Archive

Learn about Archives, a storage solution for long-term retention of infrequently accessed data.

Definition

An archive is a collection of data or records that are no longer actively used, but are preserved for future reference, historical purposes, or compliance requirements.

Explanation

Archiving involves moving data that is no longer actively used or required for day-to-day operations to a separate, long-term storage system, where it can be accessed if needed. Archived data is typically retained for a longer period of time than backup data, and is often subject to legal or regulatory requirements.

Archiving can be used to free up primary storage space and reduce storage costs, while still preserving data that may be needed in the future. Archived data can also be used for research, analysis, or other purposes, such as compliance auditing or litigation support.

Related terms

• Data retention: The length of time that data is kept, based on legal, regulatory, or business requirements.

• Compliance: The adherence to legal or regulatory requirements related to data management, privacy, or security.

• Information lifecycle management (ILM): A strategy for managing data throughout its lifecycle, from creation to deletion or archiving.

• Object storage: A storage architecture that stores data as objects, rather than files or blocks, and is often used for long-term retention and archiving.