If you need self-hosted distributed object storage, first separate two different jobs: Incus can manage S3-protocol buckets as part of its storage-pool system, while PGSTY SILO is a dedicated S3-compatible object-storage server. For an independent service, compare SILO with Ceph Object Gateway and SeaweedFS; choose Incus buckets when Incus integration is the point. These are different architectural choices, not interchangeable products.
What are you trying to replace?
Incus is a container and virtual-machine platform with storage pools. Its bucket feature exposes storage through the S3 protocol, but those buckets belong to Incus pools; it is not simply another standalone S3 server. Pool drivers and a separately configured Ceph Object Gateway are distinct backend considerations. Check the Incus storage documentation for the pool and bucket model.
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PGSTY SILO, by contrast, is a separately deployed S3-compatible object-storage service. Its documentation describes it as a MinIO fork maintained by the Pigsty community. That lineage may make it relevant when looking for a MinIO alternative, but compatibility claims are not a guarantee that every client operation or migration behaves identically. See the SILO project site and repository.
So the useful question is whether you want buckets integrated with Incus, a standalone S3 endpoint, or an object-storage service that is part of a broader distributed-storage platform.
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How the main options differ
| Option | What it is | Consider it when | Validate before choosing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incus buckets | S3-protocol buckets attached to Incus storage pools. | Your workload already runs in an Incus environment and pool integration is useful. | The pool driver, how the bucket service is exposed, and whether the backend’s failure model meets your needs. See the Incus storage documentation. |
| PGSTY SILO | A PGSTY-maintained MinIO fork and dedicated S3-compatible service. | You want a separately deployed S3 service and value its MinIO compatibility lineage. | The exact release, required API behavior, upgrade and migration path, TLS and authentication setup, backups, and recovery. Start with the SILO project site and repository. |
| Ceph Object Gateway (RGW) | An S3- and Swift-compatible REST gateway over a Ceph Storage Cluster. | You already operate Ceph, or want object storage within a platform that also provides Ceph block and file interfaces. | Ceph operating capacity, required S3 API coverage, gateway configuration, and cluster recovery design. See the Ceph Object Gateway documentation. |
| SeaweedFS | A distributed-storage system that includes S3 object-storage functionality. | You are willing to evaluate a broader distributed-storage system rather than only a bucket server. | Required S3 operations and semantics, topology, maintenance model, and recovery workflow. See the SeaweedFS repository. |
Ceph Object Gateway is the clearest match in this list when the goal is to provide S3 access as part of Ceph. SeaweedFS is another distributed-storage candidate with S3 functionality. The sources cited here do not establish that either is easier, faster, or better for every operator, nor do they provide a controlled performance, memory, or cost comparison.
Choose by integration boundary and operating model
Keep storage within Incus
Choose Incus buckets when the bucket lifecycle and storage belong alongside Incus-managed workloads. Before committing, identify the pool driver and how clients will reach the bucket service, then assess the underlying backend’s failure behavior. If you need an independently operated S3 service, the fact that Incus speaks the S3 protocol does not by itself make its bucket feature equivalent to one.
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- 【Up to 80TB for Growing Digital Libraries】 Supports up to 80TB of storage using two HDD bays and two M.2 NVMe SSD slots for family photos, movies, RAW photos, 4K videos, work files, and device backups. AI photo management supports recognition of people, objects, scenes, and locations, album organization, and duplicate photo detection. HDDs and SSDs are not included.
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Deploy a separate S3 service
SILO is the option in this comparison positioned directly as a dedicated S3-compatible service. Its documentation advertises capabilities including erasure coding, replication, versioning, encryption, lifecycle management, and a restored console. Treat those as features to verify against the exact release and your required client operations, rather than assuming complete S3 or MinIO parity. Test authentication, policies, lifecycle behavior, replication, and any migration path that matters to your application.
The SILO download page lists server release RELEASE.2026-09-16T00-00-00Z, dated 2026-09-16, with amd64 and arm64 artifacts. Its documentation identifies release 20260916, Console v2.4.1, mcli 20260916, and pkg v3.14.1. Components can release independently, so check the download page and documentation for the current component matrix and artifacts before installing.
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Use a storage platform that includes object access
Ceph RGW fits an architecture in which object access is one interface over a Ceph Storage Cluster. That can be a natural choice where Ceph is already part of the operating model, but it also means the operator must account for the Ceph cluster and gateway, not just an S3 endpoint. SeaweedFS is worth evaluating when a wider distributed-storage system fits the need; confirm its present S3 behavior and day-to-day operating model for your workload.
Plan SILO topology around failure domains
SILO’s own deployment guidance distinguishes three topologies. These are project recommendations, not independently verified service-level guarantees:
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- Single node, single drive: the project labels this for personal labs, development, and disposable non-production evaluation. It provides no data redundancy.
- Single node, multiple drives: a constrained compromise that the project says can tolerate some disk failures, but not node failure.
- Multiple nodes, multiple drives: the project’s standard production topology, using erasure-code redundancy across disk and node failure domains.
Read the SILO download and installation guidance alongside its deployment guide. The guide cautions that published artifacts do not demonstrate equal production validation across platforms; validate the selected platform and topology, storage behavior, failure domains, upgrade process, and recovery workflow yourself.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Make compatibility and recovery part of the evaluation
For any candidate, assess more than whether it accepts S3 requests. Record which operations and semantics your applications rely on, then verify those against the chosen release. Include authentication and policy behavior, lifecycle rules, versioning or replication if needed, and the client libraries in use. This is especially important when replacing an existing service: a shared protocol name does not prove that data migration, metadata, policies, or application behavior will transfer unchanged.
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For SILO specifically, its repository advises production users to pin a release, use unique credentials and TLS, monitor the service, keep independent backups, and test recovery. As a downstream release line, it also merits review of release notes and a retained rollback path. These are safeguards to include in an operational plan, not substitutes for testing restoration with the actual data and topology.
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- Define the failure domains you need to survive: disk, node, or a broader cluster incident.
- Check whether the selected deployment topology and backend address those failure domains.
- Test upgrades and rollback with the release and platform you intend to run.
- Keep backups independent of the storage service and perform a recovery test, not just a backup-job check.
- Confirm the exact API operations and client behavior your workload depends on before migrating production data.
A practical decision
- Need Incus-managed buckets? Start with Incus storage buckets and verify the pool driver, service exposure, and backend failure model.
- Need a standalone S3-compatible service? Evaluate SILO’s current release against your clients, operational requirements, and migration plan.
- Already operate Ceph or want object storage within Ceph? Evaluate Ceph Object Gateway and include cluster and gateway operations in the decision.
- Considering a broader distributed-storage system? Evaluate SeaweedFS against the S3 operations, topology, maintenance, and recovery workflow you actually need.
There is no evidence in the cited project material for a universal winner or a benchmark ranking among these choices. The deciding factors are the integration boundary, API behavior, failure domains, operational capacity, upgrade safety, and recovery design.
Quick Recap
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