Explanation
Without lifecycle policies, data in OCI Object Storage remains in the default storage tier indefinitely-even if it is rarely accessed. This can lead to growing costs from unneeded or rarely accessed data that could be expired or transitioned to lower-cost tiers like Archive Storage.
Relevant Billing Model
Charged based on object storage tier and total GB stored per month.
Detection
- Review buckets lacking lifecycle policies or where all objects remain in standard tier
- Analyze object creation timestamps and last access data (if available)
- Identify buckets used for logs, backups, or system exports where retention can be limited
- Check with teams to validate retention requirements for each bucket
Remediation
- Create lifecycle rules to transition older objects to Archive Storage
- Set expiration policies for data older than required retention thresholds
- Standardize lifecycle policies across log or backup buckets