When the first electric-digital computer was unveiled in 1946 in the US for use by the army, it was a huge, 30-ton machine. It used over 17,000 vacuum tubes and over 7,200 crystal diodes to consume a whopping 180 KW of energy. ENIAC, which lay sprawling across an entire room, was truly a cyber-mammoth capable of making thousands of calculations a second. The world has come a long way since.
When transistors got invented, they made vacuum tubes obsolete and gave rise to the second generation of computers – the mainframes. Later still, the era of integrated circuits arrived and they along with the transistors ushered in the third generation of computers which we all use today, called the desktops.
Information technology is now obsessed with miniaturisation in its eternal quest to pack more and more processing power in less and less amount of space. Often, digital devices have microscopic components invisible to the naked eye. Microprocessors are a prime example of how the information technology industry progresses in terms of speed and capability.
A microprocessor is nothing but a tiny silicon wafer. On it are placed millions of microscopic transistors. Each of these can remain in an ‘off’ state (absence of electric current) or ‘on’ state (presence of electric current). The former represents one and the latter, zero. Thus, digital calculations are made possible at a breath-taking speed.
Since the components used in many digital devices such as the microprocessors are microscopic, there is one constant worry while manufacturing them – dust. A tiny spec of dust or any other contaminant floating in the air can actually wreck tiny electronic circuits or get wedged between two components and create havoc. In the world of information technology, the biggest problems are created by things that are no even visible to us! The solution to this problem? Set up a “clean room.”
Clean rooms are exactly what their name suggests. They have hardly any dust particles circulating inside. They are made up of enclosed spaces where the air flow and entry of people are strictly regulated. There are layers of powerful air-filtration systems which process the entire air inside the room about ten times a minute as well as filter the outside air coming in.
These filters extract even microscopic particles of dust and other suspended matter such as human hair, pollen, vapours, microbes and skin flakes. The result is that the air in a clean room is up to 10,000 times cleaner than what is found inside a hospital operation theatre! There are absolutely no air-borne particles that may create problems with sensitive electronic circuits.
Cleaning the air inside a clean room is one thing. Maintaining it at the same level is quite another. That is why special precautions are taken with respect to the people working inside a clean room. They have to wear a bunny suite so that they do not shed skin flakes or hair that may accidentally come into circulation.
The suit is made of lint-free fabric and is static-free, ensuring that it does not add its own contaminants. Everyone entering or exiting a clean room has to go through an air lock and take an air shower. Another trick played to keep clean rooms clean is by keeping their air pressure positive. With this, whenever there is a leak, the air from the room travels outward while the polluted outside air is prevented from coming in.
The most popular classification of clean rooms divides them into various classes, from Class 1,000 to Class 1. The number signifies the number of dust particles in a cubic foot of air. For example, a Class 1,000 clean room will have 1,000 suspended particles in a cubic foot of air, while for a Class 100 clean room, this figure will only be 100. Class 1 clean rooms are obviously the cleanest and most sophisticated.
Clean rooms play a very important role in data recovery. There are many digital storage devices that are very sensitive to dust particles. Hard disks are one of them. These hold all the user data and software programmes. A disk may malfunction due to a variety of reasons. For example, its read and write head may come crashing down on the platters spinning at an incredible speed and just get stuck there. The spindle motor may stop working and consequently the platters may come to a grinding halt. The inner circuitry of the disk such as the controller card may get burnt.
In these cases, to diagnose the problem and carry out repairs or extract the data from the platters, one has to open the hard disk. This can only be done in a clean room because the disk is extremely sensitive to dust.
The read and write head hovers just a sub-micron level above the platters. Even a tiny spec of dust can get wedged between them and cause the disk to crash or the data-recording surface to be scratched. Without a clean ream, it is not possible to carry out any repairs of the hard disk or extract lost data residing on the platter surface.
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
DIY Data Reovery Software
Most computer users today have faced problems such as corruption of data, loss of data or have found it necessary to format their hard drives at least once. The reasons for the same may be varied, such as, a virus attack, frequent power cuts, system failure etc. All of these may lead to the loss of important data present on your computer. Hence, most of the individuals find the need for data recovery software or services these days.
Generally, individuals who use computers at home and others, who cannot afford to use expensive data recovery services, resort to data recovery software as it is much cheaper. Recovery software is usually sold on the internet. A list of this form of software can be found by searching for ‘data recovery software’ in any search engine. With so many software options available online, it is natural for an inexperienced computer user to get confused about finding the right software to suit their requirements.
Here are some tips that will help you in choosing the data recovery software.
Factors to Consider While Choosing Data Recovery Software Online
Check whether the software is compatible with your particular Operating System. Buying software that works with Windows is of no use if you use Linux.
The next thing to be concerned about is choosing the data recovery software based on the type of data loss encountered by the user. For example, some software may recover files that are deleted from the recycle bin but it may not be able to recover data from formatted hard drives or from deleted partitions.
Though most of the software is compatible with more than one data storage medium, you should ensure that the software you are purchasing is compatible with the particular data storage medium you intend to use it on. For example, same data recovery software may not recover data from both your hard drive and your CDs.
The next factor to consider is whether the software is easy to use. If you are an inexperienced user, data recovery software that offers a number of features but, is difficult to use, will not be suitable for you.
The cost of the software is always a concern. Although the data recovery software is much cheaper than the data recovery services, some of them are extremely expensive while others are absurdly cheap. Usually, it is preferable to opt for software that lies somewhere in the mid price range as the software might be overpriced to create a fake reputation while the cheap ones may not do the job at all.
Also, before finalising on particular software, it is advisable to compare software options. The cost of the different software, the number of features they offer, compatibility, success rates etc. should be compared. After this comparison, one should opt for software that suits your requirements the best. Trial versions of some software are available on the internet. A number of these can be tried to find the software that suits your needs.
After short listing the software that may possibly suit you, reviews about such software should be read. Such reviews are available in IT magazines which usually studies the new software that has been launched in the market. Reviews might also be available on some websites. Consulting some friends or acquaintances about the performance of the software is also advisable.
Remember that choosing software of a bad quality may lead to permanent loss of data rather than its recovery. Also, remember that not all data recovery companies will provide authentic facts about their products on their websites. So, be careful before choosing the right one.
Some companies even offer a money back guarantee if the particular software is unable to recover data from your computer. If such facilities are provided by the software company, they should be availed.
Many companies have a Technical Support team that can answer your queries regarding the software you’ve purchased. Such features prove to be useful especially for inexperienced users. They may even provide services at your home or workplace in some cases.
Generally, individuals who use computers at home and others, who cannot afford to use expensive data recovery services, resort to data recovery software as it is much cheaper. Recovery software is usually sold on the internet. A list of this form of software can be found by searching for ‘data recovery software’ in any search engine. With so many software options available online, it is natural for an inexperienced computer user to get confused about finding the right software to suit their requirements.
Here are some tips that will help you in choosing the data recovery software.
Factors to Consider While Choosing Data Recovery Software Online
Check whether the software is compatible with your particular Operating System. Buying software that works with Windows is of no use if you use Linux.
The next thing to be concerned about is choosing the data recovery software based on the type of data loss encountered by the user. For example, some software may recover files that are deleted from the recycle bin but it may not be able to recover data from formatted hard drives or from deleted partitions.
Though most of the software is compatible with more than one data storage medium, you should ensure that the software you are purchasing is compatible with the particular data storage medium you intend to use it on. For example, same data recovery software may not recover data from both your hard drive and your CDs.
The next factor to consider is whether the software is easy to use. If you are an inexperienced user, data recovery software that offers a number of features but, is difficult to use, will not be suitable for you.
The cost of the software is always a concern. Although the data recovery software is much cheaper than the data recovery services, some of them are extremely expensive while others are absurdly cheap. Usually, it is preferable to opt for software that lies somewhere in the mid price range as the software might be overpriced to create a fake reputation while the cheap ones may not do the job at all.
Also, before finalising on particular software, it is advisable to compare software options. The cost of the different software, the number of features they offer, compatibility, success rates etc. should be compared. After this comparison, one should opt for software that suits your requirements the best. Trial versions of some software are available on the internet. A number of these can be tried to find the software that suits your needs.
After short listing the software that may possibly suit you, reviews about such software should be read. Such reviews are available in IT magazines which usually studies the new software that has been launched in the market. Reviews might also be available on some websites. Consulting some friends or acquaintances about the performance of the software is also advisable.
Remember that choosing software of a bad quality may lead to permanent loss of data rather than its recovery. Also, remember that not all data recovery companies will provide authentic facts about their products on their websites. So, be careful before choosing the right one.
Some companies even offer a money back guarantee if the particular software is unable to recover data from your computer. If such facilities are provided by the software company, they should be availed.
Many companies have a Technical Support team that can answer your queries regarding the software you’ve purchased. Such features prove to be useful especially for inexperienced users. They may even provide services at your home or workplace in some cases.
Best Method to Back-Up Data?
Computers are very powerful machines. They are without doubt one of the greatest inventions of the last century. They leverage the fantastic computational power of processors to run a variety of customised software that make doing any task faster and more efficient. Information technology has completely changed the way work is done in the modern economy. With digital machines, things have become much easier, convenient and faster than any time in the last thousands of years.
All computers in the course of their operation generate a large amount of data. They need a space where this data can be stored and later quickly accessed for further processing. A variety of data storage devices have been developed over the years. These use different technologies to store data.
The main storage device in computers is the hard disk that can store up to 500 GB of data. No other device can match it in terms of capacity, speed of data access and ease of use. Other storage media include CDs, DVDs, pen drives and memory cards, but their capacity is insignificant when compared to a hard disk.
The data that computers generate and process is volatile, that is, there is nothing permanent about it like, say, a paper file. Digital devices store data as patterns on a magnetic surface (like in a hard disk or floppy drive), as electric charge (like in a memory card), or as a pattern of pits (like in a CD or DVD).
Because this data is volatile, it has its benefits. It can be easily modified and overwritten with newer data. It can be deleted at the press of a button, moved from one location to another or copied to another storage media. On the other hand, the volatility of data has one severe disadvantage – it can all vanish in a second without a trace. This data loss can happen due to a variety of factors, main ones of which are hardware or software errors.
Hardware errors include instances where there is a problem with the physical aspects of the device. In the case of a hard drive, things like controller card, circuit board, read / write head may develop a fault. The CDs or DVDs may crack and bend or their pit pattern may get corrupted due to exposure to a heat source.
Software errors make a device unreadable even though it may have perfectly working hardware. This may happen due to deletion of file partitions, accidental deletion of files by the user, reformatting of hard disk, corrupted file systems or a virus attack.
Because of the volatile nature of digital data and how easy it is to lose it entirely, it is essential that a complete backup is taken of important files on suitable media.
There is a vast range of data backup devices available in the market which cater to the needs of every user. The main backup storage media include the following:
Rewritable Compact Discs (CDs): These have a storage capacity of about 700 MB, which is not large by any standards. Still, these are great for individual computer or digital camera users to take backups of email messages, photos, text files, spreadsheets and presentations.
Rewritable Digital Versatile Discs (DVDs): These are more powerful version of CDs, with a storage capacity of 4.6 GB, which is an enormous improvement. These can hold full-fledged video files, hundreds of text files, graphics, engineering drawings and other data. They are quite durable and cheap, and one of the best data backup products available for individuals.
Tape Drives: These store data on a long magnetic tape that is wound on a couple of spools that are enclosed in a plastic cartridge. Typically, these have a capacity of about 20 GB. Tape drives have for a long time been a media of choice for companies to hold their archives and data backup for a long period of time because of their reliability and low cost.
Portable Hard Disks: These stand-alone hard disks come with all the benefits of regular hard disks fitted inside computers. They have a capacity of as much as 240 GB. They offer very fast data access because the read / write head can read any part of the disk immediately, unlike tape drives where the entire tape has to move back and forth to access particular data.
The data backup media that you require really depends on your needs and how large is the amount of data that you want to store. For home users and individuals, CDs and DVDs make great and very cheap data backup tools. These can hold almost all data that is generated everyday by a typical individual user. The tape drives and portable hard disks are ideal for corporate companies.
All computers in the course of their operation generate a large amount of data. They need a space where this data can be stored and later quickly accessed for further processing. A variety of data storage devices have been developed over the years. These use different technologies to store data.
The main storage device in computers is the hard disk that can store up to 500 GB of data. No other device can match it in terms of capacity, speed of data access and ease of use. Other storage media include CDs, DVDs, pen drives and memory cards, but their capacity is insignificant when compared to a hard disk.
The data that computers generate and process is volatile, that is, there is nothing permanent about it like, say, a paper file. Digital devices store data as patterns on a magnetic surface (like in a hard disk or floppy drive), as electric charge (like in a memory card), or as a pattern of pits (like in a CD or DVD).
Because this data is volatile, it has its benefits. It can be easily modified and overwritten with newer data. It can be deleted at the press of a button, moved from one location to another or copied to another storage media. On the other hand, the volatility of data has one severe disadvantage – it can all vanish in a second without a trace. This data loss can happen due to a variety of factors, main ones of which are hardware or software errors.
Hardware errors include instances where there is a problem with the physical aspects of the device. In the case of a hard drive, things like controller card, circuit board, read / write head may develop a fault. The CDs or DVDs may crack and bend or their pit pattern may get corrupted due to exposure to a heat source.
Software errors make a device unreadable even though it may have perfectly working hardware. This may happen due to deletion of file partitions, accidental deletion of files by the user, reformatting of hard disk, corrupted file systems or a virus attack.
Because of the volatile nature of digital data and how easy it is to lose it entirely, it is essential that a complete backup is taken of important files on suitable media.
There is a vast range of data backup devices available in the market which cater to the needs of every user. The main backup storage media include the following:
Rewritable Compact Discs (CDs): These have a storage capacity of about 700 MB, which is not large by any standards. Still, these are great for individual computer or digital camera users to take backups of email messages, photos, text files, spreadsheets and presentations.
Rewritable Digital Versatile Discs (DVDs): These are more powerful version of CDs, with a storage capacity of 4.6 GB, which is an enormous improvement. These can hold full-fledged video files, hundreds of text files, graphics, engineering drawings and other data. They are quite durable and cheap, and one of the best data backup products available for individuals.
Tape Drives: These store data on a long magnetic tape that is wound on a couple of spools that are enclosed in a plastic cartridge. Typically, these have a capacity of about 20 GB. Tape drives have for a long time been a media of choice for companies to hold their archives and data backup for a long period of time because of their reliability and low cost.
Portable Hard Disks: These stand-alone hard disks come with all the benefits of regular hard disks fitted inside computers. They have a capacity of as much as 240 GB. They offer very fast data access because the read / write head can read any part of the disk immediately, unlike tape drives where the entire tape has to move back and forth to access particular data.
The data backup media that you require really depends on your needs and how large is the amount of data that you want to store. For home users and individuals, CDs and DVDs make great and very cheap data backup tools. These can hold almost all data that is generated everyday by a typical individual user. The tape drives and portable hard disks are ideal for corporate companies.
How to Start a Data Recovery Business
If anything defines how the modern world operates, it is information technology. Really, the way the computers have taken the universe by storm and become an essential tool of our lives, it seems the history of the world can be divided into two parts – Before Computers (BC) and After Digital (AD).
Computers have changed the way we work and play. Things can be done much faster. We can communicate with others sitting in another continent. Documents can be uploaded at one location, shuttle-cocked over wires and downloaded thousands of miles away – all in the blink of an eye. Information technology is spreading like wildfire and has stepped out of the computers and moved into countless other devices that we use in daily life, from mobile phones and DVD players to video games consoles.
Most information technology products have one thing in common – they need a storage device to store digital data, regardless of how tiny or big the hardware product is. The data storage media can be removable or non-removable. The former comprises things like pen drives, memory sticks, CDs, DVDs and so on. The latter mostly comprises hard disks with huge capacities, currently running at 160 GB of data.
Mobile phones need to store hundreds of phone numbers, PDAs have to store thousands of messages and tasks, CDs and DVDs may have important files that are being kept as backup, digital cameras have to store hundreds of high-resolution pictures. The list of things that data storage devices are required to store is endless.
The problem is that digital data is volatile. It is not as durable as a piece of paper with information printed on it. The entire data stored on a computer hard disk can disappear in an instant due to a range of logical and hardware failures. The same is the case with removable media like CDs, DVDs and memory cards. The issue of data loss has become chronic with the spread of computers and digital technology.
Consequently, a whole new field of data recovery has cropped up in the last two decades that specialises in recovering data from damaged storage devices. It is currently a booming and fast growing industry and is very competitive. Still, it is not sufficient to fulfil demand. Opening a data-recovery business today is a good investment because there is no dearth of customers.
The main investment required in opening a data recovery business is the clean room. It is an enclosed space in which the air is filtered so finely and so many times that hardly any dust or other floating particles remain. Why such a facility is needed is because hard disks are very sensitive to dust and cannot be opened in an ordinary environment.
Even a micron of dust settled between the read / write head and the wildly spinning magnetic platters can cause the disk to crash. Therefore, inside the clean room, it is mandatory for workers to wear moon suites to ensure that they accidentally do not introduce any contaminants in the sterile environment. There are companies which specialise in making and installing clean rooms.
More than the physical infrastructure though – like the office building and clean room – it is the technicians who are the most important asset of a data recovery company. Everything hinges on their expertise and experienced technicians and engineers are in great demand in the industry.
Recovering data is a very delicate affair and even a small mistake can wipe out the data permanently, which is obviously a disaster for the client. There are also specialised software and hardware tools that are needed to operate the entire data recovery operation successfully. It is crucial for the data recovery team to be headed by a very qualified engineer who has hands-on experience worth years in this field.
Many data recovery companies tend to specialise in particular data storage media. Some may be good at memory cards while others may have special expertise in taking data out of damaged DVD drives. Due to the specialised nature of this work, there is a practice of outsourcing tasks out of one’s special area of expertise to other companies. Many reputed companies like Fields Data Recovery though, as a matter of principle, never allow the media to leave its four walls and do everything in-house, thus ensuring data confidentiality.
Many data recovery companies that you deal with actually have no infrastructure at all, but are only front companies. They take your media, understand the problem and hand it over to whichever company in the industry according to them offers the best chance of recovery.
Data recovery is a sunrise industry. There is intense competition in the field but the rapid growth and spread of information technology products in recent years have been phenomenal and, currently, there is enough space for every data recovery company to get an adequate share of the pie.
Computers have changed the way we work and play. Things can be done much faster. We can communicate with others sitting in another continent. Documents can be uploaded at one location, shuttle-cocked over wires and downloaded thousands of miles away – all in the blink of an eye. Information technology is spreading like wildfire and has stepped out of the computers and moved into countless other devices that we use in daily life, from mobile phones and DVD players to video games consoles.
Most information technology products have one thing in common – they need a storage device to store digital data, regardless of how tiny or big the hardware product is. The data storage media can be removable or non-removable. The former comprises things like pen drives, memory sticks, CDs, DVDs and so on. The latter mostly comprises hard disks with huge capacities, currently running at 160 GB of data.
Mobile phones need to store hundreds of phone numbers, PDAs have to store thousands of messages and tasks, CDs and DVDs may have important files that are being kept as backup, digital cameras have to store hundreds of high-resolution pictures. The list of things that data storage devices are required to store is endless.
The problem is that digital data is volatile. It is not as durable as a piece of paper with information printed on it. The entire data stored on a computer hard disk can disappear in an instant due to a range of logical and hardware failures. The same is the case with removable media like CDs, DVDs and memory cards. The issue of data loss has become chronic with the spread of computers and digital technology.
Consequently, a whole new field of data recovery has cropped up in the last two decades that specialises in recovering data from damaged storage devices. It is currently a booming and fast growing industry and is very competitive. Still, it is not sufficient to fulfil demand. Opening a data-recovery business today is a good investment because there is no dearth of customers.
The main investment required in opening a data recovery business is the clean room. It is an enclosed space in which the air is filtered so finely and so many times that hardly any dust or other floating particles remain. Why such a facility is needed is because hard disks are very sensitive to dust and cannot be opened in an ordinary environment.
Even a micron of dust settled between the read / write head and the wildly spinning magnetic platters can cause the disk to crash. Therefore, inside the clean room, it is mandatory for workers to wear moon suites to ensure that they accidentally do not introduce any contaminants in the sterile environment. There are companies which specialise in making and installing clean rooms.
More than the physical infrastructure though – like the office building and clean room – it is the technicians who are the most important asset of a data recovery company. Everything hinges on their expertise and experienced technicians and engineers are in great demand in the industry.
Recovering data is a very delicate affair and even a small mistake can wipe out the data permanently, which is obviously a disaster for the client. There are also specialised software and hardware tools that are needed to operate the entire data recovery operation successfully. It is crucial for the data recovery team to be headed by a very qualified engineer who has hands-on experience worth years in this field.
Many data recovery companies tend to specialise in particular data storage media. Some may be good at memory cards while others may have special expertise in taking data out of damaged DVD drives. Due to the specialised nature of this work, there is a practice of outsourcing tasks out of one’s special area of expertise to other companies. Many reputed companies like Fields Data Recovery though, as a matter of principle, never allow the media to leave its four walls and do everything in-house, thus ensuring data confidentiality.
Many data recovery companies that you deal with actually have no infrastructure at all, but are only front companies. They take your media, understand the problem and hand it over to whichever company in the industry according to them offers the best chance of recovery.
Data recovery is a sunrise industry. There is intense competition in the field but the rapid growth and spread of information technology products in recent years have been phenomenal and, currently, there is enough space for every data recovery company to get an adequate share of the pie.
Data Recovery vs Disaster Recovery
Data recovery is a part of disaster recovery. Both complement each other playing an equally vital role in the survival of a business or organisation in the global market. The loss or failure of data could automatically lead to a disaster and vice versa. A business disaster could automatically erase important data. In a nutshell, data recovery refers to a process of salvaging data damaged or contaminated, existing on a portion of the hard drive.
While disaster management is a much broad-based term encompassing business and IT-related disasters whereby all business information is lost as a result of natural calamities or man-made problems such as terrorist attacks. Thus, disaster recovery is a holistic process of recovery while data recovery is a refined and focused method of salvaging limited amount of data.
Causes
Data loss or failure usually is small with far-reaching impacts. Data loss is usually caused by the operating system, hard drive and software failures. Therefore, it becomes imperative to have knowledge about the workings of a computer. One is easily able to recognise the type of data loss being incurred, and has the expertise and knowledge to deal with it. Data loss can be catagorised into two types:
General data loss where data can be recovered simply by using the data recovery tools available on the desktop of the computer.
Specific data loss where the individual experiencing data loss is unable to retrieve the data using computer data recovery tools and has to consult data recovery specialist agencies such as MASTERLINK.
Data loss usually occurs when:
The computer fails to reboot
Excessive sun exposure to the diskette
The diskette is carelessly tossed about in water or in any other beverage leading to surface contamination and damage
The diskette has inaccessible drives and partitions which could cause virus contamination leading to hard drive failure
The data stored is corrupted or in strange inaccessible characters which may lead to an inability to load and run the computer.
Data loss forms a small but integral part of Disaster recovery programs. Disaster recovery is mainly used by businesses to protect themselves against loss of data, business and marketing information including strategies. Disaster recovery programs come into play when there is:
Man- made disasters of terrorism and theft
Natural disasters of fire and flood
When these disasters do happen, businesses are likely to lose their entire vault of information and become paupers in the global market. Thus, it is highly imperative for every business to have a business disaster or contingency plan. These plans must follow a few golden rules to be effective:
Business Contingency plans have to be workable and reliable. They should not be out of the working reach of the organisation. Contingency Plans in this regard have to:
Be devised in accordance with the current market situation. The plan must be able to guide the business in terms of profit, loss, employee retainment, market competition and production in the The plan should also be built keeping in mind the organisational structure. This includes the organisational hierarchical tree, the number of employees and organisational goals.
Contingency plans must advocate the path of containment of the disaster as well the way to future business growth and development. It must outline marketing strategies, learning methodologies, profit and demand structures, employee training and recruitment methods.
The contingency plan must outline a backup plan or site which enables organisational members to salvage important crucial business facts for future growth. However, it must be kept in mind that organisations seldom follow these guidelines. More than 53% of businesses have unworkable outdated contingency plans. Out of this 53%, 23% are often required to use these contingency plans. And ultimately only 6% of organisations manage to survive these disasters. In contrast, more than 88% of businesses face some amount of data loss. According to MASTERLINK, management companies usually have backup files to deal with data loss. Data loss is not permanent and data can be retrieved after some time. Companies such as Quartz, Hewlett Packard and Dell employ computer trouble shooting experts to combat problems of data loss. The necessity of these contingency plans comes to the fore owing to changing market climate.
Reasons
Growth of technology: The global market is increasingly becoming technologically oriented. Organisations and businesses now increasingly rely on information technology to store crucial business information. Thus, data loss and ultimately any sort of disaster have the potential of devastating effects. It can destroy the organisation of any opportunities for growth and development. In such a scenario, it becomes important for every organisation to depend on personnel to document and store important information in paper files.
A business also has to safeguard against fires and flood which can rip the entire business structure apart. It has to constantly update any contingency plan and inform its employees. Employees need to be aware of any problems that might arise. Every organisation ought to maintain a storage accessible area away from the main organisational structure. This ensures backup.
However, the suitable measure for any business is to have a contingency plan to protect itself against any data loss and disaster. It is important to remember that information is power. And if information is lost, power, authority and success fall in jeopardy.
While disaster management is a much broad-based term encompassing business and IT-related disasters whereby all business information is lost as a result of natural calamities or man-made problems such as terrorist attacks. Thus, disaster recovery is a holistic process of recovery while data recovery is a refined and focused method of salvaging limited amount of data.
Causes
Data loss or failure usually is small with far-reaching impacts. Data loss is usually caused by the operating system, hard drive and software failures. Therefore, it becomes imperative to have knowledge about the workings of a computer. One is easily able to recognise the type of data loss being incurred, and has the expertise and knowledge to deal with it. Data loss can be catagorised into two types:
General data loss where data can be recovered simply by using the data recovery tools available on the desktop of the computer.
Specific data loss where the individual experiencing data loss is unable to retrieve the data using computer data recovery tools and has to consult data recovery specialist agencies such as MASTERLINK.
Data loss usually occurs when:
The computer fails to reboot
Excessive sun exposure to the diskette
The diskette is carelessly tossed about in water or in any other beverage leading to surface contamination and damage
The diskette has inaccessible drives and partitions which could cause virus contamination leading to hard drive failure
The data stored is corrupted or in strange inaccessible characters which may lead to an inability to load and run the computer.
Data loss forms a small but integral part of Disaster recovery programs. Disaster recovery is mainly used by businesses to protect themselves against loss of data, business and marketing information including strategies. Disaster recovery programs come into play when there is:
Man- made disasters of terrorism and theft
Natural disasters of fire and flood
When these disasters do happen, businesses are likely to lose their entire vault of information and become paupers in the global market. Thus, it is highly imperative for every business to have a business disaster or contingency plan. These plans must follow a few golden rules to be effective:
Business Contingency plans have to be workable and reliable. They should not be out of the working reach of the organisation. Contingency Plans in this regard have to:
Be devised in accordance with the current market situation. The plan must be able to guide the business in terms of profit, loss, employee retainment, market competition and production in the The plan should also be built keeping in mind the organisational structure. This includes the organisational hierarchical tree, the number of employees and organisational goals.
Contingency plans must advocate the path of containment of the disaster as well the way to future business growth and development. It must outline marketing strategies, learning methodologies, profit and demand structures, employee training and recruitment methods.
The contingency plan must outline a backup plan or site which enables organisational members to salvage important crucial business facts for future growth. However, it must be kept in mind that organisations seldom follow these guidelines. More than 53% of businesses have unworkable outdated contingency plans. Out of this 53%, 23% are often required to use these contingency plans. And ultimately only 6% of organisations manage to survive these disasters. In contrast, more than 88% of businesses face some amount of data loss. According to MASTERLINK, management companies usually have backup files to deal with data loss. Data loss is not permanent and data can be retrieved after some time. Companies such as Quartz, Hewlett Packard and Dell employ computer trouble shooting experts to combat problems of data loss. The necessity of these contingency plans comes to the fore owing to changing market climate.
Reasons
Growth of technology: The global market is increasingly becoming technologically oriented. Organisations and businesses now increasingly rely on information technology to store crucial business information. Thus, data loss and ultimately any sort of disaster have the potential of devastating effects. It can destroy the organisation of any opportunities for growth and development. In such a scenario, it becomes important for every organisation to depend on personnel to document and store important information in paper files.
A business also has to safeguard against fires and flood which can rip the entire business structure apart. It has to constantly update any contingency plan and inform its employees. Employees need to be aware of any problems that might arise. Every organisation ought to maintain a storage accessible area away from the main organisational structure. This ensures backup.
However, the suitable measure for any business is to have a contingency plan to protect itself against any data loss and disaster. It is important to remember that information is power. And if information is lost, power, authority and success fall in jeopardy.
Recovering Data from USB Drives
A USB flash drive is a data storage device. To this device is attached a universal serial bus interface that protrudes out. While the flash drive (that is a small printed circuit board) is encased in a plastic or metal cover, the bulging USB interface is capped over.
This storage device is better than other portable storage devices as it is lightweight, has more storing capacity and can be rewritten on repeatedly. The USB memory stick is available in different varieties with storing capacity ranging from 32 megabytes to 64 gigabytes. The more the storage space, the costlier is the flash drive.
Data can be accessed from the flash drive by just connecting it to a computer. It plugs in the USB port and does not require accessories or batteries to run. This feature makes the durable storage media easy to transport.
Uses of USB Memory Stick
The most common use of a memory stick is storage of information. A 2GB drive can store information equivalent to that contained in 710 floppy disks.
A USB memory stick can easily transfer recovery and anti-virus software to infected PCs. It thus plays a useful role in troubleshooting.
The applications carried in the flash drive can run on the host computer without any extra installation.
Some USB flash drives are converted to digital audio players after being given sound output.
Different Varieties of USB Memory Stick
Different makers of USB memory sticks have created different models that are radically different in their very construction and software.
Exterior Variations
The difference begins right from the very casing. Some USB flash drives have a dotted cover for easy handling while some popular mid-sized models have a transparent plastic body (Transparent casings enable partial visibility of the parts fastened inside.) Other models have a strong and sturdy plastic body.
The neck strap is encased on the body while some USB memory sticks have a neck strap attached to the cap. If the strap is attached to the cap it is easy to uncap it, but this is not much preferred. For, the body of the USB flash drive might easily fall down.
The Light Emitting Diode (LED) flashes in some USB drives while data is being transferred. In some models the LED is on one end of the drive. This allows the user to view it from any angle.
Some USB models also have a slot to insert the custom label for easy identification.
Write protection switch is available in some pen drives. In the absence of such a switch the host computer can make data changes in the USB drive.
Some USB drives have very low read write speeds. But, they are popular for they are inexpensive and have a stylish exterior.
Hardware/Software Alterations
Some user-friendly pen drives have an easy to use interface that allows drive partitioning and offers password protection.
Running the software is slightly difficult in some varieties of USB flash drives, for it has to run from an InstallShield wizard. This slows down the computer especially when data is transferred over interconnected computers.
Common Faults in a USB Memory Stick
Like any other flash memory device this can be written over and erased only for a limited number of times. Mid-range of the flash drive can tolerate many attempts. But, increase in the number of attempts slows down the writing process.
The write protection device is absent in some USB flash drives
This storage device is vulnerable to physical damage which causes data corruption.
Data Recovery from USB Memory Disk
Data may be lost from the USB drive due to virus attacks, accidental deletion, file corruption, damage, and power outage or by the user forgetting the password. Data thus lost, can be recovered from the pen drive by using non-destructive read software only.
The USB drive is plugged in the USB port. The data recovery software is downloaded from the internet and run on the pc. This software retrieves lost data.
The USB memory stick is a durable and easily transportable flash drive that can store plenty of information. However, stored information is always subject to loss due to power outage, virus attack or accidental deletion. Data recovery is possible by using the data retrieval software.
This storage device is better than other portable storage devices as it is lightweight, has more storing capacity and can be rewritten on repeatedly. The USB memory stick is available in different varieties with storing capacity ranging from 32 megabytes to 64 gigabytes. The more the storage space, the costlier is the flash drive.
Data can be accessed from the flash drive by just connecting it to a computer. It plugs in the USB port and does not require accessories or batteries to run. This feature makes the durable storage media easy to transport.
Uses of USB Memory Stick
The most common use of a memory stick is storage of information. A 2GB drive can store information equivalent to that contained in 710 floppy disks.
A USB memory stick can easily transfer recovery and anti-virus software to infected PCs. It thus plays a useful role in troubleshooting.
The applications carried in the flash drive can run on the host computer without any extra installation.
Some USB flash drives are converted to digital audio players after being given sound output.
Different Varieties of USB Memory Stick
Different makers of USB memory sticks have created different models that are radically different in their very construction and software.
Exterior Variations
The difference begins right from the very casing. Some USB flash drives have a dotted cover for easy handling while some popular mid-sized models have a transparent plastic body (Transparent casings enable partial visibility of the parts fastened inside.) Other models have a strong and sturdy plastic body.
The neck strap is encased on the body while some USB memory sticks have a neck strap attached to the cap. If the strap is attached to the cap it is easy to uncap it, but this is not much preferred. For, the body of the USB flash drive might easily fall down.
The Light Emitting Diode (LED) flashes in some USB drives while data is being transferred. In some models the LED is on one end of the drive. This allows the user to view it from any angle.
Some USB models also have a slot to insert the custom label for easy identification.
Write protection switch is available in some pen drives. In the absence of such a switch the host computer can make data changes in the USB drive.
Some USB drives have very low read write speeds. But, they are popular for they are inexpensive and have a stylish exterior.
Hardware/Software Alterations
Some user-friendly pen drives have an easy to use interface that allows drive partitioning and offers password protection.
Running the software is slightly difficult in some varieties of USB flash drives, for it has to run from an InstallShield wizard. This slows down the computer especially when data is transferred over interconnected computers.
Common Faults in a USB Memory Stick
Like any other flash memory device this can be written over and erased only for a limited number of times. Mid-range of the flash drive can tolerate many attempts. But, increase in the number of attempts slows down the writing process.
The write protection device is absent in some USB flash drives
This storage device is vulnerable to physical damage which causes data corruption.
Data Recovery from USB Memory Disk
Data may be lost from the USB drive due to virus attacks, accidental deletion, file corruption, damage, and power outage or by the user forgetting the password. Data thus lost, can be recovered from the pen drive by using non-destructive read software only.
The USB drive is plugged in the USB port. The data recovery software is downloaded from the internet and run on the pc. This software retrieves lost data.
The USB memory stick is a durable and easily transportable flash drive that can store plenty of information. However, stored information is always subject to loss due to power outage, virus attack or accidental deletion. Data recovery is possible by using the data retrieval software.
Reason for Hard Drive Failure
There are various reasons owing to which data loss occurs. But the prime one among them is that of hardware failure which accounts to more than 40% of the cases.
John, a senior scientist and researcher with one of UK’s top-notch pharmaceutical companies, was working on a major project. He had documented all his works and stored them on his computer. Everything was going fine when, one day, to his dismay, he realised that the hard disk on which he had all the documents stored crashed without notice. John was broken.
It was then that Andrew, John’s close friend and colleague, told him about the data recovery services that could fetch data from the disk. John was lucky, they were able to restore the data, thus saving all of his precious work.
Reasons for Hard Disk Failure
Some of the causes for hardware failure are as follows:
Head Crash Within the drive, there are numerous platters that rotate at high speeds. Even the smallest of disturbance in these platters can cause the entire disk to stop functioning. Even the smallest of jerks can disturb the arrangement within. It is also noted that dust that settles on the head can cause the disk to malfunction.
Hard Disk Controller Failure The hard disk controller is a circuit or an interface that facilitates data transfer between the processor and the hard disk. Today, the hard disk controller is seen integrated along with the hard drive. When the hard disk controller fails, you may receive messages such as HDD Controller Failure during the boot process.
Electrical Failure The hard drive circuit board is located at the bottom of the hard disk. A faulty component in this circuit or a short-circuit that damages the hard disk circuit board can eventually cause the disk to malfunction.
Environmental Changes It has also been observed, at times, that temperature variations in the surrounding environment can cause the media to malfunction and eventually lead to the loss of data. It is also of prime importance that you keep your disks away from humidity because these can seriously affect the magnetic surface of the medium.
Prevention of Hard Disk Crash
Even in the event of a disk crash, data can be recovered from them in almost 90% of the cases. However, it will be a better idea that you prevent your hard disk from crashing by adhering to a simple plan as follows:
Always ensure that your computer is not subjected to any kind of sudden movement. This usually happens when you move your computer is in transit. Sudden movements can cause the misalignment of the rotating discs that are vital to the functioning of the hard disk as a whole.
Ensure that you place your computer in a dry place which is subject to nil or minimum temperature or humidity variations. You also need to ensure that the environment in which your computer is placed is free from dust.
It is always recommended that you do not place your computer amidst a strong electrical field. This may in turn play havoc with your hard disk which is primarily a magnetic medium.
Data Recovery Companies in the UK
Of all the data recovery services, the most outstanding of them all that is recommended by 90% of customers is the Fields Data Recovery services. Some of the salient features of this company which make them stand out from the rest are as follows:
While most companies charge for the inspection of the media, the Fields group provides you a free evaluation service of your media accompanied by a free analysis report.
In the event that you are not happy with the quote, they offer you free return shipping of the media.
The data recovery services are performed by highly skilled technicians who have vast experience in this industry..
The data recovery services are approved by most of the leading hard drive manufacturers that include Samsung, Iomega, Seagate, LaCie, WesternDigital, Maxtor, Hitachi, IBM and numerous cell phone brands.
They have a turnaround time of less than 3 days.
John, a senior scientist and researcher with one of UK’s top-notch pharmaceutical companies, was working on a major project. He had documented all his works and stored them on his computer. Everything was going fine when, one day, to his dismay, he realised that the hard disk on which he had all the documents stored crashed without notice. John was broken.
It was then that Andrew, John’s close friend and colleague, told him about the data recovery services that could fetch data from the disk. John was lucky, they were able to restore the data, thus saving all of his precious work.
Reasons for Hard Disk Failure
Some of the causes for hardware failure are as follows:
Head Crash Within the drive, there are numerous platters that rotate at high speeds. Even the smallest of disturbance in these platters can cause the entire disk to stop functioning. Even the smallest of jerks can disturb the arrangement within. It is also noted that dust that settles on the head can cause the disk to malfunction.
Hard Disk Controller Failure The hard disk controller is a circuit or an interface that facilitates data transfer between the processor and the hard disk. Today, the hard disk controller is seen integrated along with the hard drive. When the hard disk controller fails, you may receive messages such as HDD Controller Failure during the boot process.
Electrical Failure The hard drive circuit board is located at the bottom of the hard disk. A faulty component in this circuit or a short-circuit that damages the hard disk circuit board can eventually cause the disk to malfunction.
Environmental Changes It has also been observed, at times, that temperature variations in the surrounding environment can cause the media to malfunction and eventually lead to the loss of data. It is also of prime importance that you keep your disks away from humidity because these can seriously affect the magnetic surface of the medium.
Prevention of Hard Disk Crash
Even in the event of a disk crash, data can be recovered from them in almost 90% of the cases. However, it will be a better idea that you prevent your hard disk from crashing by adhering to a simple plan as follows:
Always ensure that your computer is not subjected to any kind of sudden movement. This usually happens when you move your computer is in transit. Sudden movements can cause the misalignment of the rotating discs that are vital to the functioning of the hard disk as a whole.
Ensure that you place your computer in a dry place which is subject to nil or minimum temperature or humidity variations. You also need to ensure that the environment in which your computer is placed is free from dust.
It is always recommended that you do not place your computer amidst a strong electrical field. This may in turn play havoc with your hard disk which is primarily a magnetic medium.
Data Recovery Companies in the UK
Of all the data recovery services, the most outstanding of them all that is recommended by 90% of customers is the Fields Data Recovery services. Some of the salient features of this company which make them stand out from the rest are as follows:
While most companies charge for the inspection of the media, the Fields group provides you a free evaluation service of your media accompanied by a free analysis report.
In the event that you are not happy with the quote, they offer you free return shipping of the media.
The data recovery services are performed by highly skilled technicians who have vast experience in this industry..
The data recovery services are approved by most of the leading hard drive manufacturers that include Samsung, Iomega, Seagate, LaCie, WesternDigital, Maxtor, Hitachi, IBM and numerous cell phone brands.
They have a turnaround time of less than 3 days.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
