Amazon now offers physical data transfer

Amazon Web Services (AWS) Import/Export is a new offering that accelerates moving large amounts of data into and out of AWS using portable storage devices for transport.

AWS transfers your data directly onto and off of storage devices using Amazon’s high-speed internal network and bypassing the Internet. For significant data sets.

You can use AWS Import/Export for:

• Data Migration – If you have data you need to upload into the AWS cloud for the first time, AWS Import/Export is often much faster than transferring that data via the Internet.
• Offsite Backup – Send full or incremental backups to Amazon S3 for reliable and redundant offsite storage.
• Direct Data Interchange – If you regularly receive content on portable storage devices from your business associates, you can have them send it directly to AWS for import into your Amazon S3 buckets.
• Disaster Recovery – In the event you need to quickly retrieve a large backup stored in Amazon S3, use AWS Import/Export to transfer the data to a portable storage device and deliver it to your site.

The limited beta currently supports importing data into Amazon S3 buckets in the US. Support for export and EU buckets will be added in the coming months.