Maximizing Cloud Computing Efficiency: What Is Object Storage?

In this comprehensive overview, discover how object storage can improve data management, increase efficiency, and adapt to the evolving cloud computing landscape.

In recent years, object storage has become the preferred storage architecture for cloud computing environments, although it can also work effectively on-premises. Object storage is well suited to cloud computing environments due to its virtually unlimited storage capacity.

Understand object storage basics

Unlike traditional file storage, which organizes files in a hierarchical system, object storage operates on a flat architecture where all data resides on the same layer (although a folder hierarchy can be simulated). Instead of grouping into folders, object storage assigns an identifier to each file and then uses that identifier to retrieve or modify the data.

The rise of object storage in cloud computing environments

Although object storage has been around in one form or another for quite some time, its popularity has exploded with the growth of cloud computing. Cloud providers have made object storage more accessible and popular.

Cloud storage platforms often prefer object storage because it allows unlimited capacity and scalability. In addition, object storage is often accessed through RESTful APIs rather than traditional storage protocols like Server Message Block (SMB). This RESTful API access makes object storage easy to integrate with web-based applications.

The mechanism behind object storage

While object storage serves the same purpose as other storage technologies, its underlying mechanisms are very different from file- and block-based storage systems.

Architecture and design principles

As mentioned above, object storage stores data in the form of objects, which is different from other storage systems. Architecturally, it relies heavily on metadata and unique identifiers.

Object Anatomy: Data and Metadata

In object storage, data is stored in the form of objects, and each object consists of two components: data and metadata. Data represents the actual content of the stored file, while metadata defines the file's properties, such as size, type, and creation date. In addition, object storage supports custom properties in metadata.

Each object is also assigned a unique identifier (sometimes called a key). The identifier is the mechanism used to retrieve the object from storage.

Differentiate between storage types

Object storage is just one of several types of storage that an IT infrastructure can use. Other storage types include file storage and block storage.

Object, file, and block storage

There are three main types of storage commonly used in IT: object storage, file storage, and block storage.

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• Object storage: As mentioned earlier, object storage uses a collection of unique identifiers instead of a traditional file system. The storage space is flat, which means it does not group objects into a hierarchy like folders.
• File storage: File storage is probably the most familiar type. Data exists in the form of files, which are organized into various folders. The file system defines the rules for file and folder names, maximum folder depth, and other details.
• Block storage: Block storage, while capable of storing files, writes data to individual storage blocks on disk. Backup vendors like this block-based approach because it simplifies tracking which blocks have been backed up. Continuous data protection technologies rely on this approach to perform nearly uninterrupted backups, which is nearly impossible with file-based systems.

When to choose object storage

Object storage is generally best suited for situations where you need to store large amounts of data, especially if you need to store the data in the cloud.

In cloud environments, block storage typically stores virtual machines. File storage is often used as part of a hosting solution to replace legacy file servers.

Of course, these are just examples of standard use cases. There are many other uses for each type of storage.

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The benefits of adopting object storage, especially in the cloud

There are several advantages to adopting object storage, especially in a cloud environment.

Scalability

Scalability is often the most compelling reason to choose object storage. Object storage may be the only viable option when dealing with huge data sets.

Manageability

In addition to scalability, object storage is easy to manage. Most object storage systems allow you to apply policies directly to the storage itself, providing a way to handle data lifecycle management, security, and archiving.

Cost efficiency and performance improvement

Object storage is well suited for large data sets and typically costs much less per gigabyte (GB). That being said, many cloud providers sell various tiers of object storage, each with its own price and performance characteristics. For example, archive-level storage is typically less expensive but lacks the performance required for general-purpose storage.

In general, object storage outperforms competing storage architectures. One reason is that object storage avoids the overhead associated with traditional file systems. Instead, it can be accessed through an API with minimal overhead.

Additionally, object storage generally performs well because it is optimized for high-throughput environments and for handling large objects.

Considerations for implementing object storage

There are several key factors to consider before implementing object storage.

Key features to look for

There is a long list of features to look for when adopting object storage.

1. Compatibility: Make sure the object storage is compatible with your workload, especially at the API level.

2. Bucket support: Check if the object storage product supports buckets. Buckets allow the creation of separate object storage pools that can be accessed through separate URLs.

3. Custom attributes: Your object storage product should support custom attributes for the objects you create. In addition, you should be able to apply automated policies to manage storage efficiently.

4. Multi-tier: Your object storage must support different tiers. This way, you can match the appropriate storage tier to your performance needs and cost requirements for each workload.

Considerations for transitioning to object storage

If you plan to migrate existing workloads to object storage, consider the following:

1. Migration process: Plan the migration process carefully, especially if a large amount of data needs to be moved. You also need to ensure that no corruption occurs during the migration process.

2. Performance: After moving a workload to object storage, its performance should be at least as good as before the migration, or even better.

3. Cost: While object storage generally offers low costs per GB of storage, some storage tiers will inevitably be more expensive than others. Cloud computing providers may charge fees for accessing your data or moving it out of their cloud.

4. Security and compliance: Object storage products should meet your security and compliance needs. Most cloud providers provide the necessary tools, but you are responsible for enabling and properly configuring them.

Future-oriented IT infrastructure and object storage technology

Object storage is a good choice for organizations that want to future-proof their IT infrastructure. It can handle exponential data growth and easily adapt to a variety of workloads.

Keep up with the evolving cloud computing trends

Adopting object storage enables you to align with cloud computing developments. Many cloud providers use object storage as the underlying architecture for the latest cloud-based workloads, including artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML), data lakes, microservices, and serverless computing.

Compatibility with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning

Object storage is well suited for use cases involving large amounts of data. Modern AI and machine learning techniques require large amounts of data for training. Object storage accommodates this volume of data and provides performance characteristics that reduce the time required to train AI models.

FAQ

Q: What makes object storage ideal for cloud-based infrastructure?

A: There are several factors that make object storage a good fit for cloud-based infrastructure. One of the most important is how easily cloud service providers can integrate object storage into the cloud computing environment you create. Other advantages include unlimited scalability and easy replication across regions or availability zones.

Q: How does object storage facilitate better data management?

A: Object storage improves data management in several ways. First, it helps create data management policies for versioning, archiving, or lifecycle management. In addition, object storage supports custom attributes, making data easier to search.

Q: Can object storage improve security and compliance measures?

A: Although each storage vendor and cloud provider implements object storage differently, adopting object storage can enhance security and compliance. Most object storage products support features such as encryption and granular permissions. In addition, products often include comprehensive auditing capabilities that help meet regulatory compliance requirements. Cloud computing providers also simplify compliance with data sovereignty and residency requirements and often guarantee that their object storage products meet various regulatory standards.

Q: What are the barriers to migrating to object storage?

A: During the migration to object storage, you may encounter some challenges. For example, the migration process may be complex, especially when dealing with large amounts of data or ensuring data integrity. Performance issues, such as latency or bandwidth saturation, may also occur. In addition, switching to object storage may increase storage costs, and there may be security or compliance issues that need to be addressed.