AWS Snowball Edge used space does not match file inventory used space

The discrepancy between the reported used space on the Snowball Edge device and the size of the data synced from S3 could be due to several factors:

• Metadata Overhead: The Snowball Edge device might allocate additional space for metadata, filesystem overhead, and other system-related files, which might not be included in the reported used space.
• Data Compression: If your data is compressed before syncing to the Snowball Edge device, the actual size of the data on th device might be smaller than the original size.
• Deduplication: If there are duplicate files or data blocks in your S3 bucket, they might only be stored once on the Snowball Edge device, leading to a smaller actual used space compared to the size of the data synced.
• File System Block Size: The file system block size on the Snowball Edge device might result in some unused space due to partial block allocations.
• Temporary Files: During the syncing process, temporary files or metadata might be temporarily stored on the Snowball Edge device, consuming additional space.

To further investigate and reconcile the discrepancy, you can:

• Check the Snowball Edge documentation or contact AWS Support for information on the expected overhead and allocation of space on the device.
• Review the sync process and any compression or deduplication mechanisms applied to the data.
• Monitor the Snowball Edge device's storage usage during the sync process to identify any temporary or intermediate files that might contribute to the discrepancy.
• Consider using tools such as du or df on the Snowball Edge device to get a more detailed breakdown of the used space.