How to use Amazon S3 for object storage

· Category: Cloud Computing

Short answer

Amazon S3 is object storage that stores data as objects within buckets, accessible via HTTP/HTTPS.

Steps

  1. Create a bucket via console or CLI:
aws s3 mb s3://my-unique-bucket-name
  1. Upload a file:
aws s3 cp file.txt s3://my-bucket/
  1. List contents:
aws s3 ls s3://my-bucket/
  1. Enable versioning and lifecycle rules in bucket settings.

Tips

  • Bucket names are globally unique across all AWS accounts.
  • Use S3 Intelligent-Tiering for unknown access patterns.
  • Block public access unless you specifically need it.

Common issues

  • Accidental public buckets: audit with S3 Block Public Access.
  • Large numbers of small objects: consider archiving or using S3 Glacier.