Cloud Storage, IT Atlas

Overview

Object storage (S3, Blob, Cloud Storage) is the default for unstructured data and backups, with lifecycle rules moving data to cooler tiers. Block storage backs virtual machine disks, and managed file shares provide SMB or NFS semantics.

Immutability features, object lock, immutable blob policies, are central to modern ransomware resilience because they prevent deletion or alteration for a defined retention period, even by an administrator.

Security considerations

Block public access by default and audit for exceptions continuously.
Enable versioning plus immutability for backup targets, and separate the credentials that write backups from production administration.

Related topics

Storage

Block, file and object storage systems that provide capacity, performance and durability characteristics matched to each workload.

Backup

Creating verified, recoverable copies of data and systems, isolated well enough to survive the event that destroys the original.

Cloud Security

Securing cloud platforms through identity, configuration posture, network controls, workload protection and control plane monitoring.

Encryption

Protecting data confidentiality and integrity in transit, at rest and increasingly in use, with key management as the hard part.

Amazon Web Services

The largest public cloud platform, organised around accounts within AWS Organizations, with IAM as the central authorisation system.

Microsoft Azure

Microsoft's public cloud platform, tightly integrated with Entra ID and Microsoft 365, organised through management groups, subscriptions and resource groups.

Data Lakes

Large repositories of raw data in open formats on object storage, queried in place by analytics engines.

Backup Architecture

A layered protection design that survives ransomware: local speed, secondary media, offsite distance and an immutable, credential isolated copy.