Azure Blob Storage Archive
Azure Blob Storage Archive is a cloud storage tier within Microsoft Azure's Blob Storage service, designed for long-term retention of rarely accessed data at the lowest cost. It stores data in an offline state, requiring rehydration (moving to a hot or cool tier) before access, making it ideal for compliance, backup, and archival scenarios. This tier offers high durability and security but with higher retrieval latency and costs compared to online tiers.
Developers should use Azure Blob Storage Archive when storing data that is infrequently accessed, such as regulatory archives, historical logs, or disaster recovery backups, to minimize storage expenses while ensuring data preservation. It is particularly valuable in industries with strict data retention policies, like finance or healthcare, where cost-effective long-term storage is essential without immediate access needs.