AZ-204 Cool access tier Practice Question
Which Azure Blob Storage access tier is optimized for infrequently accessed data with a minimum storage duration of 30 days?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often assume that Archive qualifies because it is for rarely accessed data, but they overlook the 180-day minimum storage duration required by Archive.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Cool
The Cool tier is optimized for infrequently accessed data and has a minimum storage duration of 30 days, matching both requirements. The Archive tier is for infrequently accessed data but requires a minimum storage duration of 180 days, so it does not meet the 30-day requirement. The Hot tier is for frequently accessed data. The Premium tier is for high-performance, frequently accessed data. 'Transactional' is not a standard Azure Blob Storage access tier. Therefore, among the given options, only Cool satisfies all criteria.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Transactional
Why it's wrong here
Transactional is not a standard Azure Blob Storage access tier and is not optimized for infrequently accessed data with a 30-day minimum.
- ✗
Archive
Why it's wrong here
Archive is optimized for rarely accessed data but has a minimum storage duration of 180 days, not 30 days, so it is incorrect.
- ✗
Premium
Why it's wrong here
Premium is optimized for high-performance, low-latency scenarios and is not intended for infrequently accessed data with a minimum duration.
- ✓
Cool
Why this is correct
Cool is designed for infrequently accessed data and has a minimum storage duration of 30 days, making it the correct answer.
- ✗
Hot
Why it's wrong here
Hot is optimized for frequently accessed data and has no minimum storage duration, so it does not apply.
Quick reference
Azure Blob Storage Tier Comparison
| Tier | Storage Cost | Retrieval Cost | Latency | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot | Highest | Lowest | Immediate | Active data, frequent reads |
| Cool | Lower | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / month |
| Cold | Lower still | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / quarter |
| Archive | Lowest | Highest + rehydration delay | Hours | Long-term compliance retention |
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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