tertiäärivarastointi

Tertiary storage refers to a level of data storage that is slower and less expensive than primary and secondary storage. It is typically used for long-term archival of data that is accessed infrequently. Unlike primary storage (RAM) which provides immediate access to actively used data, and secondary storage (hard drives, SSDs) which holds frequently accessed programs and files, tertiary storage is designed for massive data volumes at a low cost per gigabyte.

Common examples of tertiary storage media include magnetic tape libraries, optical disks (like DVDs and Blu-rays), and sometimes cloud-based archival services. Data retrieval from tertiary storage can take minutes or even hours, making it unsuitable for applications requiring rapid access. However, its low cost and high capacity make it ideal for backups, disaster recovery, compliance archives, and storing historical data. Automation is often employed to manage tertiary storage media, with robotic arms moving tapes or disks in and out of drives as needed. The lifespan of data stored on tertiary media is generally longer than on primary or secondary storage, further contributing to its suitability for archival purposes.