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Connecting AWS S3

This guide explains how to connect an Amazon S3 bucket to Pluton for storing backups.

Prerequisites​

Before connecting S3, you need:

  1. An AWS account - Sign up here
  2. An S3 bucket created in your desired region
  3. AWS Access Keys (Access Key ID and Secret Access Key)

Getting Your AWS Credentials​

Step 1: Create IAM User​

  1. Log into AWS Console
  2. Navigate to IAM (Identity and Access Management)
  3. Click Users in the left sidebar, then Add users
  4. Enter a username (e.g., "pluton-backup-user")
  5. Select Access key - Programmatic access
  6. Click Next: Permissions

Step 2: Attach Permissions​

Choose one of these permission options:

Option A - Full S3 Access (simpler):

  • Select Attach existing policies directly
  • Search for and select AmazonS3FullAccess

Option B - Specific Bucket Access (recommended):

  • Create a custom policy with permissions for your specific bucket
  • Example policy for bucket named "my-backups":
{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Action": ["s3:ListBucket"],
      "Resource": ["arn:aws:s3:::my-backups"]
    },
    {
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Action": ["s3:GetObject", "s3:PutObject", "s3:DeleteObject"],
      "Resource": ["arn:aws:s3:::my-backups/*"]
    }
  ]
}

Step 3: Create Access Keys​

  1. Complete the user creation process
  2. On the success page, copy the Access Key ID and Secret Access Key
  3. Important: Save these credentials securely - the Secret Access Key cannot be retrieved later

Step 4: Create S3 Bucket​

If you don't have a bucket yet:

  1. Go to S3 service in AWS Console
  2. Click Create bucket
  3. Enter a unique bucket name
  4. Choose your preferred AWS region
  5. Configure settings as needed and create the bucket

Connecting to Pluton​

Step 1: Add Storage​

  1. In Pluton, go to Storages
  2. Click Add Storage
  3. Select AWS S3 from provider list

Step 2: Configure Connection​

Fill in the required information:

Pluton AWS S3

  • Storage Name: Friendly identifier (e.g., "AWS S3 Production")
  • Access Key ID: Paste your AWS Access Key ID
  • Secret Access Key: Paste your AWS Secret Access Key
  • Region: Select the region where your bucket is located (e.g., us-east-1, eu-west-1)
  • Location Constraint: Should be the same as Region for most cases.
  • Bucket Name: Enter your S3 bucket name
  • Endpoint: Leave blank for standard AWS S3

Step 3: Advanced Options (Optional)​

  • Server-Side Encryption: Enable AES256 or KMS encryption if required
  • Storage Class: Choose between STANDARD, STANDARD_IA, GLACIER, etc.

Step 4: Complete the Storage Setup​

  1. Click the Add Storage button which automatically verifies credentials and adds the storage.
  2. Your S3 storage is now available for backups

Common Issues​

Access Denied Errors: Verify IAM permissions allow S3 operations on your bucket. Check the policy attached to your IAM user.

Bucket Not Found: Ensure bucket name is correct and exists in the specified region.

Region Mismatch: The region must match where your bucket was created. Check in S3 console.

Best Practices​

  • Use IAM users with minimal required permissions (principle of least privilege)
  • Enable S3 bucket versioning for additional protection
  • Consider using S3 Lifecycle policies to transition old backups to cheaper storage classes
  • Enable S3 bucket logging for audit trails
  • Use encryption at rest (server-side encryption) for sensitive data