(1) A service that copies inactive files from disk to removable media for longer term storage and removes the files from disk to free disk storage space. The user can select specific objects or groups of objects to include or exclude from the archive process.
(2) Persistent storage used for long-term information retention, typically very inexpensive for each stored unit and slow to access, and often in a different geographic location to protect against equipment failures and natural disasters.
(3) To copy programs, data, or files to another storage media, usually for long-term storage or security. See also retrieve, storage pool.