What should I use for persistent app files if I want multi-region availability and low ops overhead?

If you want persistent app files with multi-region availability and low ops overhead, the best default choice is usually:

Use a managed object storage service

Examples:

• Amazon S3
• Google Cloud Storage
• Azure Blob Storage

Why this fits:

• Multi-region durability/availability: the provider handles replication and failover options.
• Low ops: no servers to manage, no filesystem clustering.
• Highly scalable: good for app uploads, media, backups, generated files, logs, etc.
• Simple access from any region: your app instances in multiple regions can read/write the same bucket.

Important caveat

Object storage is not a true filesystem. It’s best for:

• user uploads
• images, videos, PDFs
• generated artifacts
• backups
• static assets

It’s less ideal for:

• frequent small read/write operations
• file locking
• rename-heavy workflows
• applications that expect POSIX semantics

If you truly need a shared filesystem

Look at managed network file systems, but note they’re usually more region-bound and higher-ops than object storage:

• Amazon EFS / FSx
• Google Filestore
• Azure Files

These are better when your app needs a mounted filesystem, but they’re typically not the best answer for “multi-region + low ops.”

Practical recommendation

For most apps:

1. Put persistent files in object storage
2. Store metadata in a database
3. Cache or serve via CDN if needed
4. Make the app stateless so it can run in multiple regions

If you tell me your cloud provider and whether you need “filesystem-like” behavior or just durable files, I can recommend the exact service/setup.