27_1: Overview

This document highlights the key differences between block storage and object storage, their characteristics, use cases, and examples in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). Understanding these storage types will help you choose the right solution for your application's specific needs

27_2: Block Storage (Structured)

Definition

Block storage divides data into fixed-sized blocks, each with a unique identifier. A file system (e.g., NTFS, ext4) organizes these blocks, and they are managed by block-level protocols such as iSCSI or Fibre Channel.

Characteristics

• Structured Data: Ideal for structured data requiring fast and consistent access.

• Performance: High performance with low latency for frequent read/write operations.

• File Systems: Requires a file system to organize and manage data.

• Access: Accessed via block-level protocols like iSCSI or Fibre Channel.

• Use Cases: Databases, virtual machines, transactional applications, and high-performance workloads.

Example in OCI

OCI Block Volumes: Provides persistent and high-performance block storage for compute instances. Block volumes can be attached and detached from instances as needed.

27_3: Object Storage (Unstructured)

Definition

Object storage stores data as objects, each comprising the data itself, metadata, and a unique identifier. Objects are stored in a flat address space (within buckets), and they are accessed via HTTP/HTTPS protocols.

Characteristics

• Unstructured Data: Best suited for unstructured data, such as multimedia files, backups, and large datasets.

• Scalability: Highly scalable, capable of storing vast amounts of data without hierarchical file systems.

• Metadata: Supports extensive metadata, useful for indexing and searching.

• Access: Accessed via RESTful APIs using HTTP/HTTPS protocols.

• Durability: Designed for high durability and availability with built-in redundancy and data replication.

• Use Cases: Backups, archives, large file storage, content distribution, and big data analytics.

Example in OCI

OCI Object Storage: Provides scalable, durable, and highly available storage for unstructured data. Buckets are used to store objects, and data can be accessed via RESTful APIs.