---
name: cloud-logs-configure-data-bucket
title: Configuring the data bucket for an IBM Cloud Logs instance
description: Configure a bucket in IBM Cloud Object Storage to store your IBM Cloud Logs data for long term storage and search.
last-updated: 2026-03-19
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-logs?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# Configuring the data bucket for an IBM Cloud Logs instance
{: #configure-data-bucket}

Configure a bucket in IBM Cloud Object Storage to store your IBM Cloud Logs data for long term storage and search.
{: shortdesc}


## Prereqs
{: #configure-data-bucket-prereqs}

- The IBM Cloud Object Storage service can be in the same account as your IBM Cloud Logs instance, or can be located in a different account.

- You must have permissions to create a bucket in an IBM Cloud Object Storage instance or have the details of an existing bucket.

- You must have permissions to configure a service to service authorization between the IBM Cloud Object Storage service and the IBM Cloud Logs service.



## Data bucket restrictions
{: #cos_databucket_restrictions}



### Storage classes
{: #cos_databucket_storageclasses}

IBM Cloud Object Storage buckets used by IBM Cloud Logs as data buckets can be configured only with the following [storage classes](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-object-storage?topic=cloud-object-storage-classes&format=markdown):

* Smart Tier
* Standard

The following storage classes are not supported by IBM Cloud Logs as data buckets:

* Vault
* Cold Vault

### Archive rules
{: #cos_databucket_archiverules}

IBM Cloud Object Storage allows you to define [archive rules](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-object-storage?topic=cloud-object-storage-archive&format=markdown) on buckets that archive objects automatically after the defined time period. Archived objects have a lower cost than regular objects, but need to be restored before they can be read again.

IBM Cloud Logs cannot read archived objects. IBM Cloud Logs searching of archived objects in the [All Logs](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-logs?topic=cloud-logs-query-data&format=markdown#query-data-all-logs) view, or querying in [Archive queries](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-logs?topic=cloud-logs-query-archive-data-bucket&format=markdown), returns an error message.

IBM Cloud Object Storage buckets used as IBM Cloud Logs data buckets must not define archive rules that immediately archive objects, or archive objects within a few hours.

If you do not need to search logs older than a certain time period, for example, a month, you can define an IBM Cloud Object Storage archive rule to archive objects older that the time period required for searching. Do not configure archiving for a period of less than 7 days.

By archiving data that you do not need to search, you can retain the log data at a reduced cost. If required, you can [restore archived objects](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-object-storage?topic=cloud-object-storage-archive&format=markdown#archive-restore-cli) if you need to search the data by using IBM Cloud Logs in the future.

### Successful read activity tracking events
{: #cos_databucket_readevents}

IBM Cloud Activity Tracker Event Routing drops successful `cloud-object-storage.object.read` events that are initiated by IBM Cloud Logs instances because they are not needed. When reviewing activity tracking events related to IBM Cloud Logs activity, you will not see see successful `cloud-object-storage.object.read` events.


## Configure an IAM Service to service authorization
{: #configure-data-bucket-s2s}
{: step}

You must define a service to service (S2S) authorization between IBM Cloud Logs and IBM Cloud Object Storage to allow IBM Cloud Logs to read and write data into the data bucket.

For more information, see:
- [Creating a S2S authorization to grant access to a bucket when the IBM Cloud Logs instance and the bucket are in the same account](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-logs?topic=cloud-logs-iam-service-auth-cos&format=markdown).
- [Creating a cross-account S2S authorization to grant access to a bucket when the IBM Cloud Logs instance and the bucket are in different accounts](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-logs?topic=cloud-logs-iam-service-auth-cos-crossacc&format=markdown).


## Configure the data bucket
{: #configure-data-bucket-attach}
{: step}

Complete the following steps to configure a data bucket for an IBM Cloud Logs instance:

1. [Log in to your IBM Cloud account](https://cloud.ibm.com/login){: external}.

	After you log in with your user ID and password, the IBM Cloud dashboard opens.

2. Click the **Menu** icon ![Menu icon](../icons/icon_hamburger.svg) > **Observability**.

3. Select **Logging** > **Instances**. Then, select the instance to which you want to configure a data bucket.

4. In the *Storage* section, select **Connect** in the *Data bucket* section.

5. Choose how to enter the bucket details in the *Select bucket by* section:

    Choose **Instance** and select a COS instance and bucket if your IBM Cloud Logs instance and the bucket are located in the same account.

    Choose **Bucket CRN** and enter the bucket CRN if your IBM Cloud Logs instance and the bucket are located in different accounts.

6. Configure the **direct endpoint** as the bucket endpoint.

    Direct endpoints are used for requests originating from resources within VPCs. Direct endpoints provide better performance over Public endpoints and do not incur charges for any outgoing or incoming bandwidth even if the traffic is cross regions or across data centers. For more information, see [Endpoint Types](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cloud-object-storage?topic=cloud-object-storage-endpoints&format=markdown#advanced-endpoint-types).

7. Click **Save** to save the configuration.

Once a bucket is connected to a IBM Cloud Logs instance, a bucket is always required. It can be changed but not removed.
{: important}