Which Low-Cost Standby Site Includes Hardware and Internet?
Which of the following would be the best solution to deploy a low-cost standby site that includes hardware and internet access?
Community Votes
54% of anonymous learners picked answer D. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Community Insight
The question tests precise matching of DR site definitions to scenario constraints, with the primary trap being the overemphasis on 'low-cost' that leads candidates to ignore the mandatory inclusion of hardware and internet.
This question evaluates understanding of disaster recovery site tiers, emphasizing how cost and pre-existing infrastructure dictate the appropriate solution. The community consensus supports the warm site, as it balances affordability with ready-to-use hardware and network connectivity.
Candidates frequently select 'Cold site' due to the 'low-cost' descriptor, incorrectly assuming cold sites come equipped with servers and active internet connections, when they strictly provide only physical space and basic utilities.
Community Discussion (12 comments)
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Expert Analysis
Understanding DR Site Tiers
Disaster recovery planning relies on three primary site classifications, each balancing cost, recovery time objective (RTO), and recovery point objective (RPO):
- Hot Site: Fully mirrored environment with real-time data synchronization, immediate failover capability, and the highest operational cost.
- Warm Site: Partially configured facility containing pre-installed hardware, network infrastructure, and internet access. Data must be restored from backups, resulting in a moderate RTO and mid-range cost.
- Cold Site: Bare-bones facility offering only physical space, power, cooling, and sometimes basic cabling. It lacks pre-installed hardware and active connectivity, making it the cheapest option but requiring significant time to become operational.
Why Option D is Correct
The prompt explicitly requires a low-cost standby location that includes hardware and internet access. A warm site perfectly matches these parameters. As noted in community discussions, warm sites are designed for organizations needing faster recovery than a cold site offers without paying the premium for a hot site. They ship with necessary IT equipment and network ports, allowing restoration within hours to days.
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect
Option B (Cold site) is the most frequent distractor. While it is undeniably the lowest-cost option, standard CompTIA definitions state that cold sites do not include pre-installed hardware or active internet connections. Candidates who select this overlook the phrase "includes hardware," mistakenly equating "basic infrastructure" with fully equipped IT environments. Several community comments incorrectly redefine cold sites as having hardware and internet, which contradicts official training materials.
Option C (Hot site) provides immediate failover but fails the "low-cost" constraint due to its continuous mirroring and high maintenance expenses. Option A (Recovery site) is a generic umbrella term rather than a specific DR tier, making it too vague for certification exams.
Official Reference
- https://www.comptia.org/content/guidelines/security-sy0-701-nonfunctional-objectives
- NIST Special Publication 800-34 Rev. 1: Contingency Planning Guide for Federal Information Systems
- ISO/IEC 22301:2019 Security and resilience — Business continuity management systems — Requirements
Exam Strategy
When answering DR site questions, always map every keyword in the stem directly to standard definitions. If the scenario mentions existing hardware, networks, or partial data, automatically rule out cold sites. Prioritize the exact wording over general assumptions about cost to avoid common traps.
Related Analysis
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