A computer can be used for many things. It helps create documents, presentations, videos, images, etc. among many other purposes. Computers have become a staple in every household over the years. Everyone from kids to professionals can use a computer.
One of the main functions of a computer is to store data. Computers around the world have become more efficient when we talk about data storage. Data storage is one of the most important elements of a computer device. Data can be stored in many forms. One of the most effective ways to store data is with the help of a high-performance Object storage solution.
What is Object Storage?
So, you might ask a question, “what is object storage”. In simple words, object-based storage, also known as object storage, is a strategy that manipulates and manages data storage as distinct units. These units are known as objects. Object storage merges pieces of data that make up a file, attaches a custom identifier, and combines all its relevant metadata to that file.
Object storage solution eliminates the categorized file structure used in file storage; instead, it places everything into a flat address space. This space is known as a storage pool. It helps to add comprehensive metadata to the file. Metadata provides a deep analysis of the function and use of the data in the storage pool. This metadata is vital for the success of object storage.
Difference between Object Storage, Block Storage, and File Storage
Here are some key differences between object storage, block storage, and file storage-
- In object storage, data is kept in a separate storehouse rather than in files and folders. It is combined with an associated database and a unique identifier. This helps to create a storage pool. Object storage takes each piece of data and selects it as an object.
- In block storage, a file is picked apart into singular blocks of data. These blocks are then stored as separate pieces of data. The data is not required to be stored in a file structure as each piece of data has a different address.
- File storage, also known as hierarchy storage, stores data as a single piece of information in a folder. This helps to organize multiple other data. The computer system needs to know the path to find the file to access the data.
Advantages of Object Storage
Following are the advantages of object storage-
1. Scale-out architecture
Object storage provides a unique opportunity for its users to start small and grow. A simple scaling model is considered to be the best In enterprise storage. Scale-out storage is one the easiest and simple storage out in the market. It allows users to add another node to the pile. HyperStore is an S3-compatible storage system. To store files on HyperStore, users have to employ a connector named HyperFile.
2. Simplicity
Object storage technology requires minimal efforts for ongoing maintenance and is very easy to use and implement. Operations like healing, tuning, and clustering is fully automated in objective storage.
3. Flexible data protection options
Most of the traditional storage options use fixed RAID groups (which are groups of hard drives joined together). It Is often used in combination with data replication to protect against data loss.
The user cannot adjust the level of data protection to suit different data types because these solutions generally lead to one-size-fits-all data protection.
Object storage solutions use a flexible tool known as erasure coding. In some ways, erasure coding is similar to RAID, but it is much more flexible. Data protection is both more efficient and robust between configurable replication and erasure coding. In erasure coding, data is distributed across multiple nodes or drives to provide maximum protection to that data type.
4. Customizable Metadata
The information is limited and basic (date/time updated, date/time created, owner, etc.) in file systems that have metadata. Object storage enables users to add and customize as many metadata tags they wish to help locate the object later.
For example, a blood report can have information about a person’s name, address, gender, blood type, etc.
5. High sequential throughput performance
Object storage can provide High Sequential Throughput Performance, which is very useful to stream large files. It also helps to eliminate network limitations. The storage system also boosts usable bandwidth as files can be streamed in parallel over multiple pipes.
What is Cloud Object Storage?
Cloud object storage is a format that is used for storing unstructured data in the cloud. Due to its flexibility, elasticity, and ability to store multiple petabytes, cloud object storage is considered one of the best fits for the cloud. Along with the metadata, object storage can be accessed with the help of application program interfaces (APIs), HTTPS, and HTTP.
Famous Cloud Object Vendors
Here is the list of some famous cloud object vendors–
- Caringo Swarm
- Amazon Simple Storage Service
- IBM Cloud Object Storage
- OpenStack Swift open source object storage system
- Cloudian HyperStore
- EMC Elastic Cloud Storage
- Dell
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise Scalable Object Storage based on the Scality Ring software-defined storage platform
- Hitachi Vantara’s Hitachi Content Platform
Pros and Cons of Cloud Object Storage
Here is the pros and cons of cloud object storage:
Pros
- It makes data more resilient to hardware or failures.
- It’s cheaper compared to traditional storage systems.
- It eliminates the complexity and scalability challenges.
- It has in-built data protection in its architecture.
Cons
- Cloud objective storage solutions technology is not always suited for applications with high-performance demands. It does not handle applications and environments with high transitional rates that well.
- It is not consistent enough for real-time systems.
- Don’t give a guarantee that a read request will return the most recent data version.
Conclusion
Objective storage is one of the best storage systems that are available to users. It is one of the most versatile and flexible storage systems. It has some strong points, but improvements can be made to make it even more efficient. With the rapid advancement in technology, it will be interesting to see how much objective storage can be improved.
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