In the latest Leaseweb Tech Talks episode, host Pamily and Gabriele Zanon, Product Manager of Cloud Storage at Leaseweb, break down why there’s no single storage answer for all workloads. With expert guidance, they discuss File, Block, and Object Storage, real-world use cases across industries, and how to align storage strategy with performance, scalability, cost, and compliance requirements.
File Storage: Think of shared folders and files, intuitive, great for collaborative documents and media.
Block Storage: Data is split into blocks; incredibly fast and reliable. Ideal for databases, virtual machines, and high‑performance needs.
Object Storage: Designed for massive, unstructured data like backups, video archives, and logs. Exceptionally scalable in the cloud.
Each has its own strengths, and misusing one can lead to serious issues.
Why the Right Cloud Storage
Gabriele outlines what happens when storage types are mismatched to workload demands:
Performance Pitfalls: Block workloads on file systems or vice versa cause latency, slowdowns, and inefficiency.
Cost Overruns: Overpaying for performance you’re not using, or underperforming in mission‑critical tasks.
Data Chaos: Inadequate management, like using file storage for large backups, can create maintenance and retrieval headaches.
The solution? Understand your workload thoroughly and align it to the best-fit storage architecture.
Diverse Needs Across Industries
Pamily and Gabriele discuss how different sectors have unique storage needs:
Finance: Needs ultra-low latency and reliability for transactional systems.
Media: Requires massive capacity and high bandwidth for video editing and streaming.
Healthcare: Balances security, compliance, and accessibility.
Even within a single business, multiple storage types are often required to meet varied demands.
Performance vs. Cost: The Balancing Act of Cloud Storage
Achieving optimal storage strategy requires balancing performance with budget constraints:
- Hot data (frequently accessed, critical workloads) fits best on block storage.
- Cold data (archived, infrequently accessed) is more cost-efficient on object storage.
- File storage often strikes a middle ground, easy collaboration without high cost.
Strategic tiering and tiered architecture can lower costs and improve system efficiency.
Real‑World Configurations
Examples from Gabriele offer practical insights:
E‑commerce:
- Block for order and payment databases
- File for internal docs and team collaboration
- Object for product images and historical backups
Media Production:
- File for collaborative editing and project assets
- Object for video archives and client delivery
These unified, hybrid architectures maximize performance, flexibility, and cost‑effectiveness.
“The best storage solution is the one aligned with your actual data requirements.” — Gabriele Zanon
Explore more about Leaseweb Cloud Storage on our website.