Storage classes

Updated at: 2025-03-03 06:36

Object Storage Service (OSS) provides the following storage classes for various data storage scenarios from hot data storage to cold data storage: Standard, Infrequent Access (IA), Archive, Cold Archive, and Deep Cold Archive.

Note

For more information about the pricing for each storage class, visit the OSS pricing page. For more information about the billing method for each storage class, see Storage fees.

Standard

Standard provides highly reliable, highly available, and high-performance object storage for data that is frequently accessed. Standard is suitable for various business applications, such as social networking applications, image, audio, and video resource sharing applications, large websites, and big data analytics. ZRS (Zone-redundant storage) and LRS (Locally redundant storage) are supported for Standard objects.

  • Standard ZRS (Recommended)

    ZRS stores multiple copies of your data across multiple zones in the same region. Your data is still accessible even if a zone becomes unavailable.

    Note

    Standard zone-redundant storage (ZRS) is supported in the following regions: China (Hangzhou), China (Shanghai), China (Beijing), China (Zhangjiakou), China (Ulanqab), China (Shenzhen), China (Hong Kong), Japan (Tokyo), Singapore, Indonesia (Jakarta), and Germany (Frankfurt).

  • Standard LRS

    LRS stores multiple copies of your data on multiple devices of different facilities in the same zone. LRS provides data durability and availability even if hardware failures occur.

    Important

    LRS stores multiple data copies in a single zone. If the zone becomes unavailable, data in the zone is inaccessible. If your business application requires higher availability, we recommend that you use ZRS.

IA (Infrequent Access)

IA provides highly durable storage at lower prices compared with Standard. IA has a minimum billable size of 64 KB and a minimum billable storage duration of 30 days. IA is suitable for data that is infrequently accessed, such as data accessed once or twice a month. You can access IA objects in real time. You are charged data retrieval fees when you access IA objects. ZRS and LRS are supported for IA objects.

Note

If the size of an IA object is smaller than 64 KB, you are charged for the minimum billable size. If an IA object is stored for less than the minimum billable storage duration of 30 days, you are charged for the storage usage of the IA objects that are stored for less than the minimum storage duration. For more information, see Storage fees.

  • IA ZRS (Recommended)

    ZRS stores multiple copies of your data across multiple zones in the same region. Your data is still accessible even if a zone becomes unavailable.

    Note

    IA ZRS is supported in the following regions: China (Hangzhou), China (Shanghai), China (Beijing), China (Zhangjiakou), China (Ulanqab), China (Shenzhen), China (Hong Kong), Japan (Tokyo), Singapore, Indonesia (Jakarta), and Germany (Frankfurt).

  • IA LRS

    LRS stores multiple copies of your data on multiple devices of different facilities in the same zone. LRS provides data durability and availability even if hardware failures occur.

    Important

    LRS stores multiple data copies in a single zone. If the zone becomes unavailable, data in the zone is inaccessible. If your business application requires higher availability, we recommend that you use ZRS.

Archive

Archive provides high-durability storage at lower prices compared with Standard and IA. Archive has a minimum billable size of 64 KB and a minimum billable storage duration of 60 days. You can access an Archive object after it is restored or real-time access of Archive objects is enabled. The amount of time that is required to restore an Archive object is approximately 1 minute. You are charged data retrieval fees if you restore an Archive object. If you access an Archive object after real-time access of Archive objects is enabled, you are charged Archive data retrieval fees based on the size of the Archive object. Archive is suitable for data that needs to be stored for a long period of time and is rarely accessed, such as archival data, medical images, scientific materials, and video footage. ZRS and LRS are supported for Archive objects

Note

If the size of an Archive object is smaller than 64 KB, you are charged for the minimum billable size. If an Archive object is stored for less than the minimum billable storage duration of 60 days, you are charged for the storage usage of the Archive object that is stored for less than the minimum storage duration. For more information, see Storage fees.

  • Archive ZRS (Recommended)

    ZRS stores multiple copies of your data across multiple zones in the same region. Your data is still accessible even if a zone becomes unavailable.

    Note

    Archive ZRS is supported in the following regions: China (Hangzhou), China (Shanghai), China (Beijing), China (Zhangjiakou), China (Ulanqab), China (Shenzhen), China (Hong Kong), Japan (Tokyo), Singapore, Indonesia (Jakarta), and Germany (Frankfurt).

  • Archive LRS

    LRS stores multiple copies of your data on multiple devices of different facilities in the same zone. LRS provides data durability and availability even if hardware failures occur.

    Important

    LRS stores multiple data copies in a single zone. If the zone becomes unavailable, data in the zone is inaccessible. If your business application requires higher availability, we recommend that you use ZRS.

Cold Archive

Cold Archive provides highly durable storage at lower prices compared with Archive. Cold Archive has a minimum billable size of 64 KB and a minimum billable storage duration of 180 days. You must restore a Cold Archive object before you can access it. The amount of time required to restore a Cold Archive object varies based on the object size and restoration priority. You are charged data retrieval fees and API operation calling fees when you restore Cold Archive objects. Cold Archive is suitable for cold data that needs to be stored for an extended period of time, including data that must be retained for an extended period of time to meet compliance requirements, raw data that is accumulated over an extended period of time in the big data and AI fields, retained media resources in the film and television industries, and archived videos in the online education industry. Only LRS is supported for Cold Archive objects.

Important

LRS data is stored in a specific zone. If the zone fails, the data stored within becomes inaccessible. If your business application requires higher availability, we recommend that you use ZRS (supported for Standard, IA and Archive objects).

Note
  • Cold Archive is supported in the following regions: China (Hangzhou), China (Shanghai), China (Qingdao), China (Beijing), China (Zhangjiakou), China (Hohhot), China (Ulanqab), China (Shenzhen), China (Heyuan), China (Guangzhou), China (Chengdu), China (Hong Kong), US (Silicon Valley), US (Virginia), Japan (Tokyo), Singapore, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Indonesia (Jakarta), Philippines (Manila), Germany (Frankfurt), UK (London), and UAE (Dubai).

  • If the size of a Cold Archive object is smaller than 64 KB, you are charged for the minimum billable size. If a Cold Archive object is stored for less than the minimum billable storage duration of 180 days, you are charged for the storage usage of the Deep Cold Archive object that is stored for less than the minimum storage duration. For more information, see Storage fees.

Deep Cold Archive

Deep Cold Archive provides highly durable storage at lower prices compared with Cold Archive. Deep Cold Archive has a minimum billable size of 64 KB and a minimum billable storage duration of 180 days. You must restore a Deep Cold Archive object before you can access it. The amount of time that is required to restore a Deep Cold Archive object varies based on the object size and restoration priority. You are charged data retrieval fees and API operation calling fees when you restore Deep Cold Archive objects. Deep Cold Archive is suitable for extremely cold data that needs to be stored for an extremely long period of time, including raw data that is accumulated over an extended period of time in the big data and AI fields, retained media resources, regulatory and compliance documents, and data that is archived by using tapes. Only LRS is supported for Deep Cold Archive objects.

Important

LRS data is stored in a specific zone. If the zone fails, the data stored within becomes inaccessible. If your business application requires higher availability, we recommend that you use ZRS (supported for Standard, IA and Archive objects).

Note
  • Deep Cold Archive is supported in the following regions: China (Hangzhou), China (Shanghai), China (Beijing), China (Zhangjiakou), China (Ulanqab), China (Shenzhen), and Singapore.

  • If the size of a Deep Cold Archive object is smaller than 64 KB, you are charged for the minimum billable size. If a Deep Cold Archive object is stored for less than the minimum billable storage duration of 180 days, you are charged for the storage usage of the Deep Cold Archive object that is stored for less than the minimum storage duration. For more information, see Storage fees.

Differences between storage classes

Storage class

Redundancy type

Data durability

Service availability

Minimum billable size

Minimum storage duration

Data access frequency

Access latency

Storage class

Redundancy type

Data durability

Service availability

Minimum billable size

Minimum storage duration

Data access frequency

Access latency

Standard

ZRS (Recommended)

99.9999999999%

99.995%

Actual size of objects

None

More than once a month

Real-time access

IA

99.50%

64 KB

30 days

Less than once a month

Real-time access

Archive

99.50%

64 KB

60 days

Less than once in 90 days

Real-time access after real-time access of Archive objects is enabled or access after an Archive object is restored.

The amount of time required to restore an Archive object is approximately 1 minute.

Standard

LRS

99.999999999%

99.99%

Actual size of objects

None

More than once a month

Real-time access

IA

99.00%

64 KB

30 days

Less than once a month

Real-time access

Archive

99.00%

64 KB

60 days

Less than once in 90 days

Real-time access after real-time access of Archive objects is enabled or access after an Archive object is restored.

The amount of time required to restore an Archive object is approximately 1 minute.

Cold Archive

99.00%

64 KB

180 days

Less than once a year

Objects must be restored before you can access them.

The amount of time required to restore an Archive object ranges from 1 to 12 hours.

Deep Cold Archive

99.00%

64 KB

180 days

Less than once a year

Objects must be restored before you can access them.

The amount of time required to restore an Archive object is 12 or 48 hours.

Standard

99.00%

Actual size of objects

None

More than once a month

Real-time access

References

  • On this page (1)
  • Standard
  • IA (Infrequent Access)
  • Archive
  • Cold Archive
  • Deep Cold Archive
  • Differences between storage classes
  • References
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