Data archiving is used to move less frequently accessed data off of primary storage systems into a less expensive archive. This is information that your company doesn't necessarily need on an ongoing basis but may need occasionally. In fact, you may even be required to keep some information for a prescribed period of time before you can delete it. No matter why you must keep files, you may not want them cluttering your primary systems due to performance and document management concerns.
http://www.examiner.com/article/choosing-a-data-archiving-platform
