Data Recovery Specialists Applaud Observance of Data Backup Day

Did you observe World Data Backup Day? This year, data recovery specialists around the world celebrated March 31 as World Data Backup Day by reminding business owners and computer users throughout the world of the importance of backing up your data regularly.

Though they’ve been sending the same message for decades, there are still plenty of people who don’t seem to be getting it. A recent report titled “The State of the Data Center” found that over 15 percent of the companies that they surveyed have no plans in place to recover data lost due to an accident. In addition, 50 percent have no official strategy in place to replace lost data or equipment after a disaster. It’s typical of results found in the industry at large, according to one data security expert.

People focus on their immediate business needs with no disaster planning and little risk management. This puts many businesses, and all of their customers, at risk if a virus or a natural disaster destroys the disks and media on which important data is stored. Regular attention to data backup and plans for data retrieval in case of disaster should be on the top of the list for every company that relies on computers to hold important information.

The organizers of World Data Backup Day pointed out that an annual backup is nowhere near enough to protect your data. For most companies and individual users, a daily backup is enough protection, but for those businesses with a large volume of order or who process large volumes of data, even that isn’t enough. Synchronous backup can keep duplicates of all your important business documents and records in a safe place where they can be recovered according to your data recovery plan if they are somehow lost.

Best Practices for Safeguarding Your Important Data

Back up all of your data regularly to an offsite server or removable media.

Keep a copy of all backed up data in a safe offsite location.

Use up-to-date regularly updated virus protection to keep your data safe from unwanted intrusion.

Institute a no food or drinks policy wherever computers are in use or where media is stored. Spilled drinks and crumbs account for a lot of data mishaps.

Create a data recovery plan so that you’ll be ready to deal with disaster if it strikes.

Tips for Choosing the Right Data Recovery Company

Losing access to the data on your hard drive, camera or other data storage media ranks high on the list of life’s most stressful events, especially if that data is mission critical. Choosing the right data recovery company can make a difference in whether you’ll get your important files and information back, as well as how long it will take and what condition it will be in when you get a new disk that contains the data. Finding a company that does data retrieval is easy – a simple web search will turn up hundreds. Finding one that does it right can be a bit more difficult.

Choose a Company With the Technology and Resources to Meet Many Data Loss Challenges

The software, hardware and facilities needed to safely recover data from damaged or inaccessible drives change rapidly, but the more experience a company has the more likely it is that they’ll be able to handle your data problem. When you contact a data retrieval service, ask how long they’ve been in business and what facilities they have to deal with recovery jobs. Look for a provider that has clean rooms so that they can safely open your data devices for repair and recovery. Ask any questions that are specific to your particular situation as well such as whether or not they can handle recovery from proprietary file systems, or from your specific device.

Ask About All the Services the Company Provides for Data Solutions

Some providers offer a range of options that include do-it-yourself recovery with software options. Others may provide emergency or expedited service to get you up and running faster, or offer onsite data retrieval services. Find out how long the company will retain the data they recover, and if you’ll be able to access it again for a period of time.

Look for Data Recovery Companies That Provide Accountability and Transparency

Only do business with a company that will provide you with an evaluation that lists recoverable files, a time frame and a quoted price range before you commit to the work. Accountability and transparency will help you avoid fly-by-night operators and scam artists.

Check the Quality of the Company’s Customer Service

In today’s world, there’s no excuse for any major company to provide anything less than 24/7/365 customer support and service. You should be able to call a toll-free number or get instant answers online, as well as tech support personnel to help you prepare your device before recovery and to help you reinstall your data after service. Many of the best companies also have online portals so that you can track the progress of your data recovery.

Select a Company You Can Trust

Look out for sales gimmicks that sound too good to be true and guarantees that no one can make. Choose a company, such as Fields Data Recovery that offers full transparency about their capabilities and their pricing.

How to Choose a Data Recovery Company

Despite all of your best efforts, sometimes you end up with a data disaster. It may be the result of a physical disaster, such as a fire, flood or dropped machine. It could be a hard drive failure due to a virus or just a worn out hard drive. If the damage is serious enough, you may not be able to access your files. If that happens, your only hope of retrieving the data from your hard drive may be a data recovery service. In the worst case scenario, your company’s reputation, or even its survival, may depend on choosing the right company.

Ask Other IT Professionals

Referrals are a good way to find a reliable and reasonably priced data retrieval company. Check with professionals who understand the importance of the right company as well as the limitations and possibilities inherent in trying to recover data from a hard drive. If an IT professional recommends a company such as the Field Group, you can be assured that the company is reliable and does good work.

Shop Around for a Good Price If You Have the Luxury

The cost you’re willing to pay depends a great deal on how vital the data is and how quickly you need it. In most cases, you’ll pay more is you want a rush job. Keep in mind that the cheapest option is not always the best. In fact, companies that advertise the cheapest prices may not have the facilities and experience to take on your job. Look for a company that can offer you the best combination of price, time frame and ability. A high recommendation could be worth far more than the lowest price you can get.

Choose a Data Recovery Company You Can Trust

Work with a company that takes the security of your data seriously. Your hard drive may contain sensitive data such as customer identification and credit card numbers or proprietary software and information. Again, look for a company that comes highly recommended and ask for references from past customers. Data security is vital to your business. Any compromise of your data by your recovery company can actually make your company liable for the damage.

Finally, choose a data retrieval company that is experienced in working at the kind of job you need done. If you need data recovered from a complex RAID drive assembly, be sure to choose a data recovery company that has worked on a project of that scope before.