In which scenario is a CSP considered the provider of alternative facilities?

The scenario where a cloud service provider (CSP) is considered the provider of alternative facilities occurs when on-premises resources rely on cloud solutions as part of their Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR) strategy. In this context, the on-premises environment serves as the primary operational site, while the cloud infrastructure acts as an alternative facility that provides the necessary resources to maintain business operations during an unexpected disruption to primary facilities.

Using the cloud as part of a BCDR plan allows organizations to have backup capabilities and the flexibility to restore services rapidly without being solely dependent on their physical assets. This approach enhances resilience and ensures continuous availability, as all critical data and applications can be hosted on the cloud, which operates independently from the on-premises infrastructure.

By positioning the cloud as an alternative site, organizations leverage the scalability and reliability of cloud services, ensuring that they can quickly recover and continue their operations in case of a disaster affecting their primary systems.