What is File Storage?

File storage in the cloud provides a shared file system that can be accessed concurrently by multiple compute instances, much like a traditional network-attached storage (NAS) device.

It's ideal for workloads that require shared access to files and adhere to standard file-level protocols.

Definition:

• File storage organizes data in a hierarchical structure of files and folders, similar to how data is stored on your local computer or a traditional network file share.
• In the cloud, this storage is typically presented as a network file system (NFS for Linux, SMB/CIFS for Windows) that multiple cloud compute instances can mount and access simultaneously.

__

How It Works & Core Attributes:

• Shared Access: Unlike block storage, which is attached to a single instance, file storage allows multiple instances to read and write to the same file system concurrently.
• Hierarchical Structure: Data is organized into directories, subdirectories, and files, making it intuitive for human users and applications that expect a traditional file system.
• Standard File Protocols: Accessed using common file-sharing protocols like Network File System (NFS) for Linux-based systems and Server Message Block (SMB/CIFS) for Windows-based systems.
• Scalable & Highly Available: Cloud file storage solutions are designed to scale in capacity and performance, and often provide high availability through replication across multiple zones.
• Managed Service: The cloud provider manages the underlying storage servers, networking, and file system software, reducing your operational burden.
• Consistency: Provides strong data consistency, ensuring that all connected clients see the most up-to-date version of a file.

__

Analogy: A Shared Office Filing Cabinet Imagine an office where multiple colleagues need to collaborate on documents.

The Filing Cabinet (File Storage):

• This is a central, shared filing cabinet that everyone in the office can access.
• It has drawers (folders) and individual files within them.

Colleagues (Compute Instances):

• Each colleague (your virtual machines or servers) can open the cabinet, navigate through the folders, and work on files.
• Multiple people can access files from the same cabinet simultaneously, and everyone sees the same, most current version of the documents.

Office Manager (Cloud Provider):

• The office manager ensures the cabinet is always accessible, well-maintained, and that there's enough space for new files.
• You just use the files; you don't manage the cabinet itself.

__

Common Applications:

• Shared Application Data: Providing a common storage location for applications that need to share files across multiple servers (e.g., content management systems, web server content).
• Enterprise Applications: Supporting traditional enterprise applications that rely on shared file systems.
• Home Directories: Storing user home directories for large user bases in virtual desktop environments or shared computing environments.
• Media Processing Workflows: Storing large media files (video, audio) that need to be accessed and processed by multiple compute instances.
• Development Environments: Providing shared code repositories or build artifacts for development teams.
• Lift-and-Shift Migrations: When migrating on-premises applications that depend on network file shares to the cloud.

__

Quick Note: The "Shared Drive" of the Cloud

• File storage is your "shared drive" in the cloud.
• It's the ideal choice when multiple compute instances need concurrent, low-latency access to a shared file system, making it perfect for traditional enterprise applications.