# Getting started with AWS DataSync
<a name="setting-up"></a>

Before you get started with AWS DataSync, you need to sign up for an AWS account if you don't have one. We also recommend learning where DataSync can be used and how much it might cost to transfer your data.

## Sign up for an AWS account
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If you do not have an AWS account, complete the following steps to create one.

**To sign up for an AWS account**

1. Open [https://portal.aws.amazon.com/billing/signup](https://portal.aws.amazon.com/billing/signup).

1. Follow the online instructions.

   Part of the sign-up procedure involves receiving a phone call or text message and entering a verification code on the phone keypad.

   When you sign up for an AWS account, an *AWS account root user* is created. The root user has access to all AWS services and resources in the account. As a security best practice, assign administrative access to a user, and use only the root user to perform [tasks that require root user access](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/id_root-user.html#root-user-tasks).

AWS sends you a confirmation email after the sign-up process is complete. At any time, you can view your current account activity and manage your account by going to [https://aws.amazon.com/](https://aws.amazon.com/) and choosing **My Account**.

## Create a user with administrative access
<a name="create-an-admin"></a>

After you sign up for an AWS account, secure your AWS account root user, enable AWS IAM Identity Center, and create an administrative user so that you don't use the root user for everyday tasks.

**Secure your AWS account root user**

1.  Sign in to the [AWS Management Console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/) as the account owner by choosing **Root user** and entering your AWS account email address. On the next page, enter your password.

   For help signing in by using root user, see [Signing in as the root user](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/signin/latest/userguide/console-sign-in-tutorials.html#introduction-to-root-user-sign-in-tutorial) in the *AWS Sign-In User Guide*.

1. Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) for your root user.

   For instructions, see [Enable a virtual MFA device for your AWS account root user (console)](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/enable-virt-mfa-for-root.html) in the *IAM User Guide*.

**Create a user with administrative access**

1. Enable IAM Identity Center.

   For instructions, see [Enabling AWS IAM Identity Center](https://docs.aws.amazon.com//singlesignon/latest/userguide/get-set-up-for-idc.html) in the *AWS IAM Identity Center User Guide*.

1. In IAM Identity Center, grant administrative access to a user.

   For a tutorial about using the IAM Identity Center directory as your identity source, see [ Configure user access with the default IAM Identity Center directory](https://docs.aws.amazon.com//singlesignon/latest/userguide/quick-start-default-idc.html) in the *AWS IAM Identity Center User Guide*.

**Sign in as the user with administrative access**
+ To sign in with your IAM Identity Center user, use the sign-in URL that was sent to your email address when you created the IAM Identity Center user.

  For help signing in using an IAM Identity Center user, see [Signing in to the AWS access portal](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/signin/latest/userguide/iam-id-center-sign-in-tutorial.html) in the *AWS Sign-In User Guide*.

**Assign access to additional users**

1. In IAM Identity Center, create a permission set that follows the best practice of applying least-privilege permissions.

   For instructions, see [ Create a permission set](https://docs.aws.amazon.com//singlesignon/latest/userguide/get-started-create-a-permission-set.html) in the *AWS IAM Identity Center User Guide*.

1. Assign users to a group, and then assign single sign-on access to the group.

   For instructions, see [ Add groups](https://docs.aws.amazon.com//singlesignon/latest/userguide/addgroups.html) in the *AWS IAM Identity Center User Guide*.

## Required IAM permissions for using DataSync
<a name="permissions-requirements"></a>

DataSync can transfer your data to or from an Amazon S3 bucket, Amazon EFS file system, or Amazon FSx file system. To get your data where you want it to go, you need the right IAM permissions granted to your identity. For example, the IAM role that you use with DataSync needs permission to use the Amazon S3 operations required to transfer data to an S3 bucket.

You can grant these permissions with IAM policies provided by AWS or by creating your own policies.

**Contents**
+ [AWS managed policies](#permissions-requirements-managed)
+ [Customer managed policies](#permissions-requirements-customer-managed)

### AWS managed policies
<a name="permissions-requirements-managed"></a>

AWS provides the following managed policies for common DataSync use cases:
+ `AWSDataSyncReadOnlyAccess` – Provides read-only access to DataSync.
+ `AWSDataSyncFullAccess` – Provides full access to DataSync and minimal access to its dependencies.

For more information, see [AWS managed policies for AWS DataSync](security-iam-awsmanpol.md).

### Customer managed policies
<a name="permissions-requirements-customer-managed"></a>

You can create custom IAM policies to use with DataSync. For more information, see [IAM customer managed policies for AWS DataSync](using-identity-based-policies.md).

## Where can I use DataSync?
<a name="datasync-regions"></a>

For a list of AWS Regions and endpoints that DataSync supports, see [AWS DataSync endpoints and quotas](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/general/latest/gr/datasync.html) in the *AWS General Reference*.

## How can I use DataSync?
<a name="datasync-access"></a>

There are several ways to use DataSync:
+ [DataSync console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/datasync/home), which is part of the AWS Management Console.
+ [DataSync API](API_Reference.md) or the [AWS CLI](https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/latest/reference/datasync/index.html#cli-aws-datasync) to programmatically configure and manage DataSync.
+ [AWS CloudFormation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSCloudFormation/latest/UserGuide/AWS_DataSync.html) or [Terraform](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/hashicorp/aws/latest/docs/resources/datasync_agent) to provision your DataSync resources.
+ [AWS SDKs](https://aws.amazon.com/developer/) to build applications that use DataSync.

## How much will DataSync cost?
<a name="datasync-pricing"></a>

To create a custom estimate using the amount of data that you plan to transfer, see [DataSync pricing](https://aws.amazon.com/datasync/pricing). 

## Open-source components used by DataSync
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To view the open-source components used by DataSync, download the following link:
+ [datasync-open-source-components.zip](samples/datasync-open-source-components.zip)