Why is maintaining geographic diversity in offsite data backups crucial for a comprehensive disaster recovery plan?

Maintaining geographic diversity in offsite data backups is crucial for a comprehensive disaster recovery plan because it protects against region-wide disasters that could affect both the primary data center and a nearby backup location. A disaster recovery plan outlines the procedures and resources needed to restore critical business functions after a disruptive event. If the primary data center and the offsite backup are located in the same geographic area, they are both vulnerable to the same natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, or widespread power outages. In such a scenario, both the primary data and its backup could be lost or inaccessible, rendering the disaster recovery plan ineffective. Geographic diversity ensures that the offsite backup is located far enough away from the primary data center that it is unlikely to be affected by the same disaster. This provides a higher level of protection against data loss and ensures business continuity in the event of a region-wide catastrophe. The greater the distance between the primary and backup locations, the lower the risk of a simultaneous failure due to a localized event.