Data backup is one of the most important aspects of a business continuity plan. Ensuring your data is backed up and secure will help shorten your recovery time after a disaster.
While most understand that having a backup at an offsite location is a smart practice, there are different types of backup sites to chose from. Here are the three types of sites and how they differ:
Cold site
Cold sites are little more than offsite office space in which the backups reside. Your company provides all of the equipment and infrastructure, which requires diverting the appropriate personnel for setup and upkeep of the site. Though this is typically the most affordable of the three options, it is also the one that takes the longest to get up an running in an emergency.
Warm site
Warm sites are, as the name might suggest, a middle ground between hot and cold sites. Most have equipment pre-installed, and waiting until they are needed. When that time comes, backups are loaded onto the equipment and the recovery process can begin. They can also be implemented as part of an overall plan, used just for non-critical systems that may still require backups and can go longer before being restored.
Hot sites offer the quickest recovery after a disaster. These locations essentially virtually mirror your in-house data center, allowing you to simply switch over when needed. Some hot sites can even be cloud based, allowing for a completely virtual backup of your equipment. While warm and cold sites may be relatively close to your main site, hot sites are typically located no where near your office, ensuring that the same disaster doesn't affect both sites.
In order to pick the right backup for your company, seek the help of business continuity consultants.