IBM Cloud Object Storage (infrastructure) connection

Last updated: Nov 21, 2024

To access your data in IBM Cloud Object Storage (infrastructure), create a connection asset for it.

The Cloud Object Storage (infrastructure) connection is for object storage that was formerly on SoftLayer. SoftLayer was replaced by IBM Cloud. You cannot provision a new instance for Cloud Object Storage (infrastructure). This connection is for users who set up an earlier instance on SoftLayer.

Create a connection to Cloud Object Storage (infrastructure)

To create the connection asset, you need this information.

Required connection values

The Login URL is required, plus one of the following values for authentication:

Access Key and Secret Key
Credentials If you plan to use the S3 API, you must enter an Access Key.

Connection values in the Cloud Object Storage Resource list

The values for these fields are found in the Cloud Object Storage Resource list.

To find the Login URL:

Go to the Cloud Object Storage Resource list at https://cloud.ibm.com/resources.
Expand the Storage resource.
Click the Cloud Object Storage service. From the menu, select Endpoints.
Copy the value of the public endpoint that is in the same region as the bucket that you want to use.

To find the values for Access key and the Secret Key:

Go to the Cloud Object Storage Resource list at https://cloud.ibm.com/resources.
Expand the Storage resource.
Click the Cloud Object Storage service, and then click the Service credentials tab.
Expand the Key name that you want to use. Copy the values without the quotation marks:

Access Key: access_key_id
Secret Key: secret_access_key

Note: Alternatively, you can use the contents of the JSON file in Credentials to copy the values for the Access Key and Secret Key.

To find the Credentials:

Go to the Cloud Object Storage Resource list at https://cloud.ibm.com/resources.
Expand the Storage resource.
Click the Cloud Object Storage service, and then click the Service credentials tab.
Expand the Key name that you want to use.
Copy the entire JSON file. Include the opening and closing braces { } symbols.

For Certificates
(Optional) Enter the self-signed SSL certificate that was created by a tool such as OpenSSL.

Choose the method for creating a connection based on where you are in the platform

In a project: Click Assets > New asset > Connect to a data source. See Adding a connection to a project.
In a catalog: Click Add to catalog > Connection. See Adding a connection asset to a catalog.
In a deployment space: Click Import assets > Data access > Connection. See Adding data assets to a deployment space.
In the Platform assets catalog: Click New connection. See Adding platform connections.

Next step: Add data assets from the connection

Where you can use this connection

Projects

Decision Optimization (watsonx.ai Studio and watsonx.ai Runtime)
SPSS Modeler (watsonx.ai Studio)

Catalogs

Platform assets catalog
Other catalogs (IBM Knowledge Catalog)

Supported file types

The Cloud Object Storage (infrastructure) connection supports these file types: Avro, CSV, Delimited text, Excel, JSON, ORC, Parquet, SAS, SAV, SHP, and XML.

Table formats

The Cloud Object Storage (infrastructure) connection supports these Data Lake table formats: Delta Lake and Iceberg.

Learn more

Related connection: IBM Cloud Object Storage connection

Parent topic: Supported connections