What is an Instance Store?

An EC2 Instance Store provides temporary block-level storage for your EC2 instances.

This storage is physically attached to the host machine where your instance runs.

It is sometimes referred to as ephemeral storage, meaning data is lost when:

• The instance is stopped, terminated, or fails.
• The underlying host is replaced.

Key Characteristics

• High-speed performance (low latency and high throughput).
• Temporary storage that does not persist after instance termination.
• Included in the instance cost — no extra charge for the storage.
• Ideal for transient data, cache, or buffers.

Example Scenario (kaptaindevops)

Suppose kaptaindevops runs a high-performance web app that needs fast disk I/O to process temporary files or cache web sessions.

He can use Instance Store volumes to hold:

• Temporary logs
• Processing files
• Cache data (e.g., Redis, temp directories)

When the app restarts or moves, the data can be regenerated.