Regardless of its volatility, the tectonic plate upon which your primary data center sits is subject to geological threats such as earthquakes. Your backup site should sit on a different, stable plate. This consideration becomes more important if your primary data center resides in a volatile region, such as the San Fransisco Bay area.

While all regions are susceptible to extreme weather, you should seek a region whose climate is consistent and predictable if at all possible.

Geo-diversity doesn’t have to be inconvenient. Look for a site that is easily accessible by car or plane, and one that still offers low latency to your primary data center and your customers.

Everyone needs a secondary data center with full capabilities, but that doesn’t have to mean doubling your costs. Look for a data center provider who offers a combination of low power costs and a dedication to ultra-high efficiency. This will result in your lowest possible total cost of ownership (TCO) for your secondary data center.

If your disaster recovery data center will be a largely lights-out facility, look for a provider with good remote hands service and top-notch security. If you require an on-site workforce, you’ll need to select a location that has access to a nearby source of skilled workers and a provider that offers on-site office space.

Your secondary data center will require—and you should expect—the same connectivity options and cloud on-ramps as your primary data center.