Backup system that's not running and requires manual setup to activate. Like spare equipment in storage that needs installation before use.
Small businesses use cold standby backups stored offsite that can be set up within hours if disaster strikes, keeping costs lower.
Cold standby is a disaster recovery (DR) pattern, not a single cloud service. In all major clouds, it’s implemented by keeping recovery infrastructure powered off or unprovisioned (or at minimal footprint), storing backups and machine images, and using runbooks/automation to provision and restore only after a disaster is declared.