A server administrator is organizing a disaster recovery test for the company's data center. The primary goal is to validate the disaster recovery plan's communication protocols and clarify team members' roles and responsibilities during a simulated extended power outage. The exercise must be conducted with minimal operational disruption to production services. Which of the following DR testing methods BEST meets these requirements?
The correct answer is a tabletop exercise. This is a discussion-based session where team members gather to walk through a simulated disaster scenario. The main purpose is to review the disaster recovery plan, clarify everyone's roles and responsibilities, and test communication channels without impacting production systems. This method is low-cost and non-disruptive, making it ideal for the requirements described.
A live failover is incorrect because it involves actually switching production services to the disaster recovery site, causing significant operational disruption.
A simulated failover is incorrect because it involves activating DR systems in an isolated environment. While less disruptive than a live failover, it is still a technical test focused on system functionality rather than a discussion-based review of roles and communication.
Backup validation is incorrect because it is a process focused on verifying the integrity of backup data and the ability to restore it, not on testing the overall disaster recovery plan's procedures and communication strategies.