--- title: "Object Storage - Choosing the right storage class for your needs" description: "With object storage solutions, you can store static files (videos, images, web files…) in an unlimited space via a public access point, called an endpoint. You" url: https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/storage-and-backup/object-storage/choosing-the-right-storage-class-for-your-needs lang: en --- > For AI agents: the complete documentation index is available at https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/llms.txt, the full documentation bundle is available at https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/llms-full.txt. # Object Storage - Choosing the right storage class for your needs With object storage solutions, you can store static files (videos, images, web files…) in an unlimited space via a public access point, called an endpoint. You can use these files from an application, or you can make them accessible on the web. These storage spaces are accessible via an API interface. We offer two Object Storage solutions: our **latest generation S3™\*-compatible Object Storage**, which is generally available, and our **established SWIFT Object Storage**, which remains a supported option for users. However, we recommend using the S3™-compatible Object Storage solution for newly designed applications as it benefits from the latest features.   ## S3™-compatible Object Storage tiers Our S3™-compatible Object Storage classes are tailored to meet specific requirements for your workloads, including overall performance, availability, and resiliency levels, access time, and costs.   ### Object Storage - Standard class (S3™-compatible) The Standard storage class offers a scalable object storage service, compatible with the vast majority of use cases, adapted to any type of volume. The solution is based on HDD storage within a resilient architecture in a datacenter. The solution is accessible via an S3™-compatible API. This offer is suitable for the following use cases: media/content storage & delivery, data lake, website, backup, logs, and application metrics.   ### Object Storage - High Performance class (S3™-compatible) The High Performance storage class is a high-performance object storage space for applications that have high bandwidth requirements and require extremely fast and intensive read and write access to data. The solution relies on storage on high-performance NVMe SSD disks, within a resilient architecture in a datacenter. This offer is suitable for the following use cases: AI & Analytics, Data lake, High power Computing Multimedia/Content Platform.   ### Object Storage - Infrequent Access class (S3™-compatible) The Infrequent Access storage class is designed for infrequently accessed data, also known as "cool" data storage, requiring fast data retrieval. It offers similar performance (ms TTFB, low latency) and availability to Standard Object Storage but with a lower cost per GiB-hour and a per GiB retrieval fee. This offer is suitable for the following use cases: long-term storage, backups, and disaster recovery.   ### Comparison Table | Storage Class | Use cases | Performance (TTFB) | Supported regions | Availability SLA | Minimum storage duration | Retrieval fee | Granularity | | ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------ | ----------------- | ---------------- | ------------------------ | ------------- | ------------------------------------------ | | High Performance | AI & Analytics, datalake, High power Computing Multimedia/Content Platform | milliseconds | 1-AZ\* | 99.9% | No | No | Object-level, lifecycle management support | | Standard | Media/content storage, datalake, website, backup, logs, application metrics | milliseconds | 1-AZ and LZ\*\* | 99.9% | No | No | Object-level, lifecycle management support | | Infrequent Access | Long-term storage, backups, disaster recovery | milliseconds | 1-AZ | 99.9% | 30 days | Yes | Object-level, lifecycle management support | \*AZ: [Availability Zone](https://us.ovhcloud.com/public-cloud/regions-availability/) \*\*LZ: [Local Zone](https://us.ovhcloud.com/public-cloud/local-zone/) More details about available regions can be found [here](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/storage-and-backup/object-storage/endpoints-geoavailability.md).   ### Additional details #### Minimum storage duration It refers to the **minimum amount of time that an object must be stored in a particular storage class**. In case of early deletion, using _delete-object_ requests, a pro-rated fee equal to the remaining days is applied. Be careful with non-versioned buckets, if the object is overwritten, this will be considered as a deletion of the current object version, and the prorated fee will be applied too. For example, for the Infrequent Access class, the minimum storage time is 730 hours (30 days). If an object is deleted during this period, an additional charge will be applied and calculated using the following formula: \[730h - # of hours of storage of the object] x price per hour of storage class.   #### Retrieval fee It refers to a **charge that is applied when you retrieve or access data that is stored in a particular storage class**. The retrieval fee is calculated based on the amount of data retrieved (per GiB retrieved). For the Infrequent Access class, only _get-object_ requests are considered as retrieval fee.   #### Lifecycle management support It refers to the ability to **automatically manage the storage lifecycle of your objects**, such as transitioning them from one storage class to another, based on predefined rules and policies. This allows you to optimize storage costs and simplify data management. Object-level granularity is required because it allows you to manage at the individual object level. **Lifecycle transition requests are free of charge.** More details about lifecycle management can be found [here](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/storage-and-backup/object-storage/bucket-lifecycle.md).   ## OpenStack SWIFT Object Storage tiers ### Standard object storage - SWIFT API The Standard storage class (SWIFT) offers a data storage service with no particular need for performance, within a resilient architecture by triple replication of data within the same datacenter. The solution is accessible via a SWIFT API and an Amazon S3® compatible API (less compatible than the new Object Storage solutions - Standard and High Performance).   ### Cloud Archive - SWIFT API The Cloud Archive (SWIFT) storage class offers a storage service for long-term data retention for business needs or other obligations. Adapted to suit this use case, the service offers low storage costs and several minutes of latency for data recovery. The solution is accessible via a SWIFT API.   ## All storage classes are accessible through the standard API | Storage Class | Compatibility | Availability | Status | | ---------------------------------------- | --------------- | -------------------- | -------------------- | | Object Storage - High Performance class | S3™-compatible | General availability | Latest Generation | | Object Storage - Standard class | S3™-compatible | General availability | Latest Generation | | Object Storage - Infrequent Access class | S3™-compatible | General availability | Latest Generation | | Swift Standard Object Storage | OpenStack SWIFT | Supported | Established Solution | | Cloud Archive - SWIFT API | OpenStack SWIFT | Supported | Established Solution | The list of all API endpoints can be found [here](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/storage-and-backup/object-storage/endpoints-geoavailability.md).   ## Go further Browse all the [Object Storage (S3™-compatible) guides](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/storage-and-backup/object-storage/landing-page-object-storage.md). Browse the rest of the [OVHcloud US documentation](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/index.md) for guides on our other products and services. Learn more about [Object Storage](https://us.ovhcloud.com/public-cloud/object-storage/) on the OVHcloud US website. \*S3 is a trademark filed by Amazon Technologies, Inc. OVHcloud's service is not sponsored by, endorsed by, or otherwise affiliated with Amazon Technologies, Inc.