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About Data Recovery – A Detailed Explanation
At Elementum Solutions, we believe in being proactive in protecting your data. That is why we highly stress that backups be part of your company’s daily routine. We also recommend regular system checkups and maintenance to reduce the risk of system failure and loss of your data. Give us a call and let us show you how we can keep your data secure through backups.
Here are a few of the reasons for hard drive and system crashes:
Hardware Malfunction
Hardware malfunction is the number one reason for data loss. Why do hard drives malfunction? One of the biggest reasons is the widespread use of cheap, low quality parts. Another reason for hard drive failure is excessive heat. There is usually little or no warning that your drive will fail, but you can minimize your risk.
Here are some tips to keep your hard drive running well:
- Make sure to keep your computer away from heat sources.
- Purchase a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply). A UPS will protect your computer from minor surges and filter out fluctuations in your electrical current.
Software Malfunction
Software malfunction can occur on any piece of software. As long as software is created by humans, there will always be room for error. When software “glitches” or malfunctions, it can often corrupt data leaving it unreadable.
To prevent software malfunction:
- Do not use pirated copies of programs. Pirated software may contain corrupted program files. Using pirated copies of a program may cause the software to malfunction, resulting in a corruption of you data.
- Be sure to have sufficient amounts of RAM installed on your system. Running multiple programs without having the proper amount of RAM installed can lead to data corruption.
- Back up! Back up! Back up! Be sure to make backups a priority. You will thank yourself later when disaster strikes.
Human Error
What can we say? As long as people are in charge of operating computers, things will happen.
Here are some tips to avoid trouble:
1. Be sure to save and exit every program before shutting down. Open files will more than likely become truncated and non functional if they are left open during shutdown.
2. Read before clicking! I can’t tell you how many times files get overwritten or spyware gets installed on computers because of hurried replies to computer prompts.
3. Keep fresh backups.
Viruses
Within the past few years, the number of viruses has increased exponentially. It has become one of the highest threats to your company’s data.
There are several ways to protect yourself against a viral threat:
1. Install a firewall on your system to prevent hacker access to your data as well as block open ports that viruses use to spread.
2. Install a good anti-virus program on your system and be sure to keep current with updates. Larger organizations may want to consider a corporate antivirus solution that will automatically download updates and send them to client machines.
3. Check for and install software security patches for your operating system and other applications. As issues become known, software vendors will correct and release “patches” to fix flaws in the coding that hackers and viruses can use to gain access to your system.
4. Be wary of any email containing an attachment. If you don't know the person who sent it to you, then don't open it.
5. If you have contracted a "wild" virus that there is no known cure for, please contact us for assistance in saving your data.
Natural Disasters / Terrorist Attacks
While the least likely cause of data loss, a natural disaster or a terrorist attack can have a devastating effect on your company’s data. Damage from lightning and water can make it much harder to recover data from a hard drive. Lost data due to a terrorist attack may be a crippling blow to your business. It is nearly impossible to predict the arrival of such an event, but being prepared for it is crucial to your company’s survival. The best way to prevent data loss from a disaster is to perform both on-site and off-site backups. A recent example of this is the terrorist attack that occurred on September 11, 2001. World Trade Center companies, which survived the attack, were able to continue to do business after their data was recovered from off-site backups. For the most part, the companies that didn’t keep off site backups were forced out of business after losing key client, project and financial data.
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