Buckets and objects

Buckets
Buckets are logical containers in which the objects of an object storage are stored. Before files can be uploaded to an object storage, a bucket must first be created. The name of a bucket must be unique throughout the IONOS S3 Object Storage. The bucket name must adhere to the naming convention. The User can define how the objects contained in a bucket are versioned and that access to them is logged. Access to a bucket is managed by authorizations.
Each user may create up to 100 buckets.
See also:
​Creating a bucket​
​Deleting a bucket​
​Logging access to buckets​
​Sharing objects​
Folders
Folders are logical containers in which objects can be stored in a structured manner, similar to a file system. A bucket can contain folders at several levels, i.e. a folder can contain other folders. No properties or access permissions can be defined for folders. This is done using buckets and objects. The same naming conventions apply to folders as to objects. Once a folder has been created, it can no longer be renamed. Objects already uploaded cannot be moved to a newly created folder.
See also:
​Creating a folder​
Objects
The IONOS S3 Object Storage can store objects, i.e. files of any format. Neither format nor content are checked during upload. Objects can be stored in buckets and folders. The number of objects you can save is unlimited.
Please note that objects may not exceed 5 GB in size if they are uploaded using the Object Storage Management Console. Other applications or the S3 Object Storage API are not subject to this limit.
Naming convention
When naming buckets and folders, the following conventions apply:
The name must:
be unique throughout the entire IONOS S3 Object Storage. If a bucket already exists, an error message displays.
consist of 3 to 63 digits.
start with a letter or a number.
consist of lower case letters (a-z) and numbers (0-9).
The use of hyphens (-), periods (.), and underscores (_) is allowed under the following conditions:
The name must not:
end with a period, hyphen or underscore.
consist of multiple periods in a row (...)
contain hyphens next to periods.
have the format of an IPv4 address (e. g. 192.168.1.4).
contain underscores if the bucket is to be used for auto-tiering later.
Creating a bucket
Buckets are logical containers in which the objects of an object storage are stored.
Each User may create up to 100 buckets.
Prerequisites
Be logged on to the IONOS S3 Object Storage using the Object Storage Management Console. (?)​
How to create a bucket
In the Buckets tab, click on +add new bucket.
An input field opens.
In the Bucket Name field, enter a name that adheres to the naming convention for buckets and objects.
Leave the default values set for Region and Storage Policy.
Storage Policy and Region cannot be changed after a bucket has been created.
Click on Create.
The bucket is created, unless a bucket with the same name already exists in the IONOS S3 Object Storage.
Creating a folder
Folders are logical containers in which objects can be stored in a structured manner similar to a file system. A bucket can contain folders at several levels, i.e. a folder can contain other folders. No properties or access permissions can be defined for folders. This is done at the buckets or objects level.
A folder cannot be renamed. Objects that have already been uploaded cannot be moved to a different folder.
Prerequisites
You must be logged in on the IONOS S3 Object Storage using the Object Storage Management Console. (?)​
You must be the bucket owner.
or -
You must have write access ("writable"). (?)​
How to create a folder
Open the bucket to which to add a folder.
The Objects tab opens.
Click on + Create Folder to create a new folder.
The corresponding dialog opens.
In the Folder Name field, enter a name that adheres to the naming convention.
Click Ok to save the settings.
The folder is created and displayed in the bucket to which it belongs.
Uploading objects
Objects (files) of any format can be uploaded to and stored in the IONOS S3 Object Storage.
Objects may not exceed 5 GB of size, if uploaded using the Object Storage Management Console. Other applications or the S3 Object Storage API are not subject to this limit.
Prerequisites
You must be logged on to the IONOS S3 Object Storage using the Object Storage Management Console. (?)​
You must be the bucket owner.
or -
You must have write access ("writable"). (?)​
How to upload objects
Create a bucket. (?)​
or -
Open the bucket or folder to which objects must be added.
Click on Upload File.
The Upload Files dialog box opens.
Click on + Add files… to select all files to be uploaded.
(Optional) Activate the Store encrypted check box to encrypt your files on the server and increase the security of your data. Files are automatically decrypted during download.
Upload:
All : Click on Start upload.
or -
Individual files: Click on the Start button of the item.
The upload status is displayed:
(Optional) To stop the upload, click on Cancel upload.
Close the dialog box.
The files are uploaded and displayed in the bucket to which they were added.
Search for objects
The User can use the Object Storage Management Console to search for files in their object storage if the prefix or full name is known. For technical reasons, it is not possible to search for objects across buckets or folders.
Prerequisites
Be logged in on the IONOS S3 Object Storage using the Object Storage Management Console. (?)​
How to search for objects
Open the bucket or folder to be searched.
Click on + Search by Prefix
In the dialog box that appears, enter the prefix or file name and click Ok.
Files matching your search criteria are displayed.
Downloading objects
You cannot only view, but you can also download shared objects.
Prerequisites
You must have access to the required object. (?)​
You must be logged in on the IONOS S3 Object Storage using the Object Storage Management Console. (?)​
How to download objects
Open the bucket containing the required object.
(Optional) If versioning is active, all available versions of an object can be viewed by clicking on Show Versions in the Objects tab. (?)​
Click on the item to download.
or -
If an object has been shared through a public URL, open the URL and download the object from there.
If no other version of a file has been selected, the latest version will be downloaded.
Versioning objects
When versioning is enabled for a bucket, versions are saved for each of its objects . When the User uploads an object with the same name more than once, to the same bucket or folder, all of its versions - current and previous - are stored.
Versioning is not activated by default. Objects that were already uploaded to the object storage before versioning was activated are identified by ID null. If versioning is deactivated, existing object versions are retained.
Versioning of objects increases object storage volume and will be charged accordingly.
Prerequisites
Be logged in on the IONOS S3 Object Storage using the Object Storage Management Console. (?)​
How to version objects
In the Buckets tab, open the properties of a bucket by clicking on Properties.
Open the Versioning tab.
Enable versioning:
Click on Enable.
Disable versioning:
Click on Suspend.
Versioning is activated or deactivated for the selected bucket.
To show the versions of an object, click on Show Versions in the Objects tab.
Object versions are displayed.
Object versions can be deleted and managed like normal objects.
Deleting objects
If the User no longer wants to keep objects in their IONOS S3 Object Storage, these objects can be delete. Deleted objects are not physically removed from the object storage, but receive a so-called "delete marker" and then have a size of 0 KB. These markers are deleted at an interval specified by the User or by the system.
There are two ways to delete objects from the IONOS S3 Object Storage using the Object Storage Management Console:
​Manually,
​Automatically.
Manually
Prerequisites
You must be logged in on the IONOS S3 Object Storage using the Object Storage Management Console. (?)​
You must be the bucket owner.
or -
You must have write access ("writable"). (?)​
How to delete objects manually
Open the bucket or folder containing the required objects.
To delete individual versions of an object, click on Show Versions.
To delete one object or object version, click Delete at the end of each entry.
To delete several objects or object versions, activate their check boxes.
To delete a folder and its contents, activate its checkbox.
Unlike buckets, folders do not have to be empty to be deleted.
Click on Delete.
In the dialog box that appears, confirm the action by clicking Ok.
The selected objects are deleted. Folders containing other objects are deleted with their entire contents without notice.
Automatically
It is possible to quickly delete the contents of buckets without having to select individual objects or object versions. This is useful if the User wants to delete files, such as log files, regularly or automate the deletion of the contents of a bucket using the Object Storage Management Console. This requires the definition of rules and a schedules.
Objects are deleted within several hours. Short-term deletion is not possible in an automated mode.
Prerequisites
You must be logged on to the IONOS S3 Object Storage using the Object Storage Management Console. (?)​
You must be the bucket owner.
or -
You must have write access ("writable"). (?)​
How to  delete objects automatically
Open the properties of the bucket (Tab Buckets tab > Properties).
Open the Lifecycle Policy tab.
Click on + add new rule.
(Optional) In the Rule Name field, enter a name that describes the rule (e. g. “delete all”).
In the Object Prefix field, enter the complete path to the objects. Folders are separated by /.
Example: 2015/ affects all objects contained in the 2015 folder, including other subfolders.
Leave the field empty if to delete all objects in the bucket.
Activate the Expire Objects check box.
Further input fields are opened.
First choose which object versions to delete:
If versioning is activated for a bucket:
Current Version: The last or current version of an object.
Previous Version: All existing versions of an object with the exception of the current version.
If versioning is not activated: Select Current Version.
Define when the objects are to be deleted:
Current Version
Fixed date:
Select Current Version.
In the After Date field, select date and time. Further entries have no influence on this setting.
Number of days after creation date:
First, in Lifecycle Rule Bucket Level Setting select the Use Creation Date/Time field. Then define the number of days in the Days After Creation Date field.
Number of days after creation date:
Number of days after creation date:
Number of days after last access:
First, in Lifecycle Rule Bucket Level Setting select the Use Last Access Time field. 
Then define the number of days in the Days After Last Access Date/Time field.
If several several rules are created for different objects of a bucket, all rules must use the same appointment type (1., 2. or 3.).
Previous Version: Number of days since the version is no longer the current one.
(Optional) To completely remove objects marked as deleted, activate the Clean Up Expired Object Delete Markers check box.
For technical reasons, it is not possible to automatically delete the current version of an object and remove all its deleted previous versions at the same time. (Deleted object versions are marked with a "delete marker" and are recognizable by a corresponding icon.)
It is not possible to apply this clean-up if a rule has been defined for automatically deleting the current object versions ("current version"). The check box cannot be activated in this case, and the message "You cannot enable clean up expired object delete markers if you enable Expiration" displays.
(Optional) To remove incomplete parts of a multi-part upload, activate the Clean Up Incomplete Multipart Uploads check the box.
Confirm entries by clicking Save.
The rule is saved and the selected objects are deleted at the defined time.
Deleting a bucket
Buckets must be empty before they can be deleted
Prerequisites
The bucket does not contain any objects. (?)
Be logged in on the IONOS S3 Object Storage using the Object Storage Management Console. (?)​
Be the bucket owner.
How to delete a bucket
Open the Buckets tab.
At the end of the row of the selected item, click Delete.
In the dialog that displays, confirm the action by clicking Ok.
The bucket is deleted and cannot be restored.