Different kinds of storage.
FILE STORAGE
Documents in folders, as you are used to.
Suits collaboration and general business files.
OBJECT STORAGE
Files stored as objects with identifiers, accessed programmatically.
Suits large volumes, backups, media and website assets.
Cheap at scale.
BLOCK STORAGE
Disk attached to a virtual machine.
Suits databases and applications needing a filesystem.
WHAT SMALL BUSINESSES USUALLY USE
File storage for working documents Object storage for backups and website assets
WHAT AFFECTS COST
Volume stored Requests made Data transferred out
THAT LAST ONE
Storing is cheap. Retrieving in volume may not be.
WHAT STORAGE CLASSES MEAN
Cheaper tiers for data accessed rarely, with retrieval delays or charges.
WHAT TO USE THEM FOR
Archives and old backups.
WHAT NOT TO PUT IN THEM
Anything you may need immediately.
WHAT TO CHECK
Retrieval cost and time, before archiving.