Object Storage: What is object storage?

Object Storage is a data storage architecture in which the data is stored in the form of objects and not files or blocks. Also known as object -based storage, this system is widely used in professional environments. Many cloud service providers offer this type of modern storage in their portfolio.

What is the object storage?

While the File Storage consists of complete data and block storage In a division of the files in blocks of equal sizes, with the object storage, the data is secured as objects. An object can be seen as a package containing the data, metadata and a unique identifier (ID). This ID allows a flat structure. With object -based storage, rather than being organized in complex file structures, the data is found next to the other. The storage support in question (local or remote) is only of secondary importance.

Unlike classic file backup, metadata Object storage can be freely selected. Thus, rather than being able to enter only information concerning the name, the creation date, the type of file or other similar information, it is possible to assign individual metadata to each file. We can thus integrate information from the associated application or add user data.

Access to data, or communication with the storage support, is done by HTTP or HTTPS and via a REST or S3 API. This facilitates the interaction between the customer and the object storage via simple protocols. Storage is thus handling with a limited number of orders:

• PUT : generate an object
• GET : bed an object
• DELETE : remove an object
• LIST : List all objects

Object storage is now the standard for Native cloud applicationsin particular for IA workloads, the data mining (MEGADONNED analysis), for backup solutions and archiving, as well as in content diffusion networks (CDN). Among the known services that use object storage, we can cite Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage and Azure Blob Storage.

Advantages and disadvantages of storage based on objects

The object storage stands out for several advantages: to start, its flat structure allows a quick access. Rather than asking you to choose the storage space yourself, this step is managed automatically by the system. The user is unable to see where the object has actually been placed. This is not, however, because the object can be found and consulted directly via its Unique. Consequently, object storage is particularly suitable for a public cloud. The storage space is therefore ideally used.

The flat structure also makes the object storage highly scalable. When more resources are needed, just add a new storage node. Another asset lies in the richness of metadata, which users can define freely. This allows a much further analysis than with other storage methods, especially in the fields related to artificial intelligence. Modern object storage systems often incorporate automatic metadata extraction tools as well as AI assisted research functions. These technologies make it possible to automatically identify content and enrich them with intelligent metadata.

Object storage does not, however, shine particularly in terms of performance. Admittedly, the data is quickly found, but the modification of objects is rather tedious. Rather than being able to modify them directly, it is necessary to generate a new object each time. The object storage is therefore certainly suitable for very large volumes of data, but especially if these are static. If changes are often made, object -based storage cannot fully take advantage of its advantages. Indeed, it is optimized for sequential writing and uncommon access.

Direct comparison: Object Storage VS File Storage VS Block Storage

What storage method is the best? It strongly depends on the objective. Whether in block, object or on file; Each storage method has its own characteristics and is therefore suitable for different tasks.