What is a Warm Site in disaster recovery terms?

In disaster recovery, a Warm Site is characterized as a backup facility that is partially equipped with hardware, software, and network capabilities, enabling it to be operational within a few hours to a couple of days. This means that while the Warm Site may not be ready for immediate use like a Hot Site, it provides a faster recovery solution than a Cold Site, which lacks any operational components and requires significant time and resources to become functional.

The distinction of a Warm Site lies in the fact that it typically has critical infrastructure in place and may contain backups of essential data, allowing for a quicker transition and restoration of services following a disruption. It serves as a balance between preparation and cost, providing organizations that choose this recovery strategy with a practical option for business continuity.

In contrast, the other choices describe various forms of disaster recovery sites but do not accurately represent the nature of a Warm Site. A fully equipped site ready for immediate use aligns more closely with a Hot Site, while a backup site with no resources available reflects the characteristics of a Cold Site. The description of a site that guarantees immediate full service restoration also pertains more to a Hot Site rather than a Warm Site.