Getting started with object storage

Preparation

Before getting started, you will need to choose if you want to replicate your storage or not.

If you are unsure about replication, we recommend not replicating. Once you know this, you are able to select an endpoint, which would also depend on what availability zone you want to run your requests from.

If you are unsure what availability zone to use, select europe-se-1a as endpoint. The combination of replication (or not) and availability zone will result in an endpoint URL according to our endpoint article, you will use this endpoint to reach the proper storage backend.

Initial setup

To get started with storing objects (either S3 or Swift), you create a container or bucket to store the objects in.

You can create container or bucket by using either S3 or Swift, the concept is the same and both APIs can manage all containers or buckets.

You can use the two GUI portals (the cloud management portal or OpenStack Horizon) to create the container or bucket (they will use the Swift API), they are only able to create un-replicated containers or buckets in availability zone europe-se-1a (since you cannot specify which endpoint to access).

Because of this, we recommend using the protocols own command line to create the container or bucket:

Above said, its possible to use the following methods to setup a new container or bucket without replication in the availability zone europe-se-1a if this meets your requirements. Below methods use the Swift API.

Note

By using any of the below methods, you will create a container or bucket without replication in the europe-se-1a availability zone.

Tip

We enforce a default quota of 1000 buckets or container in the object storage, contact our support if you need more.

Cloud management portal

To create a container by using the Cloud management portal

  • Press Storage and then Object storage in the sidebar menu.

  • Press the + (plus) icon in the lower right corner.

  • Name your container.

  • Select your storage policy.

Caution

Setting your container as public means anybody with a correct URL can access your data without any authentication!

  • If you check public, users will not need any credentials reach the container (good for when using the object storage as a CDN for example).

  • Press Create

You are now able to upload objects by using the portal, by pressing the container icon and then pressing Upload file or Create folder. You are also able to use the container via external access, see each protocol sub-article for more information.

OpenStack Horizon

To create a container by using OpenStack Horizon

  • Under Project, click Object Store and then Containers in the sidebar menu.

  • Click + Container

  • Name your container.

  • Select your storage policy.

Caution

Setting your container as public means anybody with a correct URL can access your data without any authentication!

  • If you select public under Container Access, users will not any credentials to reach the container (good for when using the object storage as a CDN for example).

  • Press Submit

You are now able to upload objects by using the portal, by pressing the container name and then pressing the upload icon (looks like a small upwards facing arrow) or + Folder to create a folder.

You are also able to use the container via external access, see each protocol sub-article for more information.

OpenStack Terminal Client

To create a container by using the OpenStack Terminal Client

  • Decide which storage policy you want to use.

  • Run this command: openstack container create --storage-policy [STORAGE_POLICY_NAME] [CONTAINER_NAME], replacing the values in angle brackets.

Note

The above methods will create an container without replication in availability zone europe-se-1a.