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Managing data with an object storage system

Last updated:July 2013

Editor's note

managing data An object storage system handles data differently than a traditional file system, and with more and more companies needing to store large amounts of data, using an object storage system is becoming a popular option.

Unlike file systems, object storage is unstructured, which means files are stored alongside each other in a storage pool rather than in a hierarchy. In addition, the metadata that characterizes object storage is far more detailed than in a file system. Servers use unique identifiers to find objects, allowing them to be retrieved without knowledge of their physical location. This makes the use of an object storage system particularly beneficial to environments with large amounts of data or to those using cloud storage. Key benefits of an object storage system include greater scalability and improved manageability.

This guide was created to give users a complete understanding of object-based storage systems. It details what object storage is, how it is accessed, benefits of the technology and how it can be used to enhance cloud storage.

1Object storage tames data

IT administrators who manage large data sets are often faced with problems such as scalability and performance when using a file system. Using an object storage system can remedy many of the issues a file system presents. The material below will walk you through some of the best uses for an object storage system and explain how it can help common problems.

2An object storage system's place in the cloud

More and more data is being moved to the cloud these days, often because of growing capacity needs. Features of object storage, such as its detailed metadata, make information easier to manage in a cloud environment than in a traditional file system. To learn more about how an object storage system can be used in the cloud, look at the links below.