ApsaraVideo VOD provides four storage classes for media assets: Standard, Infrequent Access (IA), Archive, and Cold Archive. Choosing an appropriate storage class for your media assets based on access frequency helps you balance costs with access performance.
Storage class comparison
Storage class | Use cases | Data access | Supported operations | Data retrieval fee | Minimum billable size | Minimum storage duration |
Standard | Ideal for social media, video applications, large websites, and big data analytics, such as program downloads and mobile content. | Real-time access with millisecond latency. | Playback, media processing (transcoding, editing, snapshot capture), and deletion. | N/A | N/A | N/A |
IA | Suitable for infrequently accessed data (once or twice a month), such as hot backups and surveillance footage. | Real-time access with millisecond latency. |
| Billed per gigabyte (GB) of data retrieved. | 64 KB | 30 days |
Archive | Intended for long-term data retention, such as archives, medical images, scientific research data, and film production materials. | Data must be restored before it can be read (it takes about 1 minute). |
| Billed per gigabyte (GB) of data restored. | 64 KB | 60 days |
Cold Archive | Designed for cold data that requires very long-term storage, such as compliance archives, AI/big data source files, media archives, and educational videos. | Data must be restored before it can be read. Restoration times vary by priority:
|
| Billed based on the restore mode and the amount of data, in GB. | 64 KB | 180 days |
Minimum billable size: Files smaller than 64 KB are billed as 64 KB for storage.
Minimum storage duration: If you modify or delete a media asset before the minimum storage duration, you are charged a one-time fee for the remaining days. For more information, see Media storage fees.
Storage class transition rules
Standard: Can be transitioned to any of the other three storage classes.
IA: After the 30-day minimum storage duration, you can transition assets from IA storage to any of the other three storage classes.
Archive/Cold Archive:
After the minimum storage duration (60 days for Archive and 180 days for Cold Archive), you can only change the storage class to Standard.
Changing the storage class automatically triggers a restore operation, which incurs data retrieval fees.
To change the storage class when the minimum storage duration is not met, call the UpdateMediaStorageClass operation. This incurs a storage fee for the unmet portion of the minimum storage duration.
For example, if you change the storage class from IA to Standard after 10 days of storage, you will also be charged a one-time fee for the remaining 20 days of IA storage.
Procedures
Change the storage class
Change in the console
Log on to the ApsaraVideo VOD console.
In the left-side navigation pane, choose Media Files > Audio/Video.
In the Actions column of the target asset, choose .
NoteYou can also select the checkboxes of multiple media assets and click Change Storage Class at the bottom of the list to modify them in batches.
Select the target storage class and scope, then click OK.
NoteThe scope defines which files are affected when you change the storage class for a media asset.
All: The change applies to the source file and all of its transcoded outputs.
Source file: The change applies only to the source file.
Change using an API
Call the UpdateMediaStorageClass operation to change the storage class.
Restore a media asset
Media assets in Standard and IA storage are accessible in real time. In contrast, assets in Archive and Cold Archive storage must be restored before you can access them. To temporarily access an archived asset, initiate a restoration.
Restoring incurs a data retrieval fee. For more information, see Media storage fees.
When you restore an asset from Archive or Cold Archive storage, a Standard storage replica is created for access. This replica is billed at the Standard storage rate during its validity period.
You cannot restore an asset that is in the Restoring state. Playback and processing operations (such as transcoding, editing, and snapshot capture) are also not supported.
Restore in the console
Log on to the ApsaraVideo VOD console.
In the left-side navigation pane, choose Media Files > Audio/Video.
In the Actions column of the target asset, choose .
Review the information in the prompt and click OK.
Set the replica validity period and restore mode, then click OK.
Parameter
Description
Replica validity period
Specifies the number of days the restored Standard-tier replica remains available for access.
Restore Mode
This parameter is required only when you restore an asset from the Cold Archive storage class. Restoration times vary by priority:
Expedited: Within 1 hour.
Standard: 2 to 5 hours.
Bulk: 5 to 12 hours.
Restore using an API
Call the RestoreMedia operation to restore an Archive or Cold Archive media asset.
Limitations
Tiered storage is currently available only in the China (Shanghai), China (Beijing), China (Shenzhen), and Singapore regions.
Tiered storage is supported only for audio and video files. Images and auxiliary media assets are not supported.
After you change the storage class of a media asset to IA, Archive, or Cold Archive, you cannot initiate media processing tasks such as transcoding, editing, or snapshot capture for it.
Billing
Changing a storage class can incur the following four types of fees. For details, see Media storage fees.
Storage fee: Billed monthly based on the selected storage class and the amount of data. Unit prices descend from Standard to Cold Archive.
Data retrieval fee: The fee is incurred when you:
Read data from IA storage.
Restore data from Archive or Cold Archive storage.
Transition an asset from Archive or Cold Archive to Standard, which triggers an automatic restore.
Fee for not meeting the minimum storage duration: If you modify or delete a media asset in IA, Archive, or Cold Archive storage before the minimum storage duration is met, you are charged a one-time fee for the remaining days.
Fee for temporary replica storage: A restore operation creates a temporary replica in Standard storage. During its validity period, this replica is billed at the Standard storage rate.
FAQ
How do I choose a storage class?
Choose a storage class based on the access frequency and operational needs of your media assets:
For frequently accessed assets that require online processing: Use Standard.
For infrequently accessed assets that still require online playback, use IA.
For long-term backup with almost no access: Use Archive or Cold Archive.
Why was I charged an extra fee when I changed a media asset from IA to Standard storage?
This fee is charged because the media asset did not meet the 30-day minimum storage duration in the IA storage class. The system bills you for the remaining days. For example, if you change the class after 10 days of storage, you are charged for the remaining 20 days.
What is the difference between restoring a media asset and changing its storage class?
Restoring is a temporary operation that creates a time-limited Standard storage replica for access. The storage class of the original file remains unchanged.
Changing the storage class is a permanent operation that transitions an asset from Archive or Cold Archive to the Standard class, which incurs a data retrieval fee. After the transition, the asset is billed at the Standard storage rate and supports permanent, real-time access.