performance tiers vs access tiers in azure blob storage

Question

Hello,

In the module : https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/modules/configure-blob-storage/8-determine-storage-pricing

..it says about performance tiers in the pricing for blob storage section:

• Performance tiers. The Blob Storage tier determines the amount of data stored and the cost for storing that data. As the performance tier gets cooler, the per-gigabyte cost decreases.

I am confused because to my understanding- performance tier - refers to standard vs premium. Is this referring to access tier (hot, cold, cool and archive)?

Kindly, please clarify

Thanks

Marouf

Answer 1

In Azure Blob Storage, the term "performance tier" typically refers to Standard vs. Premium storage, which affects storage hardware and performance characteristics (e.g., Premium uses SSDs for low-latency, high-throughput workloads).

However, in the context of the storage pricing section of the Microsoft Learn module, the phrase "performance tier" is referring to access tiers (Hot, Cool, Cold, and Archive). The key clue is the mention of "as the performance tier gets cooler," which suggests a shift from Hot -> Cool -> Cold -> Archive, where storage costs decrease, but access costs and retrieval times increase.

In other words:

• Performance Tier (Standard vs. Premium) -> Focuses on performance characteristics of the underlying hardware (HDD vs. SSD).
• Access Tier (Hot, Cool, Cold, Archive) -> Focuses on data access frequency and cost trade-offs.

So, in this module, "performance tier" is actually referring to access tiers, not the traditional Standard vs. Premium classification.

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hth

Marcin