S3 Compatible Storage: Everything You Need to Know
The amount of data we create is constantly growing: it’s more than doubled since 2020, and is set to reach a projected 149 zettabytes in 2024. With so much data and so many different types of storage, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by what’s being stored where, and how.
In this guide, we’ll zoom in on S3-compatible storage and cover all its features, benefits, and use cases. Let’s jump right in.
What Is S3 Compatible Storage?
S3 Compatible Storage is a type of storage that uses an S3-compliant interface to manage and grant access to data. S3-compatible simply means that the storage uses the S3 API as a form of ‘communication’. Any application using the S3 API should work seamlessly with S3-compatible storage.
What’s S3, you ask? S3 stands for Simple Storage Service, the most popular public cloud object storage service, provided by Amazon Web Services. While the S3 API was originally created for Amazon S3 Simple Storage Service, it’s become widely adopted and is now the de-facto object storage API when storing unstructured data in the cloud.
Key Attributes of S3 Compatible Storage
Using S3-compatible storage makes key attributes of Amazon Web Services’ S3 service available, even when using a different storage provider. These include:
- Scalability: It’s designed to scale automatically as the number of objects within the S3 bucket increases.
- Geo-distribution: Storage systems can be run across multiple locations, enhancing flexibility.
- Cost-efficiency: Only pay for what you use, making storage costs relatively predictable.
- Reliable data transport: The only type of storage invented since the arrival of the internet, S3 is specifically designed to consider the needs of internet infrastructure. It can, therefore, handle huge volumes of data.
Benefits of S3 Compatible Storage
S3-compatible storage is beneficial for a number of reasons. Here are just a few:
- Easy migration: It massively simplifies transferring data between providers.
- Reduced vendor lock-in: It gives you the opportunity to work with multiple providers, create multiple backups with different providers, or pivot between different cloud providers if required.
- Cost savings: Greater freedom of choice when it comes to vendors gives organizations greater control over costs like egress fees and other infrastructure costs.
- Simple data retrieval: If you’re using any existing tools or applications that are compatible with S3, there’s no need for any extra functionalities or required to get started using S3-compatible storage.
Common Use Cases for S3 Compatible Storage
The benefits of S3-compatible storage listed above make it particularly suitable for the following use cases:
Big Data and Analytics
The scalability and low cost of S3-compatible object storage makes it ideal for very large amounts of raw data: think log files, machine learning training sets, or sensor data from millions of different devices. Efficient search functionality makes it easy to sift through huge quantities of even unstructured data.
Content Distribution/Hosting
A global network of edge locations significantly reduces latency and boosts user experience when distributing content, like, for example, static websites. Scalability helps once again by preventing performance degradation, even during large traffic spikes.
Backups for Ransomware Recovery
The durability of S3-compatible storage means it’s ideal for storing (and recovering) backups in case of a disaster, ransomware attack, or other cause of storage loss.
Software/Object Distribution
The same global network of edge locations that simplifies content distribution also makes S3-compatible storage ideal for distributing digital assets like software and firmware quickly and efficiently, no matter where individual users are based.
Audio/Video Backups
Large assets like audio and video are well suited to S3-compatible storage, as S3 scales easily and provides low latency for users.
Cloud and On-Premises S3 Compatible Storage
Cloud-based S3-compatible storage is cloud storage that is compatible with Amazon S3 Object Storage, meaning it offers all the benefits of S3-compatible storage above. Based in the cloud, it's subject to all the benefits of any other cloud-based storage solution, but also all the drawbacks—from spiraling costs to high latency and potential security issues.
On-premises S3-compatible storage combines the benefits of on-premises storage with those of S3-compatible storage. It’s a powerful combination that offers the following key benefits:
- Lower latency: Latency is significantly reduced as data does not need to be transmitted over the internet.
- Increased security: Security and control access remains consistent, because data sits behind your own firewall. What’s more, on-premises storage allows individual organizations to decide on the specific level of security they need for their data.
- Reduced cost: On-premises storage solutions are significantly more cost-effective than monthly public cloud fees; what’s more, there are no ingress or egress fees.
- S3-native functionality: Fully native S3 capabilities mean you can interact with your data using the S3 API, just as you would in the cloud. Similarly, applications that work with S3 will function just as well in your data center as they do in the cloud.
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