What is the primary use case for Amazon S3 Glacier?

Amazon S3 Glacier is designed specifically for long-term archival storage of data. Its primary use case is to provide a low-cost solution for storing large amounts of data that is infrequently accessed and does not require immediate retrieval. This makes it ideal for backup and archival purposes, where the data needs to be retained for compliance, regulatory, or historical reasons, but accessing it quickly is not a priority.

The architecture of S3 Glacier supports this use case by offering lower storage costs compared to standard storage solutions, while still ensuring data durability and security. It allows users to implement data lifecycle policies to transfer data automatically from S3 to Glacier for cost optimization over time, further enhancing its utility for archival needs.

In contrast, options focused on real-time data processing, interactive web application hosting, and development of machine learning models are not suited for S3 Glacier. These use cases typically require immediate data access and low latency, which are characteristics that S3 Glacier does not prioritize, as its retrieval processes can take a longer time depending on the service tier chosen.