---
name: cloud-logs-configure-metrics-bucket
title: Configuring the metrics bucket for an IBM Cloud Logs instance
description: Configure a bucket in IBM Cloud Object Storage to store metrics from logs 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 metrics bucket for an IBM Cloud Logs instance
{: #configure-metrics-bucket}

Configure a bucket in IBM Cloud Object Storage to store metrics from logs for long term storage and search.
{: shortdesc}


## Prereqs
{: #configure-metrics-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.


## Configure an IAM Service to service authorization
{: #configure-metrics-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 metrics 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 metrics bucket
{: #configure-metrics-bucket-attach}
{: step}

Complete the following steps to configure a metrics 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**. You might need to click the **Cloud Logs** tab to see your IBM Cloud Logs instances.

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}