In a Continuity of Operations Plan, what is the purpose of maintaining alternate sites?

• A. To organize employee training.
• B. To ensure essential functions can continue when the primary site is unavailable.
• C. To create redundancy for non-essential functions only.
• D. To replace the main office indefinitely.

Answer: (B)

Maintaining alternate sites in a Continuity of Operations Plan ensures essential functions can continue when the primary site becomes unavailable. If the main facility is damaged or inaccessible, having a ready-to-use alternate location with the right staff, equipment, and communications lets critical operations keep running and supports a smooth transition to recovery. It focuses on sustaining essential services, not on training or duplicating non‑essential tasks, and it’s not meant to replace the main office indefinitely—it's a temporary arrangement to bridge disruption until normal operations can be restored.