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Storage Tiering

Stop paying Hot prices for cold data.

90% of backed-up data is rarely accessed. Smart Storage Tiering automatically moves inactive files to cheaper tiers — saving 40–70% on storage with no manual effort. Hot for active. Cold for “I might need this.” Deep Freeze for “I probably won’t.”

Storage lifecycle rules moving dormant data from Hot to Cold to Deep FreezeClick to enlarge
0%
average cost reduction
across a representative file mix
0
storage tiers
Hot · Cold · Deep Freeze
0%
cheaper
Deep Freeze vs. Hot
2–6 min
expedited restore
from Cold, on demand
The savings

67% average storage cost reduction.

67% is the average customer saving when storage tiering runs across a representative file mix. The math is simple: most backed-up data goes cold and never comes back hot, so it should not sit on premium storage.

  • A fleet that costs ~$1,000/mo at all-Hot storage runs at ~$330/mo with smart tiering.
  • That blend is roughly 10% Hot + 30% Cold + 60% Deep Freeze.
  • Savings come from access patterns the platform already tracks — no guesswork.
  • No re-architecture: the same files stay backed up and restorable, just on cheaper media.
Storage lifecycle dashboard showing tier distribution and cost savingsClick to enlarge

Three tiers, one smart system

BigMind Resilience analyzes access patterns and moves files to the optimal tier.

Every file lands in the tier that fits how often you actually touch it — and moves automatically as that changes.

Hot

Instant access, full price. For files accessed in the last 30 days and active projects. No retrieval fees.

Cold

3–5 hour restore, 60% cheaper than Hot. For files untouched for 90+ days — your "maybe needed" archive. Free standard restore; paid expedited restore in 2–6 minutes.

Deep Freeze

12–48 hour restore, 90% cheaper than Hot. For 7-year retention and long-term compliance archives. No retrieval fees.

Lifecycle policies

Define rules once. The platform handles the rest.

Lifecycle policies move files between tiers based on rules you write in the Automation Hub. Policies can be time-based, file-type based, folder-based, or tag-based — and run fleet-wide on autopilot.

  • Time-based: "Move files older than 90 days to Cold."
  • File type: "Keep video files in Deep Freeze, documents in Cold."
  • Folder-based: "Archive /projects/* to Cold after completion."
  • Tag-based: "Files tagged 'compliance' stay in Deep Freeze for 7 years."
Automation Hub

Rule types

Four ways to write a lifecycle rule.

Mix and match the trigger that matches how your data ages. A typical "Standard Archive" policy moves files to Cold after 90 days, to Deep Freeze after 365 days, then deletes after a 7-year retention window.

Time-based

"Move files older than 90 days to Cold."

File type

"Keep video files in Deep Freeze, documents in Cold."

Folder-based

"Archive /projects/* to Cold after completion."

Tag-based

"Files tagged 'compliance' stay in Deep Freeze for 7 years."

On-demand control

Right-click → Move to Cold or Deep Freeze.

Sometimes you know a file is going cold before a policy catches it. Right-click any file in the dashboard and move it manually — or bulk-move via automation policies for fleet-wide migrations.

  • Right-click → Move to Cold or Deep Freeze — no CLI, no complex workflows.
  • Commitment periods shown upfront (6 months Cold, 12 months Deep Freeze).
  • Bulk moves via automation policies for fleet-wide migrations.
Move to Cold Storage dialog with the commitment period shown upfrontClick to enlarge
Expedited restore

Need it now? $0.03/GB to restore Cold files in 2–6 minutes.

Standard restore from Cold is free but takes 3–5 hours. When the auditor calls and needs the file in ten minutes, expedited restore pulls it in 2–6 minutes for $0.03/GB ($1.00 minimum). Buy credits in advance from account settings; they auto-deduct when expedited is selected. Deep Freeze restores in 12–48 hours regardless of mode — that is the trade for 90% cost savings.

  • Standard restore — free, included, 3–5 hours (Cold tier).
  • Expedited restore — $0.03/GB, $1.00 minimum, 2–6 minutes (Cold tier).
  • Credits purchased in advance; auto-deducted per expedited request.
Expedited Restore dialog showing the per-GB cost to restore Cold files in minutesClick to enlarge

How it works

From policy to auto-tiered fleet.

1

Define policies

"Move to Cold after 90 days, Deep Freeze after 1 year."

2

Track access

BigMind Resilience monitors which files you access and when.

3

Auto-migrate

Inactive files automatically move to cheaper tiers — no manual effort.

4

On-demand restore

Request any file. Free standard restore in hours, or buy credits for expedited restore in minutes.

Start saving on storage today.

Smart Storage Tiering is included on every paid Resilience tier — Standard, Pro, and Enterprise. Expedited restore at $0.03/GB on demand. No credit card required · Cancel anytime · Free migration assistance.