Binary Large Object (Blob)
Overview
Binary Large Object (Blob) is a data type used to store large amounts of binary data, such as images or geospatial files, often used in databases and cloud storage systems. In cloud computing, blob storage provides scalable object storage for unstructured data.
Key Concepts
Binary data is raw bytes without text encoding. Object storage organizes data as discrete objects with metadata. Container/Bucket is a logical grouping of blobs. Access tier determines storage cost and retrieval speed (hot, cool, archive). CDN integration enables global distribution of blob content.
Cloud Blob Storage
| Provider | Service |
|---|---|
| Azure | Blob Storage |
| AWS | S3 |
| Google Cloud | Cloud Storage |
GIS Applications
- Storing raster imagery (GeoTIFF, COG)
- Hosting tile caches (PMTiles)
- Distributing large vector datasets
- Archiving spatial data backups
Appendix
Created: 2025-12-13 | Modified: 2025-12-13