Blob Access Tiers (Hot, Cool, Cold, Archive)

Azure Blob Storage offers multiple access tiers that let you optimise storage costs based on how frequently you access your data. By placing data in the right tier, you can significantly reduce your storage bill without sacrificing availability when you need it. This lesson covers each tier, their cost trade-offs, and how to move data between them.

---

Why Access Tiers Matter

Not all data is accessed equally. An e-commerce site might frequently read product images but rarely touch old order archives. A compliance system might store audit logs that are read once a year. Azure access tiers let you match storage costs to access patterns.

The principle is simple:

• Frequently accessed data — pay more per GB stored, less per operation
• Rarely accessed data — pay less per GB stored, more per operation

---

The Four Access Tiers