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Overview

XSDS exposes three distinct storage interfaces from a single distributed platform. Each interface suits a different application pattern — selecting the right type for your workload is the first step to optimal performance and cost efficiency.
Prerequisites
  • An active Xloud account with project access
  • Familiarity with your application’s I/O pattern (random vs sequential, latency vs throughput)

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Storage Interface Comparison

InterfaceProtocolAccess PatternTypical Use Case
Block StorageRBD / iSCSIRandom read/write, low latencyVM boot disks, databases, OLTP
Object StorageS3-compatible HTTPLarge objects, high throughputBackups, media files, data lakes
Shared File StorageNFS / SMBConcurrent multi-clientHome directories, shared configs

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Block Storage

Block storage volumes attach to Xloud Compute instances as persistent disks. Volumes exist independently of instance lifecycle — data survives instance deletion and can be re-attached to a different instance.Capabilities:
CapabilityDetails
Hot-attachAttach to running instances without rebooting
Online resizeExtend volume size without downtime (extend only)
SnapshotsPoint-in-time copies for recovery or cloning
EncryptionAt-rest encryption via the Xloud Key Management service
QoSIOPS and throughput limits configurable via volume types
Select a volume type that matches your workload’s I/O profile. NVMe-backed types suit latency-sensitive databases; HDD-backed types suit large sequential workloads like backups and archives.

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Object Storage

Object storage provides an S3-compatible API for storing and retrieving unstructured data — images, backups, logs, media files, and application artifacts — at any scale.Capabilities:
CapabilityDetails
S3 API compatibilityWorks with standard S3 clients, SDKs, and tools
Bucket ACLsPer-bucket and per-object access control
Lifecycle policiesAutomate object expiration and tiering
Object versioningRetain multiple versions of objects for accidental-delete protection
Multi-part uploadEfficient upload for large files (> 100 MB)
Server-side encryptionTransparent encryption at write time
Static website hostingServe static content directly from buckets
Access credentials for object storage are separate from your Xloud Dashboard credentials. Generate S3-compatible access keys from the Dashboard under Project → Object Store → Access Keys.

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Shared File Storage

Shared file storage provides a POSIX-compliant distributed file system accessible from multiple instances simultaneously — suitable for home directories, shared configuration, and workloads that require concurrent read/write access.Capabilities:
CapabilityDetails
POSIX semanticsFull file system compliance including permissions and links
Multi-client accessConcurrent read/write from many instances at once
NFS and SMB gatewaysCompatible with Linux and Windows clients
Per-directory quotasControl storage consumption per share or directory
Directory snapshotsPoint-in-time recovery at the directory level
Shared file storage throughput is distributed across all connected clients. For high-IOPS workloads requiring exclusive access, use a dedicated block volume instead.

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Choosing the Right Type

Use Block Storage. Databases require low-latency random I/O and exclusive access to their data files. Choose an NVMe or SSD-backed volume type for production OLTP databases.
Use Object Storage. Media files, documents, and user uploads benefit from the S3 API’s simplicity, scalability, and built-in lifecycle management. Applications integrate via the S3 SDK — no mounting required.
Use Shared File Storage. If your application tier requires a common data directory accessible by all instances (e.g., a shared cache, log directory, or configuration tree), shared file storage provides concurrent access with POSIX semantics.
Use Object Storage with an erasure-coded pool. Erasure coding reduces storage overhead to 1.33–1.5× compared to 3× for replicated storage, making it the most cost-efficient option for backup and archival workloads where access is infrequent.

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Next Steps

Access Methods

Connect to each storage type — Dashboard, CLI, S3 API, and mount protocols

Data Protection

Configure replication and erasure coding for each storage type

Snapshots

Create and restore snapshots for block volumes and object buckets

Block Storage User Guide

Full volume lifecycle management — create, attach, extend, and back up volumes