Data Backup Digest

Sometimes referred to as “cold” data, information or files that are stored offline via a third-party provider can sometimes be difficult to access. The problem, however, is that cold data may be critical to the daily operations of an enterprise or corporation. As the patience of customers continues to be pushed,
the team with Google has introduced a new service meant to facilitate quicker and easier access to such data. The service, known as Google Cloud Storage Nearline, is currently available in its beta phase.

The primary purpose behind Google Cloud Nearline Storage is to provide a “fast-response storage service” for the collection and archival of cold data. Even if such data is accessed infrequently, it’s still important to have quick and easy access whenever it is needed.

Moreover, Google Cloud Nearline Storage even provides redundant storage, which maintains user-archived data amongst numerous physical servers and locations. Google Cloud Nearline Storage is also compatible with Google’s other cloud-based services.

As stated by Avtandil Garakanidze, a Google product manager, in a recent blog post: “The amount of data being produced around the world is staggering and continues to grow at an exponential rate. Given this growing volume of data, it’s critical that you store it in the right way -- keeping frequently accessed data easily accessible, keeping cold data available when needed, and being able to move easily between the two.”Garakanidze continued by saying: “Our primary focus is to help you bring new use cases to life, and this is why we’ve worked with some of the leading backup and storage providers and are focused on growing this ecosystem.”

Usage

Google’s Cloud Storage Nearline utilizes Google buckets, which basically serve as online folders or directories for your stored data. To enable Google Cloud Storage Nearline, simply add a new bucket through the Developers Console and specify the storage class as “Cloud Storage Nearline.” Once created, the new storage bucket can be confirmed and verified through the Google Developers Console by navigating to Storage, Cloud Storage and then Storage Browser. Locate the bucket’s name and verify the listing of “Nearline” within the storage class column. From there, the Cloud Storage Nearline bucket can be accessed like any other bucket in the system.

Pricing

Another highly attractive feature of Google Cloud Nearline Storage is the pricing structure. At a current rate of one cent per gigabyte of retrieved data per month, the service is much more cost effective than other cloud options, including many offered through Google.

Note that Google Cloud Nearline Storage does require a minimum of 30 days in storage for all data that is uploaded to their service. The same stipulations apply to data that is overwritten before reaching the 30-day mark. Deleting or overwriting data before the 30 days will result in a surcharge.

To sign up for Google Cloud Nearline Storage or to find out more information about any of the cloud services offered by Google, please visit their official website at cloud.google.com/storage-nearline/.