diff --git a/.github/workflows/cmake.yml b/.github/workflows/cmake.yml
index a97157c..5a75f7c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cmake.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cmake.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ on:
     branches: [ "main" ]
 
 env:
+  AWS_SDK_CPP_MAJOR: 1
+  AWS_SDK_CPP_MINOR: 11
+  AWS_SDK_CPP_PATCH: 286
   BOOST_MAJOR: 1
   BOOST_MINOR: 83
   BOOST_PATCH: 0
@@ -17,7 +20,8 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
     name: Formatting checks
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Cheking out code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 2
 
@@ -52,7 +56,7 @@ jobs:
             build_type: "Debug",
             cc: "gcc-13",
             cxx: "g++-13",
-            label: "debug_gcc13",
+            label: "Debug-gcc13",
             run_mtr: true
           }
         - {
@@ -60,7 +64,7 @@ jobs:
             build_type: "RelWithDebInfo",
             cc: "gcc-13",
             cxx: "g++-13",
-            label: "relwithdebinfo_gcc13",
+            label: "RelWithDebInfo-gcc13",
             run_mtr: true
           }
         - {
@@ -69,7 +73,8 @@ jobs:
             cc: "gcc-13",
             cxx: "g++-13",
             sanitizer_cmake_flags: "-DWITH_ASAN=ON",
-            label: "asan_gcc13",
+            aws_sanitizer_cmake_flags: "-DENABLE_ADDRESS_SANITIZER=ON",
+            label: "ASan-gcc13",
             run_mtr: true,
             mtr_options: "--sanitize"
           }
@@ -79,7 +84,8 @@ jobs:
             cc: "clang-17",
             cxx: "clang++-17",
             libcxx_cmake_flags: "-DWITH_STDLIB_LIBCXX=ON",
-            label: "debug_clang17",
+            aws_libcxx_cmake_flags: "-DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_INIT=-stdlib=libc++",
+            label: "Debug-clang17",
             run_clang_tidy: true,
           }
         - {
@@ -88,7 +94,8 @@ jobs:
             cc: "clang-17",
             cxx: "clang++-17",
             libcxx_cmake_flags: "-DWITH_STDLIB_LIBCXX=ON",
-            label: "relwithdebinfo_clang17",
+            aws_libcxx_cmake_flags: "-DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_INIT=-stdlib=libc++",
+            label: "RelWithDebInfo-clang17",
             run_clang_tidy: true,
           }
         - {
@@ -97,8 +104,10 @@ jobs:
             cc: "clang-17",
             cxx: "clang++-17",
             libcxx_cmake_flags: "-DWITH_STDLIB_LIBCXX=ON",
+            aws_libcxx_cmake_flags: "-DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_INIT=-stdlib=libc++",
             sanitizer_cmake_flags: "-DWITH_ASAN=ON",
-            label: "asan_clang17",
+            aws_sanitizer_cmake_flags: "-DENABLE_ADDRESS_SANITIZER=ON",
+            label: "ASan-clang17",
             run_mtr: true,
             mtr_options: "--sanitize"
           }
@@ -117,10 +126,15 @@ jobs:
     - name: Info df
       run: df -h
 
-    - name: Install MySQL client libraries
+    - name: Info GitHub directories
+      run: |
+        echo github.workspace: ${{github.workspace}}
+        echo runner.temp     : ${{runner.temp}}
+
+    - name: Install MySQL client libraries and CURL Development libraries
       run: |
         sudo apt-get update
-        sudo apt-get install libmysqlclient-dev
+        sudo apt-get install libmysqlclient-dev libcurl4-openssl-dev
 
     - name: Install MySQL server and MTR
       if: matrix.config.run_mtr
@@ -156,7 +170,7 @@ jobs:
       uses: actions/cache@v4
       with:
         path: ${{runner.temp}}/deps/${{format('boost_{0}_{1}_{2}{3}', env.BOOST_MAJOR, env.BOOST_MINOR, env.BOOST_PATCH, env.BOOST_EXT)}}
-        key: boost-tarball
+        key: ${{format('boost_tarball_{0}_{1}_{2}', env.BOOST_MAJOR, env.BOOST_MINOR, env.BOOST_PATCH)}}
 
     - name: Download boost libraries
       if: steps.cache-boost-tarball.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
@@ -167,19 +181,60 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: ${{runner.temp}}/deps
       run: tar xf ${{format('boost_{0}_{1}_{2}{3}', env.BOOST_MAJOR, env.BOOST_MINOR, env.BOOST_PATCH, env.BOOST_EXT)}}
 
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+    - name: Checking out AWS SDK C++ source tree
+      uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      with:
+        repository: aws/aws-sdk-cpp
+        ref: ${{format('{0}.{1}.{2}', env.AWS_SDK_CPP_MAJOR, env.AWS_SDK_CPP_MINOR, env.AWS_SDK_CPP_PATCH)}}
+        path: aws-sdk-cpp
+        submodules: recursive
+
+    - name: Configure CMake for AWS SDK C++
+      run: |
+        cmake \
+          -B ${{github.workspace}}/../aws-sdk-cpp-build-${{matrix.config.label}} \
+          -S ${{github.workspace}}/aws-sdk-cpp \
+          -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${{runner.temp}}/deps/aws-sdk-cpp-install-${{matrix.config.label}} \
+          -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${{matrix.config.build_type}}  \
+          -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=${{matrix.config.cc}} \
+          -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=${{matrix.config.cxx}} \
+          ${{matrix.config.aws_libcxx_cmake_flags}} \
+          ${{matrix.config.aws_sanitizer_cmake_flags}} \
+          -DCPP_STANDARD=20 \
+          -DENABLE_UNITY_BUILD=ON \
+          -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF \
+          -DFORCE_SHARED_CRT=OFF \
+          -DENABLE_TESTING=OFF \
+          -DAUTORUN_UNIT_TESTS=OFF \
+          -DBUILD_ONLY=s3-crt
+
+    - name: CMake info for AWS SDK C++
+      run: cmake -L ${{github.workspace}}/../aws-sdk-cpp-build-${{matrix.config.label}}
+
+    - name: Build for AWS SDK C++
+      run: cmake --build ${{github.workspace}}/../aws-sdk-cpp-build-${{matrix.config.label}} --config ${{matrix.config.build_type}} --parallel
+
+    - name: Install for AWS SDK C++
+      run: cmake --install ${{github.workspace}}/../aws-sdk-cpp-build-${{matrix.config.label}} --config ${{matrix.config.build_type}}
+
+    - name: Checking out source tree
+      uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      with:
+        path: percona-binlog-server
 
     - name: Configure CMake
       # Configure CMake in a 'build' subdirectory. `CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE` is only required if you are using a single-configuration generator such as make.
       # See https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/variable/CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE.html?highlight=cmake_build_type
       run: |
         cmake -Wdev -Werror=dev -Wdeprecated -Werror=deprecated \
-          -B ${{github.workspace}}/../build-${{matrix.config.label}} \
+          -B ${{github.workspace}}/../percona-binlog-server-build-${{matrix.config.label}} \
+          -S ${{github.workspace}}/percona-binlog-server \
           -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${{matrix.config.build_type}}  \
           -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=${{matrix.config.cc}} \
           -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=${{matrix.config.cxx}} \
           ${{matrix.config.libcxx_cmake_flags}} \
           ${{matrix.config.sanitizer_cmake_flags}} \
+          -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=${{runner.temp}}/deps/aws-sdk-cpp-install-${{matrix.config.label}} \
           -DBoost_ROOT=${{runner.temp}}/deps/${{format('boost_{0}_{1}_{2}', env.BOOST_MAJOR, env.BOOST_MINOR, env.BOOST_PATCH)}} \
           -DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS=ON
 
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 07fd8b2..8ed8a4f 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -61,6 +61,9 @@ find_package(Boost 1.83.0 EXACT REQUIRED)
 
 find_package(MySQL REQUIRED)
 
+find_package(ZLIB REQUIRED)
+find_package(AWSSDK REQUIRED COMPONENTS s3-crt)
+
 set(source_files
   # main application files
   src/app.cpp
@@ -167,6 +170,9 @@ set(source_files
   src/binsrv/main_config.hpp
   src/binsrv/main_config.cpp
 
+  src/binsrv/s3_storage_backend.hpp
+  src/binsrv/s3_storage_backend.cpp
+
   src/binsrv/storage_fwd.hpp
   src/binsrv/storage.hpp
   src/binsrv/storage.cpp
@@ -240,6 +246,7 @@ target_link_libraries(binlog_server
     binlog_server_compiler_flags
   PRIVATE
     Boost::headers MySQL::client
+    aws-cpp-sdk-s3-crt
 )
 # for some reason it is not possible to propagate CXX_EXTENSIONS and
 # CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED via interface library (binlog_server_compiler_flags)
diff --git a/src/app.cpp b/src/app.cpp
index 91d3e59..27662e0 100644
--- a/src/app.cpp
+++ b/src/app.cpp
@@ -208,6 +208,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     msg += ", path: ";
     msg += storage_config.get<"path">();
     logger->log(binsrv::log_severity::info, msg);
+    msg = "description: ";
+    msg += storage_backend->get_description();
+    logger->log(binsrv::log_severity::info, msg);
 
     binsrv::storage storage{std::move(storage_backend)};
     logger->log(binsrv::log_severity::info,
diff --git a/src/binsrv/basic_storage_backend.cpp b/src/binsrv/basic_storage_backend.cpp
index 119f205..8790176 100644
--- a/src/binsrv/basic_storage_backend.cpp
+++ b/src/binsrv/basic_storage_backend.cpp
@@ -51,4 +51,8 @@ void basic_storage_backend::close_stream() {
   stream_opened_ = false;
 }
 
+[[nodiscard]] std::string basic_storage_backend::get_description() const {
+  return do_get_description();
+}
+
 } // namespace binsrv
diff --git a/src/binsrv/basic_storage_backend.hpp b/src/binsrv/basic_storage_backend.hpp
index fb1d41c..fdafcf1 100644
--- a/src/binsrv/basic_storage_backend.hpp
+++ b/src/binsrv/basic_storage_backend.hpp
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ class basic_storage_backend {
   void write_data_to_stream(util::const_byte_span data);
   void close_stream();
 
+  [[nodiscard]] std::string get_description() const;
+
 private:
   bool stream_opened_{false};
 
@@ -39,6 +41,8 @@ class basic_storage_backend {
   virtual void do_open_stream(std::string_view name) = 0;
   virtual void do_write_data_to_stream(util::const_byte_span data) = 0;
   virtual void do_close_stream() = 0;
+
+  [[nodiscard]] virtual std::string do_get_description() const = 0;
 };
 
 } // namespace binsrv
diff --git a/src/binsrv/filesystem_storage_backend.cpp b/src/binsrv/filesystem_storage_backend.cpp
index 9ab2f0c..ed50b52 100644
--- a/src/binsrv/filesystem_storage_backend.cpp
+++ b/src/binsrv/filesystem_storage_backend.cpp
@@ -117,6 +117,11 @@ void filesystem_storage_backend::do_write_data_to_stream(
 
 void filesystem_storage_backend::do_close_stream() { ofs_.close(); }
 
+[[nodiscard]] std::string
+filesystem_storage_backend::do_get_description() const {
+  return "local filesystem";
+}
+
 [[nodiscard]] std::filesystem::path
 filesystem_storage_backend::get_object_path(std::string_view name) const {
   auto result{root_path_};
diff --git a/src/binsrv/filesystem_storage_backend.hpp b/src/binsrv/filesystem_storage_backend.hpp
index 91d3189..9b8b6a5 100644
--- a/src/binsrv/filesystem_storage_backend.hpp
+++ b/src/binsrv/filesystem_storage_backend.hpp
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ class [[nodiscard]] filesystem_storage_backend : public basic_storage_backend {
   void do_write_data_to_stream(util::const_byte_span data) override;
   void do_close_stream() override;
 
+  [[nodiscard]] std::string do_get_description() const override;
+
   [[nodiscard]] std::filesystem::path
   get_object_path(std::string_view name) const;
 };
diff --git a/src/binsrv/s3_storage_backend.cpp b/src/binsrv/s3_storage_backend.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b43e8b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/binsrv/s3_storage_backend.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+#include "binsrv/s3_storage_backend.hpp"
+
+#include <cstddef>
+#include <filesystem>
+#include <memory>
+#include <string>
+#include <string_view>
+
+#include <aws/core/Aws.h>
+
+// TODO: remove this include when switching to clang-18 where transitive
+//       IWYU 'export' pragmas are handled properly
+#include "binsrv/basic_storage_backend_fwd.hpp"
+
+#include "util/byte_span.hpp"
+#include "util/impl_helpers.hpp"
+
+namespace binsrv {
+
+using options_deimpl = util::deimpl<Aws::SDKOptions>;
+
+void s3_storage_backend::options_deleter::operator()(void *ptr) const noexcept {
+  auto *casted_ptr{static_cast<Aws::SDKOptions *>(ptr)};
+  Aws::ShutdownAPI(*casted_ptr);
+  // deleting via std::default_delete to avoid
+  // cppcoreguidelines-owning-memory warnings
+  using delete_helper = std::default_delete<Aws::SDKOptions>;
+  delete_helper{}(casted_ptr);
+}
+
+s3_storage_backend::s3_storage_backend(std::string_view root_path)
+    : root_path_{root_path}, options_{new Aws::SDKOptions} {
+  Aws::InitAPI(*options_deimpl::get(options_));
+}
+
+[[nodiscard]] storage_object_name_container
+s3_storage_backend::do_list_objects() {
+  storage_object_name_container result;
+  return result;
+}
+
+[[nodiscard]] std::string
+s3_storage_backend::do_get_object(std::string_view /*name*/) {
+  static constexpr std::size_t file_size{8};
+  std::string file_content(file_size, 'x');
+  return file_content;
+}
+
+void s3_storage_backend::do_put_object(std::string_view /*name*/,
+                                       util::const_byte_span /*content*/) {}
+
+void s3_storage_backend::do_open_stream(std::string_view /*name*/) {}
+
+void s3_storage_backend::do_write_data_to_stream(
+    util::const_byte_span /*data*/) {}
+
+void s3_storage_backend::do_close_stream() {}
+
+[[nodiscard]] std::string s3_storage_backend::do_get_description() const {
+  std::string res{"AWS S3 (SDK "};
+  const auto &casted_options = *options_deimpl::get(options_);
+  res += std::to_string(casted_options.sdkVersion.major);
+  res += '.';
+  res += std::to_string(casted_options.sdkVersion.minor);
+  res += '.';
+  res += std::to_string(casted_options.sdkVersion.patch);
+  res += ')';
+  return res;
+}
+} // namespace binsrv
diff --git a/src/binsrv/s3_storage_backend.hpp b/src/binsrv/s3_storage_backend.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..03c0502
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/binsrv/s3_storage_backend.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#ifndef BINSRV_S3_STORAGE_BACKEND_HPP
+#define BINSRV_S3_STORAGE_BACKEND_HPP
+
+#include <filesystem>
+#include <string_view>
+
+#include "binsrv/basic_storage_backend.hpp" // IWYU pragma: export
+
+namespace binsrv {
+
+class [[nodiscard]] s3_storage_backend : public basic_storage_backend {
+public:
+  explicit s3_storage_backend(std::string_view root_path);
+
+  [[nodiscard]] const std::filesystem::path &get_root_path() const noexcept {
+    return root_path_;
+  }
+
+private:
+  std::filesystem::path root_path_;
+  struct options_deleter {
+    void operator()(void *ptr) const noexcept;
+  };
+  using options_ptr = std::unique_ptr<void, options_deleter>;
+  options_ptr options_;
+
+  [[nodiscard]] storage_object_name_container do_list_objects() override;
+
+  [[nodiscard]] std::string do_get_object(std::string_view name) override;
+  void do_put_object(std::string_view name,
+                     util::const_byte_span content) override;
+
+  void do_open_stream(std::string_view name) override;
+  void do_write_data_to_stream(util::const_byte_span data) override;
+  void do_close_stream() override;
+
+  [[nodiscard]] std::string do_get_description() const override;
+};
+
+} // namespace binsrv
+
+#endif // BINSRV_S3_STORAGE_BACKEND_HPP
diff --git a/src/binsrv/storage_backend_factory.cpp b/src/binsrv/storage_backend_factory.cpp
index 94586d5..28e3a04 100644
--- a/src/binsrv/storage_backend_factory.cpp
+++ b/src/binsrv/storage_backend_factory.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #include "binsrv/basic_storage_backend_fwd.hpp"
 #include "binsrv/filesystem_storage_backend.hpp"
+#include "binsrv/s3_storage_backend.hpp"
 #include "binsrv/storage_config.hpp"
 
 #include "util/exception_location_helpers.hpp"
@@ -14,11 +15,14 @@ namespace binsrv {
 basic_storage_backend_ptr
 storage_backend_factory::create(const storage_config &config) {
   const auto &storage_backend_type = config.get<"type">();
-  if (storage_backend_type != "fs") {
-    util::exception_location().raise<std::invalid_argument>(
-        "unknown storage backend type");
+  if (storage_backend_type == "fs") {
+    return std::make_unique<filesystem_storage_backend>(config.get<"path">());
   }
-  return std::make_unique<filesystem_storage_backend>(config.get<"path">());
+  if (storage_backend_type == "s3") {
+    return std::make_unique<s3_storage_backend>(config.get<"path">());
+  }
+  util::exception_location().raise<std::invalid_argument>(
+      "unknown storage backend type");
 }
 
 } // namespace binsrv