Cloud storage company iDrive has upgraded its S3 compatible object storage platform, iDrive e2, to enterprise-grade solid state drives (SSD) in a move to differentiate itself from competitors in the crowded market of object storage platforms. While SSDs are more expensive than hard disk drives (HDD), iDrive has been able to handle thousands of terabytes worth of enterprise SSD storage without raising costs. This move improves platform performance, reliability and scalability, and will allow iDrive to roll out this upgrade to all 14 of its worldwide locations. The enhancement is currently available in iDrive’s Virginia storage region, with plans for the upgrade to reach all its global users.Â
iDrive, a privately held company with over four million users, manages more than 500 petabytes of data, with its e2 platform storing petabytes of data. The 1PB e2 is scalable and has a discounted first-year charge of $4 for 1TB, or $4 per TB per month with no egress fees, representing 85% savings compared to Amazon Web Services S3. Its rival, BackBlaze’s B2 offering, provides 10GB for free and then charges $60,000 per year for storing up to 1PB, a cost that excludes downloaded data. Meanwhile, Wasabi’s egress-free service starts at $73,605 for its highest 1PB tier.
Aside from pricing, the simplicity of the offering differentiates challengers from established players like Microsoft and Google. By avoiding hidden costs and any need for a dreaded “simple” calculator, customers can order an entire petabyte in a few minutes. Hard disk drives remain the preferred solution for free cloud storage providers, as an enterprise-grade 22TB HDD costs under $400, while a 15.36TB data center SSD costs three times the price. Other iDrive competitors in the market include Digital Ocean, Vultr, Rackspace, and IBM, among others.
iDrive’s choice to switch to SSD improves platform reliability, as there are no moving parts, and also provides greater scalability. This move allows it to stand out from competitors such as Wasabi and BackBlaze, with the added advantage of providing more locations to improve resilience. iDrive has a free trial for its e2 offering, with the current 7-day trial including 1TB. Although the 1PB option for the first year has a steep price of $40,000, this offer includes a 90% discount.
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