S3 provides durable object storage but costs grow with usage. Understanding storage classes, lifecycle policies, and access patterns enables significant optimization without sacrificing functionality.
Storage Classes
Standard suits frequently accessed data. Infrequent Access reduces costs for less-accessed objects. Glacier tiers provide archive storage. Intelligent Tiering automates transitions based on access patterns.
- Use Standard for frequently accessed data
- Apply Infrequent Access for less-accessed data with retrieval needs
- Archive with Glacier for rarely accessed data
- Enable Intelligent Tiering for unknown access patterns
- Implement lifecycle policies automating transitions
Performance Optimization
Use multipart uploads for large objects. Enable transfer acceleration for global uploads. Configure CloudFront for read-heavy workloads. Use S3 Select to retrieve specific data from objects.