Moving Between Storage Classes

You can move objects between storage classes manually or automatically using Lifecycle Rules.

The general direction of movement (from most frequent to coldest):

Standard -> Standard-IA -> Intelligent-Tiering -> One-Zone IA ->
Glacier Instant -> Glacier Flexible -> Glacier Deep Archive

Rules to remember:

• Infrequently accessed data? Move to Standard-IA
• Need to archive or backup long-term? Move to Glacier
• Automate all of this with Lifecycle Rules

Intelligent-Tiering

• AWS watches how often you access each file
• Moves the file automatically based on actual usage
• No rules to write, no schedule — it reacts to real behavior
• Example: You stop accessing a file for 30 days, AWS moves it to a cheaper tier on its own

Lifecycle Rules

• You define the rules yourself based on age of the object
• Moves files on a fixed schedule regardless of whether the file is being accessed or not
• Example: After 60 days, move to Glacier — even if someone accessed it yesterday

S3 Lifecycle Rules

Lifecycle Rules let you automate two things: transitioning objects to cheaper storage, and deleting objects you no longer need.