for production that needs failover; Single-AZ is cheaper for dev/test and non-critical file systems.
Enable dedup and compression
Proportional to efficiency ratioNetApp's storage efficiency (deduplication, compression) shrinks the SSD footprint you need, directly lowering provisioned-capacity cost, especially effective for VDI, backups, and repetitive data.
Right-size throughput
Per throughput tier reducedThroughput is provisioned separately from capacity and easy to over-buy. Match it to actual read/write bandwidth needs.
FAQ
How is FSx for NetApp ONTAP billed?
Provisioned SSD capacity per GB-month (Multi-AZ costs more than Single-AZ) plus provisioned throughput, with cold data automatically tiered to a much cheaper capacity pool. 1 TB Multi-AZ SSD is ~$256/month before tiering savings.
Why choose ONTAP over other FSx types?
For multiprotocol access (NFS, SMB, iSCSI from one file system) and NetApp's data-management features, snapshots, cloning, dedup, compression, and automatic SSD-to-capacity-pool tiering. Those features can offset its higher SSD rate; for single-protocol needs, Lustre/Windows/OpenZFS may be cheaper.
How does c3x estimate the cost?
From storage_
Related resources
Estimate this resource in your own Terraform
Free, open source, no API key. C3X parses your Terraform and shows line-item cost for every resource, including aws_.