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What is Cold vs Hot Storage

Definition

Cold versus hot storage refers to tiering data by access frequency: hot storage keeps frequently accessed data on fast, higher-cost media for low-latency retrieval, while cold storage holds rarely accessed data on cheaper, slower media, balancing performance against cost.

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Cuts storage spend by moving rarely touched data to cheaper cold tiers
Keeps active data on fast media so frequent queries stay low-latency
Matches retention needs by archiving regulatory data cheaply for years
Enables automated lifecycle policies that move data between tiers by age or usage

Real World Example

A bank keeps the last 90 days of transactions in hot storage for instant fraud queries while automatically tiering older records to cold archive storage, meeting seven-year retention rules at a fraction of the cost.

FAQs

What is the trade-off between hot and cold storage?

Hot storage offers fast access at higher cost, while cold storage is far cheaper but has higher latency and retrieval delays.

How is data moved between tiers?

Lifecycle policies based on data age or access frequency automatically transition objects from hot to cool to archive tiers.

When should data go to cold storage?

When it is accessed rarely but must be retained, such as old logs or compliance archives, cold storage minimises cost.