Final answer:
Amazon Glacier is a cloud storage service used for data archiving and long-term storage. It is low-cost and suitable for accessing infrequent data and archiving, but not for storing frequently accessed data. Data retrieval options include expedited, standard, and bulk.
Step-by-step explanation:
Amazon Glacier is a cloud storage service provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS) that is used for data archiving and long-term storage. Its main uses are for accessing infrequent data and archiving data, rather than storing frequently accessed data. It is designed to be a low-cost storage option for storing large amounts of data that is rarely accessed.
One of the key benefits of Amazon Glacier is its low-cost storage pricing model. It is significantly cheaper than other storage options provided by AWS, such as Amazon S3. However, accessing data stored in Glacier can take several hours, so it is not suitable for applications that require fast computing or real-time data access.
In terms of data retrieval, Amazon Glacier provides three retrieval options: Expedited, Standard, and Bulk. Expedited retrieval is the fastest option, but also the most expensive. Bulk retrieval is the slowest option, but it is the most cost-effective for large data transfers. Standard retrieval is a balance between speed and cost.