Download IBM Cloud Object Storage

What is IBM Cloud Object Storage IBM Cloud™ Object Storage makes it possible to store practically limitless amounts of data, simply and cost effectively. It is commonly used for data archiving and backup, for web and mobile applications, and as scalable, persistent storage for analytics. Flexible storage class tiers with a policy-based archive let you effectively manage costs while meeting data access needs. The integrated IBM Aspera® high-speed data transfer option makes it easy to transfer data to and from Cloud Object Storage, and query-in-place functionality allows you to run analytics directly on your data. CloudBerry Explorer is a freeware file manager for IBM Cloud Object Storage. It provides a user interface to IBM Cloud Object Storage accounts, files and containers allowing you to browse, create and delete files and containers. Try Now Learn More CloudBerry Backup for IBM Cloud Object Storage is a Windows program that automates encrypted and compressed data cloud backup. It comes with a user-friendly interface allowing data backup or restoration in a few simple steps. Try Now Learn More MSP360™ Managed Backup Service is designed for Managed Service Providers and Resellers. It allows MSPs, VARs and IT service companies to offer their clients fully branded and remotely managed cloud backup solutions powered by CloudBerry Backup software and IBM Cloud Object Storage secure cloud storage. Try Now Learn More CloudBerry Drive Desktop for IBM Cloud Object Storage is an application that allows users map IBM Cloud Object Storage account as a local disk. MSP360™ IBM Cloud Object Storage Drive comes with an easy installation and configuration process that seamlessly integrates cloud storage drive with the Windows environment. Try Now Learn More Not Sure Which Product Is Right for You? Contact our sales team

Is read-only. You cannot create or modify files in a RO-mode AFM to cloud object storage fileset. Objects in the cloud object storage bucket are presented in the AFM fileset and can be downloaded on access or using the AFM prefetch command.Local updates (LU): This mode is like the RO-mode, although you can create and modify objects in an AFM to cloud object storage fileset. Updates in the AFM to cloud object storage fileset are considered local to the AFM to cloud object storage fileset and get decoupled from the corresponding object on a cloud object storage. Local updates are never pushed back to a cloud object storage.The operation mode determines whether the metadata of objects stored in the cloud object storage bucket are automatically synchronized with the AFM to cloud object storage fileset. One of the following operation modes can be configured per AFM fileset:ObjectFS mode: In this mode, an AFM to cloud object storage fileset is synchronized with a cloud object storage bucket. AFM to cloud object storage filesets configured in RO, LU, or IW modes synchronize metadata to and from a cloud object storage. For example, if the directory in the AFM to cloud object storage fileset is read then the object metadata is synchronized from the cloud object storage bucket. Object data is downloaded when the associated file is accessed or by using the AFM prefetch command.ObjectOnly mode: In this mode, refresh of an AFM to cloud object storage fileset (AFM RO, LU, and IW mode fileset) with a cloud object storage will not be on-demand or frequent. You need to manually download data or metadata from the cloud object storage to the AFM to cloud object storage fileset. Data transfer from the AFM to cloud object storage fileset to the cloud object storage works automatically without manual intervention.Are you stressed by the complexity? Don’t worry, an AFM to cloud object storage fileset can have only one connection and one operation mode and depending on the use case the appropriate mode is selected.Use casesIn this section we describe some use cases enabling global sharing and collaboration in a hybrid cloud environment. The commands given are examples and must adjusted for your real use case.Global sharingIn this use case we want to share files from one IBM Spectrum Scale cluster with other IBM Spectrum Scale clusters in different locations and perhaps geographies. The files are produced in on IBM Spectrum Scale cluster (cluster 1) and made available to all other clusters (cluster 2 and cluster 3). Because all workloads are performed on a file level it is important to keep the ACL and extended attributes in sync in all clusters. We use an IBM Cloud Object Storage bucket for data sharing. Figure 1 provides an overview of the solution: Figure 1: Architecture for hybrid cloud global sharing solution The cloud object storage bucket (sharedBucket) has already been created and the following access information is available:Endpoint: name: sharedBucketAccessKey: key1234567890SecretKey: key0987654321This information must be configured on all clusters using

(file, image, etc.) in the bucket with a few clicks. We did this to make it easier to set anonymous access at the bucket level, rather than at the object level, and configure the bucket in CDN/CIS to make content available through the cloud. IBM Cloud Object Storage helps you in the following ways: Enjoy infinite storage capacity because COS buckets automatically scale to suit your needsReduce your costs and save time by not having to manage or scale your storage systemsImprove performance as static content is offloaded to COS through reduced size and storage volumes required on your application server Learn more about the Cloud Internet Services and Content Delivery Network (CDN) integration with IBM Cloud Object Storage and how you can easily deliver your content from Cloud Object Storage buckets.ResourcesIBM Cloud Object Storage (COS)IBM Cloud Internet Services (CIS)IBM Cloud Content Delivery Network (CDN)Object Storage: A Complete GuideContent Delivery Networks: A Complete Guide Program Director, OM, Cloud Object Storage Engineering Manager, IBM Cloud CDN

AbstractObject Storage is the primary storage solution that is used in the cloud and on-premises solutions as a central storage platform for unstructured data. Object Storage is growing more popular for the following reasons:It is designed for exabyte scale. It is easy to manage and yet meets the growing demands of enterprises for a broad set of applications and workloads.It allows users to balance storage cost, location, and compliance control requirements across data sets and essential applications.IBM® Cloud Object Storage (IBM COS) system provides industry-leading flexibility that enables your organization to handle unpredictable but always changing needs of business and evolving workloads.IBM COS system is a software-defined storage solution that is hardware aware. This awareness allows IBM COS to be an enterprise-grade storage solution that is highly available and reliable and uses commodity x86 servers. IBM COS takes full advantage of this hardware awareness by ensuring that the server performs optimally from a monitoring, management, and performance perspective. The target audience for this IBM Redpaper publication is IBM COS architects, IT specialists, and technologists.Table of ContentsDifferences between block, file, and object storageUse cases for Object StorageFlexible deployment options of IBM Cloud Object StorageIBM Cloud Object Storage architectureIBM Cloud Object Storage read and write operationsFeatures and functionality Others who read this also read

By Nils Haustein and Kedar KarmarkarIBM Spectrum Scale version 5.1 introduced an enhancement for the Active File Management function (AFM) allowing to connect to cloud object storage. Customers use data objects stored in cloud object storage buckets to run workloads such as mobile applications, backup and restore, enterprise applications, and big data analytics. AFM to cloud object storage can be used to accelerate these workloads for faster computation while the file and object data is synchronized between the AFM fileset and the cloud object storage.With this new AFM to cloud object storage function, IBM Spectrum Scale is well positioned for hybrid cloud data solutions. In this blog article we give you a brief overview of this new function and highlight some practical use cases.Introduction to AFM to cloud object storageThe AFM to cloud object storage enables sharing of files with cloud object storage and caching of objects from cloud object storage as files in the AFM to cloud object storage fileset. This combination of file and object storage combines the advantages of both: Cloud object services such as Amazon S3 and IBM Cloud® Object Storage offer industry-leading scalability, global data availability and security. IBM Spectrum Scale AFM to cloud object storage filesets provide leading performance and scalability, especially for AI and big data workloads.Some AFM basicsThe AFM to cloud object storage allows associating an IBM Spectrum Scale fileset with a cloud object storage bucket. The connection between the AFM to cloud object storage fileset and the object storage bucket is established over secure TLS connection, with valid object storage bucket credentials and optional certificate verification. Once an empty AFM to cloud object storage fileset is initially connected to the cloud object storage bucket, all objects residing in the bucket are presented as files in the AFM to cloud object storage fileset. The state of a file in an AFM to cloud object storage fileset can be cached or un-cached. An un-cached file is an empty shell representing the object. It is constructed from object metadata. After the initial connection to the cloud object storage bucket, all files in the AFM to cloud object storage fileset are in un-cached state. When an un-cached file is accessed by the user or prefetched using the AFM prefetch command, then the object data is synchronously downloaded and stored in the file. The file state changes to cached. A cached file is a copy of the associated object in the cloud object storage bucket. The object naming structure in the cloud object storage bucket is reflected in the associated AFM to cloud object storage fileset. When a file is modified or changed in the AFM to cloud object storage fileset then the file is marked as “dirty”. Depending on the configured AFM connection and operation mode, dirty files are asynchronously uploaded to the cloud object storage bucket. The path and file names of files stored in an AFM to cloud object storage fileset are reflected in the object name of the associated object in the

Cloud object storage bucket. An AFM to cloud object storage fileset can be configured to synchronize access control lists (ACL) and extended attributes of files with the cloud object storage bucket. These attributes are stored in the associated object metadata. Furthermore, an AFM to cloud object storage fileset can also be configured with quota in terms of the number of files and directories or the usable capacity. The IBM Spectrum Scale AFM function is designed for unreliable networks. This means if the network connection between the AFM to object storage fileset and the cloud object storage bucket is not operational, the files in the AFM fileset are still visible and files in cached state are accessible. Files in un-cached state cannot be accessed until the network connection is re-established. Once AFM can connect to the cloud object storage bucket, files in dirty state are uploaded automatically and un-cached files can be accessed again.AFM connection and operation modesThe AFM connection mode decides if objects updated in the cloud object storage bucket are presented in the AFM to cloud object storage fileset and if files that are modified in the AFM to cloud object storage fileset are uploaded to the cloud object storage bucket. An AFM to cloud object storage fileset can be configured in one of the following connection modes:Single writer (SW): In this mode, only one AFM to cloud object storage fileset does all the writing and this fileset does not check the associated cloud object storage bucket for object updates. After establishing a SW-mode AFM to cloud object storage fileset, pre-existing objects in the cloud object storage bucket are presented as files in the AFM fileset (in un-cached state). The associated data can be downloaded either on access or with the AFM prefetch command. Changed and modified files are uploaded to the cloud object storage bucket. Objects written to the cloud object storage bucket by other applications or AFM filesets are not cached in the SW-mode fileset.Independent writer (IW): This mode allows multiple AFM to cloud object storage filesets to point to the same cloud object storage bucket. Multiple AFM to cloud object storage filesets can be on the same IBM Spectrum Scale cluster or on a different cluster. All objects in the cloud object storage bucket are presented in all AFM filesets. Each AFM to cloud object storage fileset can download objects from the cloud object storage bucket. Flies that are modified or changed files in an IW-mode AFM to cloud object storage fileset are asynchronously uploaded to the to cloud object storage bucket. There is no synchronous locking between multiple AFM to cloud object storage file sets while updating objects in a cloud object storage bucket. If the same file is updated in multiple AFM to cloud object storage filesets independently, conflicting updates from multiple AFM to cloud object storage sites can cause the data on the cloud object storage site to be undeterminedRead-only (RO): In this mode, data in the AFM to cloud object storage fileset