Here’s a myth we hear again and again:
Integrating a new storage provider is too complicated. Migrating data, retraining teams, and reconfiguring tools will take too long and create too much risk.
It’s understandable. Data migrations have a reputation for being messy and disruptive. And let’s be honest, nobody wants to babysit infrastructure when there are products to build. For many teams, just the thought of switching cloud providers feels like a detour they don’t have time for.
But in reality, that fear is often bigger than the actual lift. If your workflows already use standard tooling like S3-compatible APIs, switching to a specialized provider is more like a well-marked exit than a hard left turn.
This is the third post in our series debunking persistent myths about cloud storage—check out the first and second posts—and why a best-of-breed, interoperable approach is actually less disruptive than sticking with legacy hyperscaler models.
New Cloud Native Times Call for New Cloud Storage Approaches
Learn more about how the open cloud supports faster development, improved workflows, and reduced cost complexity in our free ebook, “New Cloud Native Times Call for New Cloud Storage Approaches.”
Migration anxiety vs. reality
“Storage migration” can sound like it requires weeks of planning and an army of engineers. But if your apps are already using S3-compatible workflows, most of the heavy lifting is already done.
If you know S3, you’re already ready
Many specialized storage providers now support S3-compatible APIs, allowing teams to keep the tools, scripts, and services they already know, such as Terraform, Kubernetes, ArgoCD, boto3, and MinIO.
And because your teams are already familiar with the S3 API and related tools, retraining isn’t a hurdle. The same skills, scripts, and automation frameworks carry forward, keeping onboarding time minimal. In fact, most teams are surprised by how little they need to change to get started.
That means:
- No need to learn a new SDK or storage interface
- No retraining your DevOps team
- No rewriting automation pipelines or batch jobs
In most cases, all it takes is updating your endpoint URL and refreshing credentials. The mental model stays the same, the tools stay the same, and your workflows continue as-is.
You don’t need to rip and replace
Downtime concerns are one of the biggest sources of hesitation when switching providers. But in practice, migrations to S3-compatible cloud storage providers rarely require full cutovers or risky, all-or-nothing switchovers. With a bit of planning, most teams handle migrations incrementally:
- Start by migrating lower-risk datasets, such as backups or archives.
- Validate configurations and permissions as data lands in the new system.
- Slowly expand to production datasets as confidence grows.
Better yet, you don’t have to move everything at once. Many teams adopt phased transitions, running some buckets side-by-side or writing to both systems during the handoff to minimize risk. With a bit of planning and the right migration tools and guidance, you can keep operations stable while gradually shifting workloads at a comfortable pace.
Metadata isn’t a blocker
Migrating files without metadata continuity can break downstream systems, especially if your applications rely on timestamps or version tracking.
Fear not. S3-compatible cloud storage providers can preserve metadata during migration, including timestamps. That means your historical data stays intact and compliant with internal policies or regulatory needs, and you won’t need to reset or alter your data management policies.
Moving isn’t the risk. Staying locked in is.
Let’s flip the narrative. The real risk isn’t switching; it’s staying stuck.
Major cloud provider ecosystems are designed for lock-in. The deeper you go, the harder it becomes to leave. Features that look like conveniences, such as integrated IAM policies, tiered storage, and custom APIs, often become entanglements over time.
Each of these layers is built to reinforce reliance:
- IAM rules tie access tightly to the provider’s own tooling.
- Tiered storage creates dependencies on lifecycle rules and retrieval thresholds.
- Custom APIs mean even basic storage functions can require provider-specific logic.
And as you expand your usage—adding compute, networking, and security services—everything becomes interdependent. What starts as convenience evolves into constraint. Even small changes to your stack can trigger cascading reviews, system audits, or full reconfigurations.
The result? Innovation slows. Costs creep up. Flexibility disappears.
With a specialized provider, you break that cycle.
Specialized Doesn’t Mean Complicated
Specialized storage doesn’t complicate onboarding. It streamlines it. Solutions like Backblaze B2 are purpose-built to make this shift smooth and sustainable, without the trade-offs or surprises you might expect from switching providers.
- S3 compatibility allows for seamless integration with the tools and workflows your team already uses.
- Granular control means you can choose the tools and providers that work best for your architecture, not the ones bundled into a vendor’s ecosystem.
- Metadata continuity is supported through features like custom upload timestamps, preserving file context during migration.
- Transparent pricing ensures there are no hidden egress fees, transaction charges, or retention penalties to catch you off guard.
- Hands-on support helps you plan, validate, and scale your migration with confidence and minimal disruption.
Breaking out of a single-vendor ecosystem may feel intimidating, but it’s often the fastest way to simplify operations, improve performance, and regain control over your cloud strategy.
The best part? Once you’ve made the move, you’re free to experiment. Multi-cloud strategies become more accessible. Your architecture becomes more modular. And your team can focus on building, not babysitting infrastructure.
Next Up: In the final post in this series, we’ll tackle Myth #4: Managing multiple clouds is complicated. (Spoiler: It doesn’t have to be.)
Want to dig even deeper? Download the full whitepaper New Cloud-Native Times Call for New Cloud Storage Approaches.
