Among the categories of disk storage for Azure VMs, which type is stored on the system hosting the VM?

Temporary disks are specifically designed for storing data that does not need to persist through virtual machine reboots or deallocations. They are physically attached to the host server where the virtual machine (VM) runs, which allows for faster write operations compared to storage that's accessed over the network. The primary purpose of temporary disks is to provide low-latency scratch space for the operating system and applications running on the VM.

Temporary disks are often used for tasks such as caching, swap files, or any other temporary data that does not require long-term retention, making them ideal for scenarios where quick access is essential. Once the VM is stopped or deallocated, all data on the temporary disk is lost, reflecting its nature as a non-persistent storage option.

In contrast, standard disks, data disks, and backup disks are designed for durability and can retain data even when the VM is not running. Standard disks are stored on Azure’s storage infrastructure, while data disks provide additional persistent storage that can be managed separately from the VM itself. Backup disks are explicitly used for backing up data and are managed differently, further differentiating them from temporary disks.