Windows compute / AWS EC2 Windows Server alternative

AWS EC2 Windows alternative for portable agent stages

EC2 Windows Server instances already retain the installed system on EBS through ordinary stop/start. Eligible Windows configurations can also hibernate, but that is a separate launch-time capability. Compare those native Windows requirements with the parts of an agent that can run on Linux.

Start buildingCompare capabilities ↓

Reviewed 2026-10-19 · Published by the Sandbox0 team

When AWS EC2 Windows Server fits

Choose EC2 Windows for Windows Server applications, required Microsoft software and full VM integration with AWS services. Keep native Windows or kernel-dependent stages on suitable Windows infrastructure.

When to consider Sandbox0

Consider Sandbox0 for compatible Linux agents needing a durable whole writable RootFS, automatic online growth and supported files during compute pauses. Export portable data and keep Windows-only applications on their required OS.

Capabilities

AWS EC2 Windows Server and Sandbox0: what persists?

Feature comparison with documentation and verification status
Environment and runtime lifetimeAWS EC2 Windows ServerAn EBS-backed Windows machine can retain its installed system across ordinary stop/start. Process continuation requires eligible launch-configured hibernation.View evidence ↗Sandbox0ttl and hard_ttl default to 0 (disabled). Configure idle pause and deletion policies for the same persistent sandbox identity; an idle running sandbox still accrues compute charges.Read documentation →
Persistent filesAWS EC2 Windows ServerRetained EBS root/data volumes preserve installed Windows state through normal stop/start; instance-store and deletion rules differ.View evidence ↗Sandbox0The writable RootFS survives successful checkpoints, including software, system configuration, dependencies, and user data.Read documentation →
Whole RootFSAWS EC2 Windows ServerThe EBS root volume contains the installed OS and can also store hibernated memory when eligible.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Persistence extends beyond /workspace to paths such as /usr/local, /etc, and /home. Runtime tmpfs and virtual filesystems are excluded.Read documentation →
Release compute, keep stateAWS EC2 Windows ServerEligible launch-configured Windows instances can hibernate; ordinary Stop is disk-only and eligibility is limited.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Pause compute between tasks; resume on available capacity. Default resume starts fresh processes from the saved filesystem.Read documentation →
Memory and process stateAWS EC2 Windows ServerHibernation writes RAM to encrypted EBS; current Windows eligibility is at most 16 GiB, not every EC2 Windows shape.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Experimental memory checkpoints can preserve compatible process state. Use memory: true on both pause and resume on a compatible deployment. A filesystem checkpoint alone does not preserve running processes.Read documentation →

Online RootFS growth

On growth-enabled images, Sandbox0 automatically expands the writable RootFS as free space runs low, within a configured sparse logical ceiling up to 64 TiB. Agent processes keep running. Growth is enabled in the qualified Cloud region; confirm activation for other regions. Existing images and snapshots retain their captured storage geometry. The ceiling is logical capacity, not preallocated host disk.

EC2 already retains the complete Windows EBS system disk and supports eligible RAM hibernation. Volume sizing and Windows filesystem administration are separate from an integrated automatic low-space online RootFS policy for a compatible Linux agent.

Files while compute is paused

Sandbox0's Files API reads persistent files without resuming compute. Filesystem-only pauses also permit edits; retained-memory pauses are read-only and reject mutations with 409. SSH, SFTP, file watching, and runtime-only mounts require running compute.

EBS snapshots or helper-instance mounts can support operator-managed access to selected disk state while the original VM is off. They require Windows filesystem support and lifecycle coordination, rather than a native file API over every paused agent system path.

See paused file operations →

Hibernation is an explicit eligible configuration

EC2 requires a supported Windows AMI and instance family, hibernation enabled at launch, an encrypted EBS root volume and enough root space for RAM. Current Windows hibernation requires 16 GiB RAM or less. You cannot simply enable it on an already existing instance, and ordinary Stop does not preserve running memory.

Source 1 ↗

Retained storage and compute use different meters

Stopping a normal EBS-backed instance ends running-instance charges while retained EBS and other resources can continue billing. Hibernation saves RAM into the encrypted root volume. Temporary instance-store data and deliberate termination/deletion have different retention rules.

Source 1 ↗Source 2 ↗

CPU credits can matter for a busy Windows agent

The On-Demand page separately prices surplus CPU credits for T2/T3 Unlimited Windows instances. A sustained CPU-heavy agent can incur that charge beyond its instance tariff. Match Windows licensing, region, instance size and credit mode before comparing complete runtime cost.

Source 1 ↗

Pricing

Compare billing models, then price your workload

CPU allocation, memory, billing minimums, disk, plan fees, and supported workload differ. These meters are not equal-performance machine quotes. Confirm region, resource units, and included allowances before estimating a total.

AWS EC2 Windows Server

Pricing reviewed 2026-10-19

Windows instance compute
Current region/instance Windows quote required
Use the Windows license-included tariff, not the Linux price for the same family.
Rate source ↗
T2/T3 Unlimited Windows surplus CPU credits
$0.096 per vCPU-hour
Additional credit charge when incurred; not the complete VM rate.
Rate source ↗
Retained EBS and other resources
Separate applicable AWS charges
Stopped compute does not make retained disk, snapshots or network resources free.
Rate source ↗

Windows instance usage is metered per second under the cited On-Demand rules. Confirm minimum billing, license/CPU options, EBS provisioned capacity/performance, snapshots, IP and traffic. No current numeric regional instance quote is asserted here, and a CPU-credit price must not be mistaken for it.

Check current AWS EC2 Windows Server pricing ↗

Sandbox0

$0.015/GiB-hour compute (billed by the second at approximately $0.000004167/GiB-second), plus $0.02/GiB-month of retained incremental RootFS and memory checkpoint data. Shared base images and platform recovery retention are excluded; paused sandboxes accrue storage charges only.

Compute / GiB-hour
$0.015
Retained data / GiB-month
$0.02
Paused compute
$0.00

A 4 GiB agent, 100 running hours

$6.00 compute

4 GiB × 100 hours, billed by the second. Keeping 20 GiB of billable incremental data for a full billing month adds $0.40. CPU is derived from memory by the platform; choose a tier that fits your workload.

Understand storage billing →

Before migrating from AWS EC2 Windows Server

  1. Inventory Windows AMI/instance/region, EBS retention, burst-credit mode, native applications and launch-time hibernation eligibility.
  2. Export portable files and rebuild compatible Linux agent stages while retaining Windows-only work and licenses on suitable compute.
  3. Test system persistence, required process continuity, online growth, paused files and total instance, credits, EBS, networking and Linux runtime costs.

Common questions

Is Sandbox0 a drop-in AWS EC2 Windows Server replacement?

Evaluate API compatibility and product scope. These products serve different core workflows, so a change may require a different architecture.

Does keeping files also keep a running agent?

Filesystem state and volatile process state are separate. Sandbox0 requires explicit compatible memory checkpoints to preserve running processes; its default filesystem resume starts fresh processes.

Sources and review scope

The Boat team's Battleships directory is the discovery source. References below describe the product and plan discussed on this page. Check current availability, regional terms and billing units before migrating. Where the cited material does not establish a capability or price, the comparison identifies that uncertainty.

Battleships research record ↗docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/hibernating-prerequisites.html ↗docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/ec2-instance-lifecycle.html ↗aws.amazon.com/ec2/pricing/on-demand/ ↗Sandbox0 RootFS capacity →

Related comparisons

Amazon WorkSpaces Personal vs Sandbox0 →Azure Windows Virtual Machines vs Sandbox0 →Daytona Windows VM Sandboxes vs Sandbox0 →Google Compute Engine Windows Server vs Sandbox0 →Vultr Cloud Compute Windows Server vs Sandbox0 →Windows 365 Business / Enterprise Cloud PC vs Sandbox0 →