Two Self-Hosted S3 Instances That Trust Each Other: DataSafeS3 v1.1.0

## Introduction In the world of cloud storage, trust is a rare commodity—especially when you're managing your own infrastructure. Many organizations rely on Amazon S3 or similar services for object storage, but self-hosted solutions like MinIO or Ceph offer control and privacy. However, a common challenge arises: how do you make two self-hosted S3 instances trust each other for seamless replication, backup, or disaster recovery? Enter **DataSafeS3 v1.1.0**, a recent open-source release that solves this exact problem. This article dives into the technical details, practical applications, and real-world use cases of this innovative tool, based on the latest news from the developer community. The concept of "two self-hosted S3 instances that trust each other" might sound like a niche requirement, but it's a game-changer for organizations running hybrid or multi-site storage architectures. DataSafeS3 v1.1.0 introduces a mechanism for secure, authenticated communication between independent S3-compatible storage systems, eliminating the need for complex VPNs or shared credentials. Let's explore how it works and why it matters. ## What Is DataSafeS3 v1.1.0? DataSafeS3 is a lightweight, open-source tool designed to bridge the gap between self-hosted S3 implementations. Version 1.1.0, released in mid-2026, focuses on establishing mutual trust between two independent S3 endpoints. According to the official announcement [Source](https://habr.com/ru/articles/1055644/?utm_source=habrahabr&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=1055644), this version introduces a trust model based on token exchange and signature verification, similar to how OAuth works but tailored for S3 API compatibility. **Key features of DataSafeS3 v1.1.0:** - **Mutual TLS (mTLS) support**: Both S3 instances authenticate each other using certificates, ensuring only authorized systems can communicate. - **Cross-instance replication**: Enables automated data copying between two self-hosted S3 servers without a central broker. - **Event-driven triggers**: Replication can be initiated based on bucket events (e.g., object upload, deletion), reducing manual overhead. - **Backward compatibility**: Works with any S3-compatible storage, including MinIO, Ceph RGW, and even AWS S3 (though the focus is on self-hosted). The core innovation here is that DataSafeS3 doesn't just copy data—it verifies the identity of both parties before any transfer occurs, addressing security concerns that often plague self-hosted solutions. ## How Does Mutual Trust Work in Practice? To understand the value, consider a typical scenario: two data centers, each running their own MinIO cluster. Without a trust mechanism, you'd need to either expose one cluster's API key to the other (a security risk) or set up a complex VPN tunnel. DataSafeS3 v1.1.0 simplifies this by using a trust registry—a lightweight database of allowed endpoints. **Step-by-step workflow:** 1. **Installation**: Deploy DataSafeS3 as a sidecar service on both S3 instances. It can run in a Docker container or as a standalone binary. 2. **Certificate generation**: Use the built-in CLI tool to generate mTLS certificates for each instance. 3. **Trust registration**: Register the public certificate of Instance B on Instance A (and vice versa). This is done via a simple API call or configuration file. 4. **Replication setup**: Define replication rules (e.g., replicate all objects in bucket "backup" from Instance A to Instance B every hour). 5. **Execution**: DataSafeS3 handles authentication, encryption, and data transfer automatically. **Example configuration (YAML format):** ```yaml instance_a: endpoint: https://s3-a.internal:9000 access_key: AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE secret_key: wJalrXUtnFEMI/K7MDENG/bPxRfiCYEXAMPLEKEY trust_cert: /etc/datasafes3/certs/a.crt instance_b: endpoint: https://s3-b.internal:9000 access_key: AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE secret_key: wJalrXUtnFEMI/K7MDENG/bPxRfiCYEXAMPLEKEY trust_cert: /etc/datasafes3/certs/b.crt replication: source: instance_a destination: instance_b bucket: "backup" schedule: "0 * * * *" # every hour ``` This configuration ensures that only Instance B can write to Instance A's designated bucket, and vice versa. Any unauthorized request is rejected at the network level. ### Real-World Use Cases DataSafeS3 v1.1.0 is particularly useful in these scenarios: - **Disaster recovery**: Synchronize data between two geographically separate data centers. If one fails, the other has an up-to-date copy. - **Compliance**: Keep data within specific jurisdictions. For example, all European customer data stored on an S3 instance in Frankfurt, with a backup in Berlin, but never leaving the EU. - **Multi-cloud strategies**: Use one self-hosted S3 as a primary and another as a secondary, avoiding vendor lock-in. - **Edge storage**: In IoT deployments, edge devices can run lightweight S3 instances that trust a central hub for periodic data uploads. ## Performance and Security Considerations From a performance standpoint, DataSafeS3 v1.1.0 adds minimal overhead. The mTLS handshake occurs only once per connection, and data is transferred over HTTPS with optional client-side encryption. The developers report throughput comparable to native S3 replication (within 5-10% of baseline speed) in their benchmarks. Security-wise, the trust model is robust: - **Certificate pinning**: Prevents man-in-the-middle attacks. - **Audit logging**: All replication events are logged with timestamps and instance IDs. - **Key rotation**: Certificates can be rotated without downtime using the built-in renewal mechanism. However, it's worth noting that DataSafeS3 does not handle encryption at rest—that's the responsibility of the underlying S3 implementation. For maximum security, combine it with MinIO's built-in SSE-S3 or Ceph's encryption features. ## Comparison with Alternatives How does DataSafeS3 stack up against other solutions? Here's a quick comparison: | Feature | DataSafeS3 v1.1.0 | AWS S3 Replication | Rsync + SSH | |---------|-------------------|--------------------|-------------| | **Trust model** | Mutual TLS | IAM roles | SSH keys | | **S3 API compatible** | Yes | Yes | No (file-level) | | **Self-hosted only** | Yes | No | Yes | | **Event-driven** | Yes | Yes | No | | **Setup complexity** | Medium | Low (but vendor-locked) | High | DataSafeS3 fills a gap for organizations that want the flexibility of self-hosted S3 without sacrificing security. It's not a replacement for S3 itself—think of it as a glue layer that makes two S3 instances work together seamlessly. ## Getting Started with DataSafeS3 v1.1.0 If you're ready to try it, the installation is straightforward. The project is available on GitHub as an open-source binary. Minimal requirements include: - Two S3-compatible instances (e.g., MinIO, Ceph) - Docker or a Linux server (Ubuntu 22.04+ recommended) - OpenSSL for certificate generation **Quick start command:** ```bash # Install on Instance A curl -sL https://get.datasafes3.io/install.sh | bash # Initialize trust sudo datasafes3 init --endpoint https://s3-a.internal:9000 --trust-instance https://s3-b.internal:9000 ``` For detailed documentation, refer to the official repository (linked in the source article). ## Conclusion DataSafeS3 v1.1.0 is a timely solution for an increasingly complex storage landscape. As more organizations adopt self-hosted S3 for data sovereignty and cost savings, the ability to establish trust between independent instances becomes critical. This tool doesn't just replicate data—it does so with cryptographic certainty, reducing the risk of breaches or misconfigurations. Whether you're building a multi-site backup strategy, complying with regional regulations, or simply experimenting with distributed storage, DataSafeS3 offers a practical, open-source path forward. The two S3 instances that trust each other are no longer a theoretical concept; they're a deployable reality. For those interested in the underlying API integrations and how to connect such systems to broader workflows, ASI Biont supports connection to various S3-compatible services through its API—learn more at asibiont.com/courses. The future of self-hosted storage is collaborative, and DataSafeS3 is leading the way.

Two Self-Hosted S3 Instances That Trust Each Other: DataSafeS3 v1.1.0

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