archive

(1) A file that contains one or more compressed files. Most archive formats are also capable of storing folders in order to reconstruct the file/folder relationship when decompressed. See archive formats.

(2) To compress one or more files and folders into a single file for backup or transport. Although archived files may remain on the same computer, the term implies data retention, and archived data are typically stored in a secondary location for backup and historical purposes. See archive program, archive formats, backup program, active archiving and HSM.

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1.	(file format)	archive - A single file containing one or (usually) more separate files plus information to allow them to be extracted (separated) by a suitable program. Archives are usually created for software distribution or backup. tar is a common format for Unix archives, and arc or PKZIP for MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows.
2.	(operating system)	archive - To transfer files to slower, cheaper media (usually magnetic tape) to free the hard disk space they occupied. This is now normally done for long-term storage but in the 1960s, when disk was much more expensive, files were often shuffled regularly between disk and tape.
3.	(networking)	archive - archive site.