Data Management Glossary
Cloud Tiering
What is Cloud Tiering?
Cloud tiering moves inactive files off on-premises NAS or flash storage into lower-cost cloud object storage tiers, while keeping that data reachable by users and applications. It matters more in 2026 than in past years because the cost gap between primary storage and object storage has widened sharply. TrendForce’s Q2 2026 survey found NAND flash contract prices jumped 70 to 75% quarter over quarter, outpacing even DRAM for the first time this cycle. A 30TB enterprise TLC SSD that cost $3,062 in Q2 2025 priced at $17,500 by Q1 2026, a 472% increase. Here is a summary. Cloud tiering exists to keep cold data off that expensive tier without losing access to it. Cloud tiering is a variant of data tiering. The term “data tiering” arose from moving data around different tiers or classes of storage within a storage system, but has expanded now to mean tiering or archiving data from a storage system to other clouds and cloud-based object storage systems. Komprise Intelligent Tiering moves files to cloud object storage in native format using Transparent Move Technology, so files remain directly readable at their new location with no rehydration step required to bring them back before use.
For a deeper breakdown of tiering decision factors, see the Guide to Unstructured Data Tiering.
Cloud Tiering Transparently Extends Enterprise File Storage to the Cloud
Enterprises today are increasingly trying to move core file workloads to the cloud. Since file data can be voluminous, involving billions of files, migrating file data to the cloud can take months and create disruption.
A simple solution to this is to gradually offload files to the cloud (cloud tiering) without changing the end user experience. Cloud tiering (or archiving to specific cloud tiers) enables this by moving infrequently used cold data to a cheaper cloud storage tier, while the data continues to remain accessible from the original location. This enables users to transparently extend on-premises capacity with the cloud.
Cloud Tiering Can Yield Significant Savings If Done Correctly
Cloud object storage is cost-efficient if used correctly. Most cloud providers charge not only for the storage, but also to retrieve data, and they charge egress fees if the data has to leave the cloud. Cloud retrieval fees are usually in the form of charges for “get” and “put” API calls and cloud egress costs are charged by the amount of data that is read from anywhere outside the cloud. So, to keep enterprise storage costs low, infrequently accessed data such as snapshots, logs, backups and cold data are best suited for tiering to the cloud.
By tiering cold data to the cloud, the on-premises storage array needs to only keep hot data and the most recent logs and snapshots. Across Komprise customers, we have found that typically 60% to 80% of their actual data has not been accessed in over a year. By cloud tiering the cold data as well as older log files and snapshots, the capacity of the storage array, mirrored storage array (if mirroring/replication is being used) and backup storage is reduced dramatically. This is why tiering cold data can reduce the overall storage cost by as much as 70% to 80%.
The many advantages of cloud tiering of cold data include:
- Reduced storage acquisition costs. Flash storage, used for fast access to hot data, is expensive. By tiering off infrequently used data you can purchase a much smaller amount of flash storage, thereby reducing acquisition costs.
- Cut backup footprint and costs. By continuously tiering off cold data that is not being accessed you can reduce your backup footprint, backup license costs, and backup storage costs if the cold data is placed in robust storage (such as that provided by the major CSPs).
- Increase disaster recovery speeds and lower disaster recovery (DR) costs. As with backup, by tiering off the cold data, the amount of data mirrored/replicated is dramatically reduced as well.
- Improved storage performance. By running storage at a lower capacity and by removing access to cold data to another storage device or service, you can increase the performance of your storage array.
- Leverage the cloud to run AI, ML, compliance checks and other applications on cold data. With cold data in the cloud, you can access, search and process your cold data without putting any load on your storage array. The cold data that is tiered off has value. Being able to process and feed your cold data into your AI/ML/BI engines is critical to staying competitive. By tiering you can extract value from your cold data without burdening your storage array. This also helps to extend the life of your storage array.
Clearly, if cloud tiering is implemented correctly at the file level it will provide all of the above benefits whereas block tiering to the cloud will not. But not all cloud tiering choices are the same.
Why is cloud tiering especially important now?
Cloud tiering is increasingly important as organizations face rising NAND flash memory prices, higher primary storage costs, rapid unstructured data growth, and tighter IT budgets. Moving inactive file data to lower-cost cloud object storage helps reduce reliance on expensive on-premises capacity while preserving performance for active workloads. ([Komprise][1])
How does cloud tiering help offset rising memory and storage costs?
Cloud tiering reduces the amount of premium flash or NAS storage required by automatically moving cold data to lower-cost cloud tiers. This can delay storage expansions, reduce backup and DR footprints, and improve ROI on existing infrastructure.
What is Komprise Flash Stretch?
Komprise Flash Stretch is an assessment and optimization approach designed to help organizations reclaim expensive flash capacity by identifying inactive data that can be transparently tiered to lower-cost cloud or object storage. The goal is to “stretch” current flash investments and postpone costly upgrades.
How does Komprise improve cloud tiering compared with storage-native tools?
Many storage-native tiering tools are tied to one vendor platform. Komprise provides a storage-agnostic, file-based approach across heterogeneous NAS, cloud, and object environments. This gives enterprises more flexibility, avoids lock-in, and enables broader cost optimization strategies across mixed infrastructures.
How does data tiering improve storage efficiency in cloud environments?
In a cloud environment, storage efficiency depends on matching each file to the tier that fits its access pattern rather than paying premium rates for data nobody is reading. Demand for high-performance storage is compounding fast: IDC estimates global data center capacity is growing 25 to 30% per year, and AI server racks require 10 to 50 times more storage than a traditional server. That demand is what’s pushing primary storage and flash prices up industry-wide, which makes
efficient tiering a direct lever on cost, not just a housekeeping task. Komprise Intelligent Tiering improves cloud storage efficiency by scanning usage across every connected NAS and cloud environment, then moving inactive files to lower-cost cloud tiers automatically, so premium capacity stays reserved for active workloads instead of accumulating cold data indefinitely.
Can cloud tiering also help AI initiatives?
Yes. By moving inactive data off premium storage, cloud tiering frees fast storage for AI and analytics workloads. It can also place valuable cold data in cloud environments where it is easier to access for AI pipelines, search, governance, and large-scale analytics.
To learn more about the differences between cloud tiering at the file level vs the block level, and why so-called cloud pools such as NetApp FabricPool or Dell EMC Isilon CloudPools are not the right approach for cloud tiering, read “What you need to know before jumping into the cloud tiering pool”.
Read the Data Tiering Guide.
Also download the white paper: Cloud Tiering: Storage-Based vs Gateways vs. File-Based.
