What Is Data Recovery

Retrieving deleted/inaccessible data from electronic storage media (hard drives, removable media etc...)

Typical causes of data loss include:

o Electro-mechanical Failure

o Natural Disaster

o Viruses

o Data Corruption

o Sabotage

o Human Error

Is Data Recovery important?

Over the past years, hard drives have gotten a lot quieter and faster, with capacities of more then 350 GB. The downside is that their consistency is far from perfect, and the devices are often burdened with mechanical failures, this warning however is never mentioned in the vendors' product specifications.

Our experience for over a decade shows that users can be sub-divided into two groups. The first group of users is well informed or has already experienced the sting of losing data. In cases such as these, the user is careful to back up information such as emails, photos, document files and financial data on a CD/DVD or other media, at least on an asymmetrical basis. A corporate user has the IT department or an administrator one who takes care of his backups. Digital assets are thus protected however still a virus attack, hardware failure or simply human error can destroy this critical asset. However, this group is a small minority.

The other group lives with an enduring risk, either because they aren't aware of the possible horror scenario or often it is the case, they don't take it seriously enough. It should be clear to everyone that any multifaceted component at any day may fail to provide its services. If such a scenario occurs, then all the data stored exclusively on a hard drive would most likely be lost.

So when this nightmare happens and your hard drive is clearly damaged, people pick up the phone and call data recovery firms, which have the necessary equipment and lab infrastructure to do the required job. According to Imation’s Small Business Survey Special Report conducted in April 2003.

30 percent of small businesses admit they have no formal data backup and storage procedures, or do not implement their procedures consistently.

“Fifty-five percent of small businesses rated themselves as "fair" or "poor" in terms of having a documented disaster recovery plan, or do not have one at all.”

“Review and evaluation of data backup and storage procedures is not a common practice among small businesses.”

“The majority of small companies” backup critical data on a daily basis and daily backups are more common among companies that deal with higher volumes of data. But one in three small businesses still wait until there is a problem before reviewing and evaluating their backup and storage procedures.”

“Moreover, 21 percent said that they are doing a "fair" or "poor" job of periodically removing important business data offsite – a vital procedure to protect businesses from physical disaster. An additional 13 percent of small businesses admitted to not removing backup files at all – that’s 34 percent at risk”.

Data Recovery Techniques

Basic questions which needs to be answered before recovery process

1. What is the data which needs to be recovered?

2. What type of hard drive is it?

3. How much data is on the hard drive?

4. What happened when the drive failed?

5. How fast do you need the data?

Recovering critical data is a specialized process that requires the right software, hardware and advanced techniques. In many failure-related cases, the chances of recovering data from a damaged hard drive range from 90-100%. If the electronic system is the only thing affected, then the drive can often be reused after the electronic control panel has been replaced. If, on the other hand, the defect is of a mechanical nature, then recovery will be a bit more difficult, which can be taken care at any specialized data recovery services companies lab.

If it is problem related to the file system, which has caused inaccessibility of the data then it can be recovered using data recovery software, an independent review has been posted on my website which lists the best in the field and helps you to identify the correct solution.