How do I choose between Object, Block, and File storage for a high-performance database?

All answers to this question.

Think of it this way: Block for speed, File for sharing, and Object for scale. Databases need raw speed, so Block is your winner every single time.

   Answered 2024-09-23 by Elizabeth King

• Great summary, Elizabeth. I’d just add that many modern cloud-native databases actually "tier" their data—using Block for active data and Object for historical "cold" data.

     Commented 2024-09-24 by Thomas Baker

For a high-performance database, Block Storage (like AWS EBS or Azure Managed Disks) is almost always the right choice. It provides the lowest latency because it's treated like a local physical hard drive by the OS. You can choose different "volumes" based on your IOPS requirements. File storage (EFS/Azure Files) is better for shared access across multiple instances but has higher latency. Object storage (S3) is great for images or logs but is too slow for "hot" database files because it lacks the random-access capabilities required by relational databases. Focus on Provisioned IOPS SSDs for your DB.

   Answered 2024-09-25 by Melissa Hunter

Have you looked into the "IO2 Block Express" volumes if you are on AWS? They are designed specifically for those sub-millisecond latency needs of high-end databases.

   Answered 2024-09-28 by Ryan Reynolds

• Ryan, IO2 is fantastic but it can get very expensive! If Thomas doesn't need that extreme level of performance, the GP3 volumes are a much better middle ground. They allow you to scale IOPS and throughput independently of the storage size, which is a huge cost saver. I usually start clients on GP3 and only move to IO2 if the monitoring logs show a consistent bottleneck that standard SSDs can't handle. It's all about finding that cost-to-performance "sweet spot."

     Commented 2024-10-02 by William Garcia