Evaluating SAN Disaster Recovery Options for Non-Critical Workloads

300-610 By islever Editorial Last updated

Evaluate storage deployment options for traditional and high-performance networks

Short answer

B Cold standby is the most suitable DR solution because it accommodates the noncritical nature of the CRM system, allows for several hours of data loss, and gives the customer full control over the failover process while minimizing costs.

Question

A customer is evaluating a new disaster-recovery solution for their SAN, which is used for noncritical CRM purposes. The SAN is frequently backed up locally at the customer's existing single location, and several hours of data loss can be sustained. The customer wants to retain complete control of the failover process to a separate physical location. Which type of DR is most suitable for the customer?
  1. active/passive
  2. cold standby Correct Answer
  3. active/active
  4. warm standby

Key Takeaways

The main trap is assuming any form of redundancy requires active or warm states; the key is recognizing that 'hours of data loss' and 'complete control' justify the lowest-cost, manual intervention model.

This question evaluates SAN disaster recovery strategies, identifying cold standby as the optimal solution for non-critical applications where data loss tolerance is high.

Common mistake: Choosing A (Active/Passive) because it sounds like a standard backup strategy, failing to realize that maintaining a passive node still incurs higher operational costs than a cold site when downtime is acceptable.

Expert Analysis

The customer’s primary constraints are the noncritical nature of the CRM application, the ability to sustain several hours of data loss, and the requirement for complete control over the failover process. These factors directly point to a cost-effective, low-availability secondary site.

B. Cold standby is the correct answer because it best aligns with these requirements. In a cold standby configuration, the secondary site contains hardware but no active services or replicated data in real-time. This approach minimizes ongoing costs (no need to maintain a fully operational duplicate environment) and provides maximum flexibility since the customer controls when and how to activate the infrastructure during a disaster. The acceptance of significant downtime and data loss makes this the most suitable choice.

A. Active/passive is incorrect because it implies a passive node that is typically kept synchronized and ready for immediate switchover, which incurs higher costs than necessary for a noncritical app with hours of acceptable downtime.

C. Active/active is incorrect as it involves simultaneous processing at both sites, requiring complex synchronization and offering near-zero downtime, which contradicts the customer's tolerance for delay and desire for simple control.

D. Warm standby is incorrect because it maintains a partially configured environment with some data replication, offering faster recovery than cold standby but at a higher cost. Since the customer can tolerate several hours of delay, paying for warm standby readiness is unnecessary.

Exam Strategy

When evaluating DR solutions, always map the business requirements for RPO (Recovery Point Objective) and RTO (Recovery Time Objective) to the technical implementation. If the question emphasizes cost savings, lack of urgency, and manual control, look for 'cold' or 'manual' options rather than automated or continuous replication models.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why not use Active/Passive for a non-critical CRM?

Active/Passive requires maintaining a synchronized secondary node, which adds cost. Since the customer can tolerate hours of downtime and data loss, paying for an always-ready passive node is inefficient compared to a cold site.

What defines 'Cold Standby' in SAN DR?

Cold standby means the secondary site has hardware installed but no active services or real-time data replication. It is activated manually only after a disaster occurs, making it the cheapest but slowest recovery option.

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Community Votes

B
100%

100% of anonymous learners picked answer B. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Discussion 4 contributions

Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.

From public community threads 4

  1. CoAsT_x 👍 3 Answered B
    Nothing significant that says it cant be cold standby. And cold standby is "suitable" and cheaper. And other questions have hinted towards warm. I will probably go cold here.
  2. zeppie 👍 2
    Given the phrasing of the question, specifically the 'several hours of data loss', I would go cold as well.
  3. garza_javi 👍 1 Answered B
    A cold standby disaster recovery solution is the most suitable choice because the CRM application is noncritical, several hours of data loss are acceptable, and the customer wants complete control over the failover process. Key characteristics: - Low cost: No fully operational secondary infrastructure needs to run continuously. - Flexible recovery: Infrastructure is activated when a disaster occurs. - Manual failover: The customer retains control over when and how recovery takes place. - Higher RPO/RTO: Several hours of data loss and recovery time can be tolerated.
  4. lurker8000 👍 1
    I think Warm Standby makes sense but why not cold standby as well?

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