AWS took a different tack on cloud storage, making physical upload facilities available in the US cities of New York and Los Angeles which promise to significantly cut the time taken to transfer data.

The AWS Data Transfer Terminal offers high throughput connectivity for large datasets. The company offered city-based fleets of vehicles, digital audio and video, and local government mapping as examples of the information the locations are suitable for.

Users must book slots for their visit and AWS explained the sites may not bear any of its branding “for security reasons”.

Staff in the building accompany users to their reserved room, whereupon they forge a connection between their “storage device and S3 bucket” over fibre, initiate the transfer” of data then verify it.

AWS stated users can then access its “extensive suite” of services.

It plans to expand availability to other cities globally.

The company charges by the hour, though it waives per GB fees if the data upload remains in the same continent.