Connecting to Cloud Storage

Connecting to Cloud Storage

MatchLogic supports importing files directly from cloud storage services and FTP servers, so you do not need to download files to your local machine first. This is especially useful when working with large files or automated data pipelines where data lands in cloud storage.

Data Import page showing cloud storage connector options (S3, Azure Blob, FTP)

Amazon S3

To connect to an Amazon S3 bucket:

  1. Select S3 as the source type on the Data Import page.
  2. Enter your Access Key ID and Secret Access Key. These are IAM credentials with read access to the target bucket.
  3. Select the Region where your bucket is hosted (e.g., us-east-1).
  4. Enter the Bucket Name.
  5. Click Test Connection to verify access.
  6. Once connected, use the remote file browser to navigate to your file. See #browsing-remote-files.

Advanced S3 options are available for special scenarios:

  • Session Token — Required when using temporary AWS credentials (e.g., from STS AssumeRole).
  • Custom Endpoint — For S3-compatible services like MinIO, DigitalOcean Spaces, or Wasabi.
  • Path Style Addressing — Enable this for S3-compatible services that do not support virtual-hosted-style bucket URLs.

S3 connection form with Access Key, Secret Key, Region, and Bucket fields

Azure Blob Storage

To connect to Azure Blob Storage:

  1. Select Azure Blob as the source type.
  2. Enter your Account Name (the name of your Azure storage account).
  3. Enter your Account Key (found in the Azure Portal under your storage account's Access Keys).
  4. Enter the Container Name you want to browse.
  5. Click Test Connection to verify access.
  6. Browse and select your file using the remote file browser.

Azure Blob connection form with Account Name, Account Key, and Container fields

FTP / SFTP

To connect to an FTP or SFTP server:

  1. Select FTP as the source type.
  2. Enter the Hostname of the FTP server.
  3. Enter the Port (default is 21 for FTP, 22 for SFTP).
  4. Enter your Username and Password.
  5. Toggle Passive Mode if your network requires it (this is common when connecting through firewalls).
  6. Click Test Connection to verify access.
  7. Browse the remote directory tree to find and select your file.

Tip

All cloud storage connectors include a Test Connection button. Always test your connection before attempting to browse files. This catches credential issues, network problems, and permission errors early.

After Connecting

Once you successfully connect to any cloud storage source, MatchLogic opens a remote file browser where you can navigate directories and select the file to import. The file must be in a supported format (CSV, XLSX, or XLS). After selecting a file, the workflow continues with column mapping and import, just like a local file upload.

Important

Ensure that the credentials you provide have at least read access to the bucket, container, or directory you need. MatchLogic only needs to read files for import. Write access is only needed if you plan to export results back to the same storage location.

For details on navigating the remote file browser, see #browsing-remote-files. For advanced connection settings, see #advanced-connection-options.