Google Associate Cloud EngineerPlanning and configuring a cloud solutionEasy
A media company needs to store petabytes of archival video footage. This data is rarely accessed (less than once a year) but must be retained for legal compliance for decades. When access is required, retrieval times of a few hours are acceptable. What is the most cost-effective Google Cloud storage class for this scenario?
- ACloud Storage Nearline
- BCloud Storage Coldline
- CCloud Storage Standard
- DCloud Storage Archive
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Cloud Storage Archive
Cloud Storage Archive is designed for long-term digital archiving, backup, and disaster recovery. It offers the lowest storage cost, suitable for data accessed less than once a year, with retrieval times typically within a few hours, perfectly matching the scenario's requirements.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Cloud Storage Nearline is for data accessed less than once a month, which is still too frequent and more expensive than necessary for data accessed less than once a year.
- B. Cloud Storage Coldline is for data accessed less than once a quarter, which is also too frequent and more expensive than Archive storage for this use case.
- C. Cloud Storage Standard is for frequently accessed data and would be too expensive for rarely accessed archival footage.
Cloud Storage Archive
The lowest-cost Google Cloud Storage class, designed for long-term digital archiving, backup, and disaster recovery, for data accessed less than once a year.
- Lowest storage cost.
- Access frequency: less than once a year.
- Retrieval time: typically a few hours.
- Suitable for legal compliance and long-term retention.
Memory trick: Archive storage for data that's archived away.