Q: What is considered as a "file access" on Google Cloud Storage? Given that GCS pricing varies greatly depending on the storage class you use (standard, nearline, coldline), and that picking a file class is mostly determined by how frequently you'll need to access the file, what does Google Cloud Storage consider as an "access"? Downloading and uploading blobs seam the most obvious answers, but I was wondering if using gsutil commands like ls or operations like renaming a file would be considered as an access as well.
Thanks for your help!

A: According to the pricing documentation for Google Cloud Storage, there are three classes of operations. And you will be billed depending on the storage class of the object or bucket that is being used to perform the operation.
In the example you consider, a gsutil ls uses the JSON API by default:

If you access Cloud Storage through gsutil, JSON API operations are used by default

In this case this is a storage.objects.list operation belonging to the class A operations so you will be billed for 0.05$ per 10,000 operations in the Standard Storage class and for 0.10$ per 10,000 operations in the Nearline Storage and Coldline Storage class.
