What Is Google Cloud Storage?
Google Cloud Storage (GCS) is Google Cloud's object storage product for buckets, archives, and application data. OurClone connects to GCS through its S3-compatible interoperability API for sync, transfer, encrypted backup, and mount workflows.
Official website: https://cloud.google.com/storage
- Strong choice for analytics, archive, and durable backup destinations.
- Connects via HMAC keys generated under a service account through GCS interoperability.
- Pairs well with OurClone backup repositories that hold incremental snapshots.
What OurClone Supports for Google Cloud Storage
| Operation | How it works in OurClone |
|---|---|
| Sync | Keep a folder on Google Cloud Storage synchronized with another cloud storage account or a local folder. OurClone compares file changes and updates only what needs to change. |
| Transfer | Copy or move files between Google Cloud Storage, your Mac, and other connected cloud providers. Transfers run through your local computer, so you stay in control of the data path. |
| Backup | Create an encrypted backup repository on Google Cloud Storage, then save snapshots of local folders. Later snapshots are incremental, so unchanged files do not need to be uploaded again. |
| Mount | Mount Google Cloud Storage as a local directory in macOS or Windows, then browse and manage remote files from the operating system file manager. |
Google Cloud Storage Upload and Download Limits
These limits come from the storage provider or protocol, not from OurClone. OurClone still has to respect provider file-size caps, API quotas, bandwidth rules, account storage quota, and server-side throttling.
| Upload limits | GCS supports objects up to 5 TiB. The XML/S3-compatible API uses multipart uploads with part sizes between 5 MiB and 5 GiB (up to 10,000 parts), while a single resumable or simple upload is also subject to a 5 TiB ceiling. |
| Download limits | Object downloads are limited by object size, IAM permissions, network egress, and per-project request rate caps rather than a small per-download cap. Egress fees may apply outside Google Cloud. |
| OurClone tip | Use multipart uploads in OurClone for very large GCS objects, and check egress and storage class pricing before running large transfers from a Coldline or Archive bucket. |
How to Add Google Cloud Storage in OurClone
Google Cloud Storage connects through S3-compatible HMAC keys in OurClone.
- Sign in to the Google Cloud console and open Cloud Storage → Settings → Interoperability.
- Create a service account with the
Storage Object Admin(or a more limited) role on the target bucket. - Generate an HMAC Access Key ID and Secret for that service account.
- Open OurClone, click Add Storage, select Google Cloud Storage (or S3 Compatible), set the endpoint to
https://storage.googleapis.com, and enter the HMAC credentials and bucket name.
Sync and Transfer Workflow
After Google Cloud Storage is connected, open the Migrate area in OurClone. Choose Google Cloud Storage as the source or destination, select the folders you want to work with, then choose the task mode.
- Copy duplicates files while keeping the source unchanged.
- Move transfers files and removes them from the source after completion.
- Sync keeps the destination aligned with the source folder.
Task progress is visible in the Task tab, including completed, skipped, and failed files.
Backup Workflow
For backups, first create a backup repository on Google Cloud Storage. A repository needs a name, a storage path, and an encryption password. Keep this password safe because it is required for both future snapshots and restores.
- Open Backup and create or choose a repository on Google Cloud Storage.
- Open the repository and click New Backup.
- Select local folders such as
~/Documents,~/Pictures, or a project folder. - Start the snapshot. The first run uploads the full selection; later runs are incremental.
- Use Restore from a backup record when you need to recover files to a local directory.
Mount Google Cloud Storage as a Local Folder
OurClone can mount Google Cloud Storage as a local operating-system directory. This is useful when you want to browse cloud files in Finder or File Explorer, open files from desktop apps, or copy files with the same habits you use for local folders.
- Open the mount area in OurClone and select your connected Google Cloud Storage account.
- Choose the remote path you want to expose locally.
- Pick a local mount point, then start the mount.
- When finished, unmount cleanly from OurClone before disconnecting your network or shutting down.
Best Practices for Google Cloud Storage
- Use a clear folder naming convention such as
/ourclone-backups,/sync, or/archive. - Confirm that your Google Cloud Storage account has enough storage before running a large migration or backup.
- Run a small test sync or restore before relying on a new workflow for important files.
- For large first-time jobs, keep your computer awake and connected to a stable network.
- Pick a regional or multi-region location that matches where your local data lives to reduce latency and egress.
- If authentication fails later, rotate the HMAC key in the GCS console before restarting the task.