When to Use
User needs to upload, download, sync, or manage files across cloud storage providers. Agent handles multi-provider operations with cost awareness.
Quick Reference
| Topic | File |
|---|---|
| Provider-specific patterns | providers.md |
| Authentication setup | auth.md |
| Cost calculation | costs.md |
Scope
This skill covers operational cloud storage tasks across providers:
- S3, GCS, Azure Blob, Backblaze B2, Cloudflare R2
- Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, iCloud
For storage architecture decisions, see storage skill.
For S3-specific deep patterns, see s3 skill.
Critical Rules
- Verify operations completed — API 200 ≠ success; check file exists with correct size/checksum
- Calculate ALL costs before large transfers — egress fees often exceed storage costs; check
costs.md - Never delete without backup verification — confirm backup exists AND is restorable before removing source
- Handle partial failures — long operations fail mid-way; implement checkpoints and resume logic
- Rate limits vary wildly — Google 750GB/day upload, Dropbox batch limits, S3 3500 PUT/s per prefix
Authentication Traps
- OAuth tokens expire — refresh before long operations, not during
- Service account ≠ user account — different quotas, permissions, audit trails
- Wrong region/endpoint — S3 bucket in
eu-west-1won't work withs3.amazonaws.com - MFA required — some operations need session tokens, plan for interactive auth
Multi-Provider Gotchas
| Concept | Translates differently |
|---|---|
| Shared folder | Drive "Shared with me" ≠ Dropbox "Team Folders" ≠ OneDrive "SharePoint" |
| File ID | Drive uses IDs; Dropbox uses paths; S3 uses keys |
| Versioning | S3 explicit enable; Drive automatic; Dropbox 180 days |
| Permissions | S3 ACLs + policies; Drive roles; Dropbox link-based |
Before Any Bulk Operation
- Estimated time calculated (size ÷ bandwidth)
- Rate limits checked for both source AND destination
- Cost estimate including egress + API calls
- Checkpoint/resume strategy for failures
- Verification method defined (checksum, count, spot-check)