A hot site is a fully operational, ready-to-use backup site that allows an organization to quickly resume business operations after a disaster. For an Internet Service Provider (ISP), maintaining continuous operations is critical, and a hot site ensures minimal downtime by providing pre-configured hardware, software, and network connectivity.
A. On-site – Keeping backups and disaster recovery infrastructure on-site is risky because it can be affected by the same disaster that damaged the primary servers.
B. Cold site – A cold site is a backup location that has infrastructure but lacks pre-installed systems and configurations. It takes significant time to become operational, making it unsuitable for an ISP needing quick recovery.
C. Hot site (Correct Answer) – A hot site is fully operational, with replicated data, applications, and network configurations that allow an ISP to quickly switch operations, minimizing service disruption.
D. Warm site – A warm site is partially equipped with some hardware and software but requires configuration before becoming operational. This delays recovery compared to a hot site.
IIA GTAG (Global Technology Audit Guide) 10 – Business Continuity Management emphasizes the importance of hot sites for organizations requiring real-time service restoration.
IIA IPPF Standard 2120 – Risk Management advises organizations to assess disaster recovery plans and ensure continuity strategies align with business needs.
COBIT 2019 – DSS04 (Managed Continuity) discusses different recovery site types and their impact on business continuity.
Explanation of Each Option:IIA References:
