Digital 'Archive' system for Distribution

How a Digital 'Archive' system also becomes a Digital 'Distribution' system?

'Archive' at Dictionatry.com
2. Computer Science.
a. A long-term storage area, often on magnetic tape, for backup copies of files or for files that are no longer in active use.
b. A file containing one or more files in compressed format for more efficient storage and transfer.

Digital 'Archive' system is a long-term storage area, on high speed disks, with an index mechanism to store large amount of digital objects for real-time (Web)UI or API based access and backup purposes.