AWS Simplifies Data Sharing Across Accounts

According to the AWS News Blog, Amazon has introduced the ability to create EBS volume clones across different AWS accounts. This means businesses can now make instant, point-in-time copies of their storage volumes and share them with other accounts while keeping production data secure.

For Australian small and mid-sized businesses, this feature solves a common headache. In the past, moving data between accounts for testing or development required slow snapshot processes or complex manual copying. Now, a developer can clone a production volume into a separate account in seconds, without touching the original data.

Why Cross-Account Clones Matter for Cloud Migration and Security

This update changes how companies think about cloud computing environments. The ability to copy volumes across accounts with optional re-encryption gives teams better control over data isolation. A finance firm, for example, can keep production customer records encrypted with one key, then clone the volume into a test account using a different key – all while staying in the same Availability Zone.

For cloud migration projects, this means less downtime and faster iteration. Instead of waiting hours for snapshots to finish, SMBs can clone a volume and start testing immediately. The cross-account feature also supports compliance requirements by keeping sensitive data inside designated accounts and enabling audit trails through AWS CloudTrail.

What This Means for Australian SMBs

Australian small and mid-sized businesses often run lean IT teams. Cross-account volume clones reduce the manual effort needed to refresh staging or quality assurance environments. If your business uses separate AWS accounts for production and development – a best practice many local firms are adopting – this feature makes it simple to copy the latest data into your dev account without risking production stability.

Pricing is transparent: you pay a one-time fee based on volume size to the account receiving the copy, then standard EBS charges apply. There is no extra cost for sharing volumes through AWS Resource Access Manager. For SMBs with tight budgets, this predictable cost model helps you plan cloud spending more accurately.

What You Can Do Now

  • Review your current AWS account structure. If you have separate accounts for production, test, and development, identify which volumes you commonly need to clone across accounts.
  • Familiarise yourself with AWS Resource Access Manager (RAM). You will need to share volumes from the source account and accept shares in the target account.
  • Start with a non-critical volume. Test the cloning process using a low-risk dataset to ensure encryption keys and permissions are configured correctly.
  • Monitor the copy operation in Amazon EventBridge. Set up simple alerts so your team knows when the cloned volume is ready for use.
  • Update your internal documentation to include this new workflow. It saves time compared to snapshot-based copying and improves data consistency.

At MS&VG, we help Australian small and mid-sized businesses adopt cloud computing tools like this safely and efficiently. If you would like assistance setting up cross-account volume clones or optimising your AWS environment, our team is ready to guide you through every step.