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Amazon S3

Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) is a highly scalable object storage service and one of the most popular cloud storage solutions. In Blober, S3 paths use this format:

bucket-name/path/to/file.ext
  • ✅ Browse buckets and objects
  • ✅ Upload files (multipart for large files)
  • ✅ Download files
  • ✅ Delete objects
  • ✅ Copy/move within S3 and across providers
  • ✅ Storage class selection
  • An AWS account (create one)
  • An S3 bucket (or permission to list buckets)
  • IAM user or role with S3 permissions
  • Access key ID and secret access key

  • Option key: accessKeyId
  • Format: 20 uppercase alphanumeric characters
  • Example: AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE

  • Option key: secretAccessKey
  • Format: 40 characters
  • Example: wJalrXUtnFEMI/K7MDENG/bPxRfiCYEXAMPLEKEY

  • Option key: storageClass
  • Default: STANDARD
Storage ClassUse CaseRetrieval
STANDARDFrequently accessed dataImmediate
INTELLIGENT_TIERINGUnknown/changing access patternsImmediate
STANDARD_IAInfrequent access, rapid retrievalImmediate
ONEZONE_IAInfrequent, non-critical dataImmediate
GLACIER_IRArchive with instant retrievalImmediate
GLACIERLong-term archiveMinutes to hours
DEEP_ARCHIVELowest cost archive12-48 hours
  1. Go to S3 Console
  2. Click “Create bucket”
  3. Enter a bucket name (must be globally unique)
  4. Choose your preferred AWS Region
  5. Configure settings as needed
  6. Click “Create bucket”
  1. Go to IAM Console
  2. Click Users => Create user
  3. Enter a username (e.g., blober-s3-user)
  4. Click Next
  5. Select Attach policies directly
  6. For quick setup: Attach AmazonS3FullAccess
    • For production: Create a custom policy (see below)
  7. Click through to Create user
  1. Click on your new user
  2. Go to Security credentials tab
  3. Under Access keys, click Create access key
  4. Select Application running outside AWS
  5. Save the Access Key ID and Secret Access Key (shown only once!)
  1. In Blober, go to Workflows => New Workflow
  2. Select Amazon S3 as source or destination
  3. Enter your Access Key ID and Secret Access Key
  4. Test by browsing your buckets

”Access Denied” or “403 Forbidden”

Section titled “”Access Denied” or “403 Forbidden””
  • Double-check your Access Key ID and Secret Access Key
  • Verify the IAM user has the correct S3 permissions
  • Ensure the bucket policy doesn’t block your IAM user
  • Your IAM user needs s3:ListAllMyBuckets permission
  • If using a restricted policy, add ListBucket for specific buckets
  • Choose an S3 region geographically close to you
  • Large files are automatically uploaded in parts for reliability
  • Check your network speed - S3 performance depends on your connection
  • Create a dedicated IAM user for Blober - avoid using root credentials
  • Use the minimum permissions needed (don’t use AmazonS3FullAccess in production)
  • Rotate access keys periodically
  • Enable MFA on your AWS account
  • Use Intelligent Tiering for data with unpredictable access patterns
  • Move old backups to Glacier or Deep Archive for significant savings
  • Enable S3 Lifecycle rules to automate tier transitions
  • Monitor costs in the AWS Billing Console