Use object versioning

Keep earlier versions of an object when you upload a new one under the same name. With versioning on, each version has its own version ID, size, and time, and can be downloaded or deleted on its own.

Before you begin

• A bucket in the Ready state. You can change versioning only while the bucket is Ready.
• Permission to update datasets in the project. A Member gets it through a policy that allows updating datasets.
• Object lock off on the bucket, if you want to turn versioning off. A bucket with object lock keeps versioning on for good, so its Actions menu leaves out Object Versioning.
• A plan for the bill: every stored version counts toward it. A file overwritten ten times with versioning on leaves ten versions on the bill. Pair versioning with a lifecycle rule so old versions stay under control.

Turn versioning on

1. In the list, open the Actions menu of the bucket and select Object Versioning. It tells you whether versioning is enabled or disabled now.
2. Versioning applies to every object from that moment on, and objects already stored stay as they are.
3. Tick I understand and I want to enable object versioning, then select Save.

You can also turn versioning on when you create a bucket, with Enable Object Versioning.

Turn versioning off

Turning it off suspends versioning. A new object with the same name then replaces the old one instead of adding a version. Existing versions stay available as they are and keep being stored and billed. Versioning stays on while the bucket has an active replication rule.

Open Object Versioning in the bucket’s Actions menu, tick the acknowledgement box for disabling, and select Save.

In the list, a bucket’s Versioning is Enabled or Disabled. Disabled covers a bucket whose versioning was suspended as well as one that has had versioning off from the start.

View and manage the versions of an object

1. On the Data Objects tab, select View Versions on the object’s row. The button is on objects, not folders.
2. Each version has its ID, whether it is the latest, its size, and when it was last changed. A delete marker is labelled (Delete marker) and has no size.
3. A version’s Actions are Download, Generate Presigned URL, Lock Settings, and Delete. Lock Settings is there only in a bucket with object lock, on every version except a delete marker.

Delete asks “Are you sure you want to delete the selected version?” and warns that deleting permanently removes it. On a bucket with object lock, it also says a version under legal hold can be deleted only after the hold is removed.

Check the versions

The Object Versioning dialog shows versioning as enabled or disabled, and uploading an object under an existing name adds a row to Object Versions.

For locks on a version, see Lock one object version or place a legal hold. If Save stays unavailable, see Troubleshooting TIR Object Storage.