Storage Solutions Glossary

The practice of copying data or resources across multiple geographic regions for disaster recovery, low-latency access, or compliance requirements. Like having backup copies of important documents in different cities, regional replication ensures data survives regional outages. AWS S3 Cross-Region Replication, Azure Geo-Redundant Storage, Google Cloud multi-regional storage, and OCI Cross-Region Replication all provide this capability.

Storage that multiple servers or computers can access and modify simultaneously over the network, enabling collaboration and data consistency. Like a shared document that everyone in your team can edit at the same time. Cloud providers offer managed shared storage like AWS EFS, Azure Files, Google Filestore, and OCI File Storage that scales automatically and handles complex networking.

A method of organizing and storing files in a hierarchical structure of folders and directories, accessible over a network or in the cloud. Like a digital filing cabinet where documents are organized into labeled folders and drawers — cloud file systems let multiple servers access the same files simultaneously, just like coworkers sharing a network drive.

Long-term, cost-optimized storage for data that is rarely accessed but must be retained — typically for compliance, legal, or historical purposes. Archival storage tiers offer the lowest cost per GB but have slower retrieval times (minutes to hours). Key services: AWS S3 Glacier / Glacier Deep Archive, Azure Archive Storage, GCP Archive Storage, OCI Archive Storage.