What is IBM Cloud Object Storage used for?

IBM Cloud Object Storage is a managed, scalable object storage service on IBM Cloud with encryption, multi-zone resiliency, storage tiers and an S3-compatible API. It is a good fit for storing backups and archives in the cloud, and holding data for AI and analytics workloads.

Is IBM Cloud Object Storage free?

Yes. IBM Cloud Object Storage has a free plan.

Is IBM Cloud Object Storage open source?

No. IBM Cloud Object Storage is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to IBM Cloud Object Storage include RustFS, SeaweedFS and Ceph.

What are some alternatives to IBM Cloud Object Storage?

IBM Cloud Object Storage competes with Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage and Azure Blob Storage. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source IBM Cloud Object Storage alternatives.

IBM Cloud Object Storage: features, pricing and alternatives

About IBM Cloud Object Storage

IBM Cloud Object Storage is a managed data service on IBM Cloud that stores data in any format as objects, offered as an alternative to block and file storage. It is integrated with the IBM Cloud ecosystem and exposes an S3-compatible API.

The service provides built-in encryption, role-based policies and access permissions, and encryption key management for security. Customers can pick a resiliency option, including multi-zone and cross-region configurations, and use flexible storage tiers to manage cost. Capacity expands and contracts as needed, and billing follows usage. IBM positions it for AI, data lakehouses, cloud-native apps, media, backup and archives.

It is a hosted IBM Cloud service with a free trial offer and a pricing tab. One pricing option is an all-inclusive One Rate plan with a predictable monthly rate for new workloads.

Key features

Object storage for any data format
S3-compatible API
Built-in encryption and key management
Role-based access policies
Multi-zone and cross-region resiliency
Flexible storage tiers for cost control

Good fit for

→Storing backups and archives in the cloud
→Holding data for AI and analytics workloads

Tags: object-storage; ibm-cloud; s3-compatible; cloud-storage; archive; backup; data-lake

IBM Cloud Object Storage: questions and answers

What is IBM Cloud Object Storage used for?: IBM Cloud Object Storage is a managed, scalable object storage service on IBM Cloud with encryption, multi-zone resiliency, storage tiers and an S3-compatible API. It is a good fit for storing backups and archives in the cloud, and holding data for AI and analytics workloads.
Is IBM Cloud Object Storage free?: Yes. IBM Cloud Object Storage has a free plan.
Is IBM Cloud Object Storage open source?: No. IBM Cloud Object Storage is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to IBM Cloud Object Storage include RustFS, SeaweedFS and Ceph.
What are some alternatives to IBM Cloud Object Storage?: IBM Cloud Object Storage competes with Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage and Azure Blob Storage. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source IBM Cloud Object Storage alternatives.