Azure Archive Storage
Azure Archive Storage is a cloud storage tier within Microsoft Azure designed for long-term retention of rarely accessed data at the lowest cost. It stores data in an offline state, making it ideal for compliance archives, backup data, and historical records that require infrequent retrieval. Accessing archived data involves a rehydration process that can take hours, with associated retrieval costs.
Developers should use Azure Archive Storage when storing data that must be retained for regulatory, legal, or business reasons but is accessed less than once per year, such as financial records, medical data, or old project backups. It is cost-effective for scenarios where retrieval latency of several hours is acceptable, unlike hot or cool storage tiers that offer faster access at higher prices.