Which type of alternate site includes a scaled-down data center that can run critical systems and software but is not as immediately operational as a hot site?

The correct choice is the warm site, as it represents a type of alternate site that is prepared to take over operations after a disaster but is not as fully equipped or quickly operational as a hot site. A warm site typically includes essential hardware and software components, allowing businesses to maintain critical systems with some degree of redundancy. It may require additional setup time to become fully functional, which makes it less immediate in terms of operational capacity compared to a hot site that is continuously online and ready to take over at a moment's notice.

A cold site, in contrast, provides a backup location but lacks the necessary hardware or systems to run operations immediately and would require significant setup time to become operational. A hot site is always ready to go, with real-time data and immediate operational capacity. A mobile site refers to a solution that can be transported to a temporary location, which does not fit the description of a scaled-down data center. Therefore, a warm site is best defined as a compromise between a hot site and a cold site, allowing for a reasonable recovery option without the immediacy of a hot site.