Storage 101

Storage can be broadly classified into 3 categories

Block Storage

Low-Level Storage: Data is stored in fixed-sized blocks, each with a unique identifier.
Raw Storage: Provides raw storage volumes that can be partitioned, formatted, and mounted as individual drives.
High Performance: Often used for high-performance applications due to low latency and high I/O throughput.

High Performance: Suitable for performance-sensitive applications like databases and virtual machines.
Flexibility: Can be used to create file systems or databases by the operating system or applications.
Reliability: Often comes with features like replication and snapshots for data protection.

Databases: High-performance databases like SQL or NoSQL databases.
Virtual Machines: Storage for virtual machines in cloud environments.
Transactional Applications: Applications requiring fast and consistent I/O operations.

Hierarchical Structure: Data is stored in files organized into directories and subdirectories.
File System Interface: Accessed using standard file system protocols like NFS (Network File System), SMB (Server Message Block), or CIFS (Common Internet File System).
Ease of Use: Simple to use and manage, ideal for storing and sharing documents and other file-based data.

User-Friendly: Easy to navigate and manage using familiar file system operations.
Compatibility: Compatible with many applications and operating systems.
Shared Access: Supports concurrent access and sharing among multiple users and applications.

Document Storage: Storing and sharing documents, images, videos, and other file types.
Home Directories: User home directories in enterprise environments.
Media Workflows: Collaborative workflows in media and entertainment.

Flat Structure: Data is stored as objects in a flat namespace, each with a unique identifier (key).
Metadata-Rich: Each object can have extensive metadata for better management and retrieval.
Scalability: Highly scalable, capable of storing vast amounts of unstructured data.

Scalability: Easily scales to store petabytes and beyond.
Durability: Designed for high durability with multiple copies of data stored across different locations.
Cost-Effective: Typically offers lower cost per gigabyte compared to block and file storage.

Backup and Archiving: Long-term storage for backups, archives, and compliance data.
Big Data: Storage for big data analytics and machine learning datasets.
Content Delivery: Storage for static content like images, videos, and static websites.

Feature	Block Storage	File Storage	Object Storage
Structure	Blocks	Files and directories	Objects with metadata
Interface	Raw device access	File system protocols (NFS, SMB)	RESTful APIs
Performance	High	Moderate	Variable (depends on usage)
Scalability	Moderate	Moderate	Very high
Use Cases	Databases, VMs, transactional apps	Document storage, home directories, media workflows	Backup, archiving, big data, content delivery
Examples	Amazon EBS, Google Persistent Disk, Azure Disk Storage	Amazon EFS, Google Filestore, Azure Files	Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, Azure Blob Storage

Block Storage: Choose block storage for high-performance requirements such as databases and VMs where low latency and high IOPS are critical.
File Storage: Choose file storage for scenarios where you need to share files across multiple users and applications, or where the hierarchical structure is beneficial.
Object Storage: Choose object storage for highly scalable and durable storage needs, especially for unstructured data, backups, and big data applications.