Professional Data EngineerBuilding and operationalizing data processing systemsEasy
A media company needs to store petabytes of video and audio content for archival purposes. This data is rarely accessed after initial ingestion but must be available within minutes when requested. Cost optimization for storage is a primary concern. Which Google Cloud storage class is most suitable for this requirement?
- AColdline
- BStandard
- CArchive
- DNearline
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Archive
Archive storage class is designed for long-term archival of data that is accessed less than once a year. It offers the lowest storage cost, and while retrieval latency is typically within minutes, the cost for retrieval is higher than other classes, aligning with the 'rarely accessed' and 'cost optimization' requirements.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Coldline storage is for data accessed less than once a quarter, which is closer but still more expensive than Archive for rarely accessed data.
- B. Standard storage is for frequently accessed 'hot' data (multiple times a month), which is too expensive for archival data.
- D. Nearline storage is for data accessed less than once a month, which is still more frequent and thus more expensive than needed for archival data.
Cloud Storage Archival Classes
Google Cloud Storage offers different storage classes optimized for access frequency, cost, and availability, including Standard, Nearline, Coldline, and Archive.
- Lower access frequency equals lower storage cost.
- Lower access frequency equals higher retrieval cost.
- Archive is for data accessed < 1 time per year.
Memory trick: Storage classes: Like library shelves, from popular to deep archives.