What Does Disaster Recovery Site Mean?
A disaster recovery site (DR site) is an alternative backup facility, usually IT in nature, that is used when a primary location becomes unusable due to failure or disaster. It contains equipment and infrastructure that can be temporarily used to manage business processes until the main site’s functionality is fully restored.
Techopedia Explains Disaster Recovery Site
A disaster recovery site is an important asset because it keeps an organization running, albeit in a lesser state. An extended outage and consequent disruption in business operations can bring an organization to its knees – especially one that relies heavily on its IT infrastructure.
A DR site is often located in an entirely different location, city, province, state or even another country. This ensures a higher probability of safety when a primary facility fails due to a localized disaster.
Business continuity is the most critical advantage of a DR site, which can even serve as an extension facility if loads extend beyond the primary facility’s capacity. Of course, not all organizations can afford a DR site. This is why there are Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) providers that offer disaster recovery services on a leased or pay as you go basis.