git-annex extends git's usual remotes with some [[special_remotes]], that
are not git repositories. This way you can set up a remote using say,
Amazon S3, and use git-annex to transfer files into the cloud.

**Note that encrypted buckets are not (yet) supported. Data sent to S3
is without encryption susceptible to snooping.**

First, export your S3 credentials:

	# export ANNEX_S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID="08TJMT99S3511WOZEP91"
	# export ANNEX_S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY="s3kr1t"

Next, create the S3 remote, and describe it.

	# git annex initremote mys3 type=S3 encryption=none
	initremote mys3 (checking bucket) (creating bucket in US) ok
	# git annex describe mys3 "at Amazon's US datacenter"
	describe mys3 ok

The configuration for the S3 remote is stored in git. So to make another
repository use the same S3 remote is easy:

	# cd /media/usb/annex
        # git pull laptop master
	# git annex initremote mys3
	initremote mys3 (checking bucket) ok

Now the remote can be used like any other remote.

	# git annex copy my_cool_big_file --to mys3
	copy my_cool_big_file (to mys3...) ok
	# git annex move video/hackity_hack_and_kaxxt.mov --to mys3
	move video/hackity_hack_and_kaxxt.mov (to mys3...) ok

See [[special_remotes/Amazon_S3]] for details.