FAQs
Find quick answers to your questions about Datafy Sensor and AutoScaler.
Sensor FAQ
Getting Started
How do I install Sensor? How long will it take?
nstalling Datafy Sensor in your environment can be done with a 1-line command, and takes less then 10 minutes. To get started, follow the steps in our installation guide (https://docs.datafy.io/set-up-and-installation).
Will installing Sensor cause any downtime?
No, installing Datafy Sensor does not require any downtime at all.
Where can I install Datafy Sensor? Which instances and volumes types are supported?
Datafy Sensor can be installed on any EC2 or EKS instance using a Linux operating system. See the full list of supported-infrastructure (https://docs.datafy.io/set-up-and-installation/supported-infrastructure), which details:
Supported OSs
Filesystems
Instance types
What can I learn from Datafy Sensor?
After installing Datafy Sensor, you will be able to view the utilization of all volumes attached to instances where Sensor was installed in the Datafy app (https://app.datafy.io/). Utilization over time is available in the Reports tab (https://app.datafy.io/reports). You can filter the results by various parameters, including volume tags, to compare utilization across different use-cases in your account.
Is it really free?
Yes, it is! You can use Datafy Sensor for as long as you’d like, free of charge.
Privacy and Security
Which AWS permissions does Datafy require? Why do you need them?
Datafy Sensor requires permissions to collect metadata about the instances and volumes in your account. We use this to associate the usage data collected by the agent with the relevant EBS volume and instance IDs, and to provide an indication whether the volumes are candidates for autoscaling. All of the permissions required for the operation of Datafy Sensor are read-only. The full list of permissions is detailed in the permissions setup instructions (https://docs.datafy.io/set-up-and-installation/datafy-installation/permissions-configuration).
Can Datafy access my data?
Datafy doesn’t access, read, or use any of the data saved in your EBS volumes. The usage data collected by Datafy Sensor is based on the usage reported by the volumes’ filesystems.
What information is collected by Datafy?
Datafy’s application backend collects metadata about instances and volumes in your account, and the overall usage of each volume monitored by Datafy Sensor. You can see this data in the Datafy app (https://app.datafy.io/). The data stored in your volumes is not accessed by Datafy and always remains in your account.
AutoScaler FAQ
Overview
What is Datafy AutoScaler?
Datafy AutoScaler is a cloud storage management solution that automatically grows and shrinks your EBS volumes based on actual usage. It virtualizes the storage layer, presenting a large virtual volume to your applications while managing the underlying EBS volumes in the background to ensure optimal utilization. The result is reduced EBS costs without any changes to your applications or workflows.
What is the difference between Datafy Sensor and Datafy AutoScaler?
Datafy Sensor is a read-only monitoring agent that tracks and reports on your EBS volume utilization. It does not modify your volumes. Datafy AutoScaler includes all of Sensor’s monitoring capabilities, and additionally can manage your volumes directly – automatically growing and shrinking them to match your actual usage.
How does AutoScaler save me money?
EBS volumes are often over-provisioned to avoid running out of space. Datafy eliminates this waste by continuously right-sizing your volumes based on real-time usage. When volumes are underutilized, Datafy shrinks them. When they need more space, Datafy grows them. You only pay for the capacity you’re actually using.
Getting Started
How do I install AutoScaler? How long will it take?
Installing Datafy AutoScaler can be done with a single command and takes less than 10 minutes. To get started, follow the steps in our installation guide (https://docs.datafy.io/set-up-and-installation/datafy-installation).
Will installing AutoScaler cause any downtime?
No. Installing Datafy AutoScaler does not require any downtime. Your volumes remain fully accessible throughout the installation process.
Can I upgrade from Sensor to AutoScaler?
Yes. If you already have Datafy Sensor installed, you can upgrade to AutoScaler without reinstalling. Follow the steps in our upgrade guide (https://docs.datafy.io/set-up-and-installation/upgrading-datafy).
Where can I install Datafy AutoScaler? Which instances and volume types are supported?
Datafy AutoScaler can be installed on EC2 and EKS instances running a supported Linux operating system. See the full list of Supported Infrastructure (https://docs.datafy.io/set-up-and-installation/supported-infrastructure), which details supported OSs, filesystems, instance types, and volume types. If AutoScaler is installed on an instance that has unsupported volumes, utilization will still be reported for these volumes, but you won’t be able to activate autoscaling for these volumes.
Why aren't some of my volumes eligible for autoscaling?
A volume may not be eligible for autoscaling if its instance type, operating system, filesystem, or volume type is not currently supported. Check the Supported Infrastructure (https://docs.datafy.io/set-up-and-installation/supported-infrastructure) page to confirm your configuration is covered. If your infrastructure matches the supported list and volumes still aren’t eligible, contact Datafy support.
Do I have to install AutoScaler on my whole account? What about my whole cluster?
The AutoScaler installation is controlled completely by you – you can install it in on any relevant sub-set of your environment. On Kubernetes clusters AutoScaler is installed as a daemonset, and should be installe do on the entire cluster whenever possible. If you wish to install on part of your cluster, contact Datafy support.
I have many AWS accounts. How does Datafy handle multi-account environments?
Datafy supports multi-account environments. Each AWS account is connected individually through its own installation and permissions setup, and all connected accounts are managed from a single Datafy dashboard.
How do I activate autoscaling for the first time?
After installing AutoScaler, your volumes are automatically discovered and visible in the Datafy dashboard. From there, you can enable autoscaling on individual volumes. See How AutoScaler Works (https://docs.datafy.io/how-it-works/how-autoscaler-works) for the full flow.
How do I activate autoscaling at scale, or in a dynamic environment?
For environments where volumes are frequently created or where you want to avoid manual activation, you can use Autoscaling Rules (https://docs.datafy.io/volume-lifecycle/autoscaling-rules). Rules automatically enable autoscaling on new volumes that match your defined criteria, without any manual intervention.
How It Works
What does "growing" a volume mean?
Growing is the process of automatically adding storage capacity to a volume when its usage increase. Datafy detects that a volume is running low on space and provisions additional capacity in the background, with zero downtime. Your applications continue running without interruption.
What happens when a volume grows? Is there any downtime?
When a volume’s usage approaches a configurable threshold, Datafy automatically adds capacity. The grow operation happens in the background with zero downtime — your applications continue running without interruption. See How AutoScaler Works (https://docs.datafy.io/how-it-works/how-autoscaler-works) for more details on the grow process.
Will I never run out of space?
Datafy continuously monitors your volumes and grows them before they run out of space, so under normal usage conditions you should not experience a full-disk situation. The maximum size a volume can grow to is determined by the filesystem size. If you need to grow beyond the current filesystem limit, this can be configured through the Datafy API.
What happens when a volume shrinks? How long does it take?
When a volume’s utilization drops and remains low, Datafy reclaims the unused space by copying data to a smaller volume configuration. The shrink operation runs in the background and is designed to have minimal impact on your workload. The duration depends on the amount of data on the volume and can range from minutes to several hours for larger volumes.
What does "shrinking" a volume mean?
Shrinking is the process of reclaiming unused storage capacity from an over-provisioned volume. When a volume’s utilization remains low, AutoScaler copies the data to a smaller volume configuration and releases the excess capacity. This reduces your EBS costs by ensuring you only pay for the storage you actually use.
What happens during an instance reboot?
AutoScaler is designed to handle instance reboots gracefully. After a reboot, the agent restarts automatically and resumes managing your volumes. Your data remains intact and accessible throughout the process.
Can I reverse autoscaling on a volume?
Yes. From the Datafy app (https://app.datafy.io/fleet-manager/all-volumes), you can disable autoscaling on any volume. When autoscaling is disabled, your data is copied back to a standard EBS volume matching the original configuration, and the volume is returned to its unmanaged state. This process runs in the background with no downtime.
What happens if Datafy's control plane is unreachable?
If the Datafy control plane becomes temporarily unavailable, your data remains fully accessible and your applications are not affected. Mission-critical actions — including data access and volume growth — continue to operate locally on the instance, independent of the control plane. Operations that require coordination with the control plane (such as shrink) will resume once connectivity is restored.
Performance
Is the performance of my volumes impacted?
In steady state, there is no performance impact on your volumes. During a grow operation, the process is fast and transparent to your applications. During a shrink operation, data is copied in the background. This process is throttled to use only excess I/O capacity, so the impact on your running workloads is minimal.
Compatibility & Integration
Does Datafy work with EBS Snapshots?
Yes. Datafy supports EBS Snapshots. See Datafy Snapshots (https://docs.datafy.io/volume-lifecycle/datafy-snapshots) for details on how snapshots work with autoscaled volumes.
Is Datafy compatible with Terraform, Pulumi, or other IaC tools?
Yes. Datafy is designed to work alongside your existing infrastructure-as-code workflows. See the IaC Reconciliation (https://docs.datafy.io/set-up-and-installation/iac-reconciliation) page for details on how Datafy handles reconciliation with tools like Terraform and Pulumi.
Does Datafy work with pod rescheduling tools like Cast AI or Karpenter?
Yes. Datafy works alongside pod rescheduling and node management tools like Cast AI and Karpenter. When pods are rescheduled to a different node, Datafy follows the volumes as they move. Note that the instance types provisioned by Cast AI or Karpenter must be within Datafy’s Supported Infrastructure (https://docs.datafy.io/set-up-and-installation/supported-infrastructure). Make sure your node provisioner configuration is set to use supported instance types.
Scalability
How does AutoScaler handle large-scale accounts?
All autoscaling actions (grow, shrink, data access) are performed locally on the instance, so they are not affected by account scale. Whether you have 10 volumes or 10,000, the performance of autoscaling operations on each instance remains the same. The one constraint to be aware of is that volume migration (such as during a shrink) is limited to one volume at a time per instance, to minimize resource usage. Multiple instances can perform migrations concurrently.
Is there a limit to the number of autoscaling volumes per instance?
Datafy can autoscale any eligible volume attached to a supported instance. The practical limit is determined by the number of EBS volumes AWS allows you to attach to a given instance type.
Privacy & Security
Can Datafy access my data?
No. Datafy does not access, read, or use any of the data stored in your EBS volumes. Datafy operates at the block storage level and only interacts with volume metadata and filesystem-reported usage.
Which AWS permissions does AutoScaler require? Why?
Datafy AutoScaler requires permissions to monitor and modify EBS volumes in your account — including creating, resizing, and attaching volumes — as well as read permissions for instance and volume metadata. The full list of required permissions is detailed in the permissions setup instructions (https://docs.datafy.io/set-up-and-installation/datafy-installation/permissions-configuration).
Does Datafy upgrade automatically? Who controls agent updates?
You control when the Datafy agent is updated. Datafy does not push updates automatically. Agent upgrades are performed by you, following the steps in the upgrade guide (https://docs.datafy.io/set-up-and-installation/upgrading-datafy).
General
Does Datafy use AI for optimization?
No. Datafy’s autoscaling decisions are deterministic and rule-based. Datafy does not use AI or machine learning for optimization actions. Volume scaling is driven by real-time usage data and configurable thresholds.