Microsoft Azure Architect Design (AZ-304) Practice Test

Which Azure storage tier is best for data that needs to be readily accessible but will be accessed infrequently?

1. Cool

2. Archive

3. Hot

4. Standard

The correct answer is: Cool

The Cool storage tier is designed specifically for data that is infrequently accessed but still needs to be readily accessible when required. It offers a balance between cost and access speed, making it ideal for scenarios where the data is not frequently accessed yet cannot be stored in a longer-term solution like the Archive tier. The Cool tier is less expensive than the Hot tier for storage costs, as it is optimized for scenarios where the data is expected to be accessed less than once a month. It ensures that data retrieval is straightforward and faster than that of archived data, which is specifically optimized for long-term storage where retrieval times can be significantly longer and more costly. When considering the other options, the Archive tier is designed for data that is rarely accessed and is intended for long-term storage with a much lower cost, but it has much slower access times and is unsuitable for data that needs to be readily accessible. The Hot storage tier, on the other hand, is optimized for data that is accessed frequently, which makes it more expensive for applications where access is infrequent. Lastly, Standard is not a specific storage tier but rather might refer to standard performance options across various resource types, which do not address the requirements of infrequent but readily accessible data. Thus, the Cool