Can you please advise me on how to properly organize the storage of data (images) on the side?

Currently, our website has over 20,000 products, with each product having around 5 to 20 photos in the gallery. The folder containing these pictures and the website itself are located on the same hosting. However, the folder with pictures is already taking up 30 GB of space, which is close to the limit for the virtual hosting tariff. The majority of the traffic is from Russia and CIS countries.

Here are the solutions I am considering:
1. Uploading the images to cloud storage.

I have looked into selectel, and their pricing per GB and outgoing traffic seems clear. Additionally, they have phone support to answer any further questions. I am also considering Amazon S3, although determining the final cost is more complicated as they have different price sections for three types of requests.

What can you tell me about these options and the overall practice of using cloud storage for similar projects? How can I best organize access to images through a second-level domain?

2. Another option I have is using VDS. Currently, I have 15 GB of space, and every additional 5 GB will cost 40 rubles per month. I can buy up to 100 GB, which should be sufficient for now.

From what I understand, there is no fee for outgoing traffic with VDS, only payments for resources (which I am already making since another project is hosted there). What are your general thoughts on uploading images to VDS? Is it preferable to using cloud storage?

When it comes to organizing the storage of a large number of images for your website, both cloud storage and VDS (Virtual Dedicated Server) have their advantages and considerations.

Cloud Storage:

1. Selectel: Selectel offers clear pricing per GB and outgoing traffic, which makes it easier to estimate costs. Their phone support can help address any additional questions you may have. This option can be a reliable choice for hosting your images.

2. Amazon S3: While Amazon S3 is a popular cloud storage option, determining the final cost can be more complicated due to its different price sections for various types of requests. However, Amazon S3 has excellent scalability and reliability, making it suitable for projects of any size.

Using cloud storage for storing images is a common practice in similar projects. It offers advantages such as scalability, high availability, and ease of access. You can organize access by configuring your website to retrieve images from the cloud storage provider using a second-level domain.

VDS (Virtual Dedicated Server):

Using VDS to store images is another viable option. It provides more control and flexibility compared to cloud storage solutions. With VDS, there are typically no fees for outgoing traffic, only payments for the resources utilized. This can be an advantage if you anticipate high traffic to your website.

However, consider the following factors when deciding to upload images to VDS:
- Scalability: VDS typically has limits on storage capacity, so you need to ensure you have enough disk space to accommodate your images.
- Maintenance: You will be responsible for maintaining the server, including updates, security, and backups. Make sure you have the necessary resources and expertise.

Here are a few more considerations for each option:

Cloud Storage:

1. Performance: Cloud storage providers typically have globally distributed data centers, which can help improve performance and reduce latency for users accessing your images from different regions.
2. Scalability: Cloud storage services can easily scale up or down based on your storage needs. You can increase or decrease storage capacity without the need to manage hardware or make significant infrastructure changes.
3. Redundancy and Durability: Cloud storage providers often offer data redundancy and durability measures to ensure your images are highly available and protected against hardware failures.
4. Integration with Content Delivery Networks (CDNs): Cloud storage can seamlessly integrate with CDNs to help deliver images to users efficiently and reduce load times.
5. API and management tools: Cloud storage providers typically offer APIs and management tools that allow you to easily upload, manage, and retrieve images programmatically.

VDS:

1. Control and customization: With VDS, you have full control over the server configuration, operating system, and software stack, allowing you to customize it according to your specific requirements.
2. Cost efficiency: If you anticipate high outgoing traffic, VDS may be more cost-effective compared to cloud storage, as there are usually no additional fees for outgoing traffic.
3. Security: With VDS, you have direct control over the security measures implemented on the server, which may provide you with additional peace of mind.
4. Technical expertise: Managing a VDS requires technical expertise or support to handle server maintenance, updates, security, and backups. Make sure you have the necessary skills or resources in place.

Ultimately, consider factors such as your budget, technical capabilities, scalability needs, and desired level of control when choosing between cloud storage and VDS for organizing your image storage. It may be beneficial to evaluate the specific features, pricing, and support from different providers before making a decision.

Your worry about hosting rates for an online store is absurd.
The income from selling such a large quantity of products should amount to hundreds of thousands of rubles per month.
And yet, hosting costs only a few hundred rubles a month.

In theory, VDS/VPS could be a suitable option.
However, to optimize loading speed for my online store, I prefer the following setup:
The site engine is hosted on VDS/VPS, while the images are stored on a separate cloud-based platform.

Moving pictures and other static files to cloud storage or a connected content delivery network (CDN) is recommended. This ensures that these files can be downloaded quickly from servers located worldwide, improving the loading speed of the website.

One advantage of using a CDN is that if the server hosting the static files becomes unavailable, the files can be served from the CDN cache instead, preventing users from experiencing errors.

Additionally, using storage before hosting, such as a virtual private server (VDS), allows for easy expansion of storage space when needed.

A great example of a storage solution with a pluggable CDN is SkyparkCDN. They offer a 50GB storage plan at $8 per month, with additional costs for outgoing traffic from CDN servers. You can find more details about their CDN tariffs on their website. They support various methods of file uploading, including FTP, SFTP, Rsync, HTTP, and HTTPS. Moreover, they provide round-the-clock technical support through chat, email, and phone.

If you're considering Amazon S3 for storage, they have a calculator that can help approximate the cost based on your specific requirements.

I'd recommend considering the following options for managing your image storage:

Cloud Storage:

Selectel: Clear pricing, good for projects with predictable traffic patterns. Their phone support is a plus.
Amazon S3: More complex pricing structure with different tiers for requests. May be more cost-effective for high-traffic projects.

Pros of using cloud storage:

Scalable storage and bandwidth
Redundancy and data protection
Offloads server resources
Cons:

Potential additional costs for data transfer
Requires proper configuration for optimal performance

VDS:

VDS offers unlimited outgoing traffic and is cost-effective if you already have a project hosted there.
However, it may not be as scalable as cloud storage and might not provide the same level of data protection.

Pros of using VDS:

Cost-effective for projects with predictable storage needs
No additional charges for outgoing traffic

Cons:

Limited scalability compared to cloud storage
Potential security risks if not properly managed

CDN (Content Delivery Network):

A CDN can help distribute your content across multiple servers, reducing load times for users in different regions.
However, it may require additional costs and configuration.
Optimize images:

Reduce image sizes, compress images, and use appropriate file formats to minimize storage and bandwidth usage.

In terms of organizing access to images through a second-level domain, you can use subdomains (e.g., images.example.com) or set up a separate domain (e.g., image-storage.com) and configure your DNS settings accordingly.

Discover the ultimate guide to choosing between VDS and cloud storage! Unleash seamless scalability and efficiency for your hosting needs today.

VDS (Virtual Dedicated Server) and Cloud Storage offer flexibility, high performance, and data security. Whether you need dedicated resources with VDS or seamless accessibility with cloud storage, both solutions ensure reliability and efficiency for businesses and individuals. Choose the best fit for your needs!

VDS (Virtual Dedicated Server) and Cloud Storage offer secure and scalable solutions for businesses and individuals. VDS provides dedicated resources for hosting websites or applications, ensuring better performance and control. Cloud Storage allows easy access, backup, and sharing of files online, making data management more efficient and reliable.

Choosing between VDS and Cloud Storage depends on your needs — VDS offers more control and customization, perfect for hosting apps or websites.
Cloud Storage is ideal for scalable, secure data storage and easy access from anywhere, making it great for backups and file sharing.

The VDS server is the best choice if you wish to have full control and performance. Choosing a cloud server is a good option if you want scalable, easy-to-manage file storage and sharing capabilities.