Blog/Article
Types of cloud storage and how cloud storage works
There’s no way around optimizing data management strategies. Every company thriving in the digital world must know how to handle its data, and bare metal dedicated servers can be especially helpful when it comes to storage as well.
Summary
As you probably know, there are three primary types of storage: object, file, and block. By the end of this article, you’ll know more about each of these storage types and how bare metal can make them work even better.
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Object Storage
Object storage organizes data into discrete units, each comprising the data itself, metadata, and a unique identifier.
Scaling this kind of storage is easy, and it’s particularly useful for managing unstructured data (such as videos, images, and backups). Whenever you have files that don’t necessarily need to belong in a folder hierarchy, object storage is the way to go. A good example of this would be Dropbox.
A standout feature of object storage is its scalability, letting it handle massive amounts of data with ease, which is perfect for cloud-based environments. Each object’s rich metadata also adds advanced data retrieval and management options.
To top it off, object storage systems often replicate data across multiple locations, ensuring high availability and resilience against data loss.
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When it comes to use cases, object storage is spot-on for media libraries and content delivery networks, where large media files need fast access and delivery across global networks.
It’s also great for backup and archival solutions, thanks to its ability to store huge volumes of unstructured data, making it ideal for keeping historical records.
And in big data analytics, object storage offers the scalability needed to manage massive datasets, supporting machine learning and data mining applications.
File Storage
File storage is probably the most common and easy-to-understand storage type on this list, especially for Windows users.
In file storage systems, data is organized in a traditional hierarchy of folders and files—essentially, folders within folders within folders—making it easy for people to locate specific files they need.
This kind of storage is highly intuitive and allows for more control than simple object storage. You can create organized sections where similar files are stored together, and it’s flexible enough for even more advanced organization methods.
One of the strengths of file storage systems is how they support collaboration. When co-workers, students, or companies have access to a shared server, anyone with the proper permissions can add, edit, or delete folders and files.
Google Drive is a great example, where users can collaborate in real time with easy access to shared documents.
File storage also handles structured data well, making it ideal for tasks that require organized content—like project documentation, research, or digital libraries. It’s suited for file types that often need editing, where preserving structure and version history is essential.
However, in theory, scalability can be a limitation. While it’s easy to organize smaller volumes of data, file storage systems can struggle as data grows.
For larger or unstructured data, other storage types like object or block storage (more on that in a sec) might be a better fit.
Block Storage
Block storage is the most unique among these storage systems. It divides data into fixed-sized blocks stored separately, which are accessible via a storage area network (SAN).
Think of each block as its own hard drive sector, making it ideal for applications requiring high performance and low latency. To better understand this concept, let’s use a metaphor.
Imagine a large wardrobe with many drawers, each dedicated to holding specific items. Each drawer represents a “block” of data, where clothes (or data) are stored separately.
You don’t have to open every drawer to find your socks—you know they’re in Drawer 3, for instance.
In the same way, block storage divides data into fixed-sized “blocks,” each with its own identifier, allowing you to retrieve only what you need.
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Just as each drawer is separate and doesn't rely on what’s stored in the others, each data block in block storage is independent.
This setup is great for high-performance needs: instead of sorting through an entire wardrobe (like a large file), you simply open one drawer (or block) and get exactly what you need.
So, just like a well-organized wardrobe lets you quickly access specific items without fuss, block storage provides fast and efficient data access, especially useful for applications that require low latency and high-speed data retrieval.
With its high performance, block storage offers rapid data access, which is suitable for I/O-intensive applications. Managing blocks independently also provides granular control and flexibility.
A few particularly good use cases for block storage include managing databases, transaction processing, and scientific simulations or complex calculations.
How Bare Metal Enhances File Storage
File storage is an essential component for organizations looking to optimize their data management strategies.
By leveraging bare metal servers, businesses can benefit from enhanced performance, customization, security, reliability, and long-term cost-effectiveness.
Bare metal servers enhance performance by providing dedicated resources, ensuring high speed and low latency for applications that rely on file storage.
This benefit proves essential in environments like video editing and production, where quick access facilitates smoother editing and rendering.
Businesses that require real-time data access for database systems also leverage bare metal to maintain high performance and improve user experience.
Bare metal also significantly enhances security by keeping resources separate from other tenants, which reduces the risk of data breaches. Advanced security measures, such as physical security and stringent access controls, protect sensitive files.
Financial institutions can host sensitive data on bare metal servers to minimize exposure risks, while healthcare providers value the privacy and protection of patient data stored in these environments.
Reliability and stability characterize bare metal solutions, which typically feature fewer points of failure than virtualized environments. This leads to improved uptime and ensures file storage systems remain accessible.
E-commerce platforms need consistent uptime during peak shopping seasons, making bare metal their preferred option. Industries requiring continuous availability, like telecommunications and utilities, also benefit from the reliability of bare metal servers.
Despite higher initial investments, bare metal proves cost-effective for organizations with significant file storage needs.
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Large enterprises managing extensive data libraries achieve long-term cost savings with bare metal, allowing for effective budgeting of IT resources. Startups with heavy data requirements can invest in scalable bare metal solutions, avoiding costly migrations and infrastructure changes as they grow.
This makes file storage an ideal solution for various applications, including collaborative work environments, data sharing, and content management systems.
In terms of performance, file storage strikes a balance between usability and efficiency.
It offers decent access speeds, making it suitable for scenarios where data organization is critical, such as managing media files, project documents, and shared resources.
Unlike object storage, which may have slower access times due to its web-based protocols, file storage allows users to easily navigate a traditional folder hierarchy, making it intuitive for teams and individuals alike.
While file storage can involve higher costs—especially for solutions requiring high availability and redundancy—the investment is often justified by its ability to streamline workflows and facilitate collaboration.
As organizations assess their data needs, they should consider file storage as a flexible and user-friendly option that adapts to evolving requirements.
In summary, file storage, particularly when combined with the power of bare metal, serves as an effective solution for businesses needing reliable and organized data management. Its scalability, decent performance, and ease of use make it well-suited for collaborative and data-intensive applications.
Filesystem with Latitude.sh
At Latitude.sh, our Filesystem storage solution delivers high-performance, persistent storage designed specifically for containers and bare metal servers.
This scalable solution ensures your data is retained across reboots, making it ideal for workloads that require long-term data management and flexibility.
With the power of bare metal, your filesystem storage can be optimized for maximum performance, as dedicated resources eliminate the overhead found in shared environments.
This means your applications can access data faster and more efficiently.
Creating a filesystem is a straightforward process. After logging into the Latitude.sh dashboard, you can navigate to the “Storage” section and click the "Create Filesystem" button. Simply specify the name of your filesystem, and you're ready to go.
When it comes to attaching the storage to a bare metal server, the process is seamless. Just go to the Bare Metal section in the dashboard, connect to your server, and copy the provided code.
After logging in via SSH, paste the code and specify the directory where you want the filesystem mounted. By default, only root and storage-users have write access, but you can easily grant others access using the appropriate commands.
If you’re looking to attach storage to a container, you can do this by navigating to the Serverless section and deploying your container.
Here, you can provide the container's name, specify the image and tag, and choose an existing filesystem from the dropdown or create a new storage volume. Once you set the app destination and storage origin, you’re all set to deploy.
Our pricing is competitive, set at $0.12 per GB based on provisioned capacity. By leveraging bare metal's dedicated resources alongside our optimized filesystem storage, you can achieve unparalleled performance for your data-intensive applications.
Discover how Latitude.sh can transform your data management experience with high-performance filesystem storage tailored for bare metal servers. Let us handle the infrastructure so you can focus on what you do best.
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