Backup and Archive are NOT the Same

Backup

Archive

Secondary copies

Permanent, primary copies (records)

Used for recovery

Used for retention & retrieval

Improves availability via point-in-time restore

Adds operational efficiencies and compliance

Typically short-term

Typically long-term

Data typically overwritten periodically

Data maintained for analysis, value generation, or compliance

Not designed for regulatory compliance, accessibility, retrieval— though some use it as such

Useful for compliance, accessibility, retrieval