Which cloud storage class is most cost-effective for data accessed less than once a year?
- Standard
- Infrequent Access
- Archive
- Glacier Deep Archive
Answer: Glacier Deep Archive
Glacier Deep Archive (AWS) or equivalent cold storage tiers offer lowest cost for long-term retention with retrieval times of 12+ hours. Ideal for regulatory archives, backups, and historical data. Trade-off: low storage cost but high retrieval cost/latency. Choose storage class based on access frequency and RTO/RPO requirements.