The conventional method of arranging stored information by using a hierarchical structure or by placing files within files is slowly being replaced by object storage. Although, a proper definition of object storage may be difficult to arrive at, it would be sufficient to know that objects or information is placed in a flat pool for a number of benefits.

Highlights Of Object Storage

As mentioned earlier, object storage can have several perspectives depending upon the user’s objectives. Any storage system can be designed as object storage to a desired extent in order to leverage particular features of this method of storage. 

Object storage reduces complexity and achieves grater scalability by managing objects rather than files as observed in traditional storage methods. Instead of using a file path, object storage leverages a specially developed identifier for addressing objects.

The new storage technology of block storage may sound like a me-too storage solution because there are many types of storage methods out there. In terms of maturity, file storage as well as block storage have stood the test of time. Ideally, these could have been developed to improve cloud compatibility.

Object storage can be perceived differently by individuals as there is no clear-cut description of the same. It would be much easier to fathom the object storage system by looking at various essential attributes of the new method of storage. As the name itself clarifies, this system is designed to manage objects by leveraging a unique identifier system.

By storing objects is an address space that has flat structure, object storage enhances simplicity as well as scalability. Users can easily overcome roadblocks of file systems that are routinely adopted for catering to file based storage systems. The metadata in the object is designed to provide reference information in relation with the concerned object.

Objects are actually storage spaces for fixed content, meaning that it is possible to create these objects. This attribute frees the storage system from hassles of multi-user accessibility as these are common in traditional file based systems. Since users have freedom to store objects on multiple nodes, the system enhances redundancy. It is significant to note that such scalability can be limited to a particular data center or can even be extended across a large geographical area.

Striking Benefits Of Object Storage

Object storage can certainly benefit medium and large sized organizations by improving the storage without any significant increase in operating costs. Adoption of an object based system will help storage of huge data volumes without any hassles because of the simplicity of such system. Moreover, adoption of a private cloud infrastructure will further help reduce operating costs. Object storage is designed to simplify management of large amounts of data.

Data recovery or retrieval can be accelerated by adoption of object storage because every single object is designed to possess individual identification that includes an ID number as well as metadata. Retrieval of data can be extremely easier and quicker as compared to traditional storage methods due to ID numbers for prompt identification.
 
Implementation of individual data preservation policies can be performed without any restrictions in object storage system. Unlike conventional storage systems, metadata can be leveraged to define policies for retention, preservation, and deletion of data due to absence of restrictions.
 
Organizations can gain instant scalability by adopting object storage because it is significantly compatible with cloud computing. Object storage is devoid of restrictions that are commonly faced while using block or file storage. Unlike hierarchical storage systems, object storage is devoid of issues while scaling. Object storage subsystem can easily go on adding nodes from the underlying network to facilitate scaling out.

With an object storage system, you can easily access files because of the flat structure. Such ease of accessibility is hardly observed in other types of storage systems.

Application Areas

If there is a constantly changing data such as information about transactions, object storage may not be feasible. This also applies to databases and since there is no facility of file sharing, object storage cannot be used as a replacement of NAS either.

Read more:- What is the difference between SAN & NAS Storage?

Whenever, you are looking for a rapidly scalable data storage resource for catering to sparingly updated data of unstructured type, object storage would be a right alternative. It can be ideally leveraged as an additional storage option for supporting data archival or storage of passive data.
 
Majority of industrial sectors including healthcare and entertainment industries find object storage to be of great value due to its data archival capabilities.

New Generation Storage Methods

Object storage is being built right from the word go by a plethora of organizations that are working as the object storage providers. Every single storage server offers storage as well as compute-power and allows linear scalability. Since object storage obviates need to adopt data retrieval or data recovery, companies need not worry about objectives of recovery time.
 
Conventional storage methods must be discarded to align storage objectives of organization with cloud adoption. This can only be possible by leveraging object storage that exhibits seamless compatibility with cloud hosting systems. Viability of cloud object storage is an important consideration while designing plans to achieve added scalability.