Guides Data Recovery

5 RAID Data Recovery Prevention Tips

If you have spent the time to increase your computer’s
performance by setting up a hardware RAID array, you owe it to
yourself to invest a little extra time and effort in maintaining
the hard disks in your setup. Following these tips will help
limit the need for data disaster recovery in the future.

1. If you are copying information from an old harddrive onto
those being used in your array, be sure to keep the old disk
around for a while. That way, if you discover any faults or
errors in your raid array, you will still have your original
data to work with.

2. Make sure you choose the raid level that works best for your
needs. If you are just in need of faster reads and basic
redundancy, RAID Level 1 may be your ticket. This basic level
Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks ensures against data loss
by incorporating 2 drives - one mirroring the other. Although
the cost per megabyte is higher, the increase in speed and
protection against data loss are well worth it.

3. If you are setting up a multi-user enviroment, creating a 3
or 5 drive RAID-5 array may be your best choice for speed and
data protection. Keep in mind though, if your requirements are
write performance sensitive, there are better alternatives.

4. If you are trying to decide between a software based or
hardware based RAID array, remember, hardware based arrays do
not require software to boot, have the logic within them and as
such are much more fault tolerant. Stick with a hardware array
if you are concerned about disaster recovery planning!

5. Despite the increase in speed and performance using RAID
arrays, files can still become disorganized and corrupted. Be
sure to run your preferred software for scanning and checking
your disks on a regular basis.

If you think taking the extra time to follow these tips and
care for your RAID array sounds tedious, take a few moments to
check out the cost of raid data disaster recovery. That alone
should make you realize that your efforts are not in vain!

James B. Allen blogs regularly about disaster recovery
planning. To learn more about data recovery and
other aspects of disaster recovery, visit James at:
DisasterRecoveryData.com

Tags: disaster recovery, data recovery, raid data recovery, data loss

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When Do You Need to Use a Professional Data Recovery Service

There are a number of data recovery software programs intended to help you when an emergency calls for data recovery, however it is important to determine when you can do the job by yourself, and when you need to use a professional data recovery service.

Data recovery is a time consuming process that most of the time requires some level of technical knowledge in order to keep the integrity of the destroyed data destroyed no matter what the cause. Hard drive data recovery, when performed the wrong way, can lead to permanent data loss and even damage the surface.

Therefore, when it comes to deciding on data recovery software or professional data recovery service, stop for a while and think about it twice. How much do you know about the recovery processes? Are your computer skills enough to perform the operation by yourself? Is the software comprehensible and easy to use? Are there any warranties of full data recovery?

To all those questions, add the most important:
How critical is it for you or your business to recover the data that was lost?

Keep in mind that a professional service can recover all types of files, because they have the full versions of the most advanced data recovery software. Furthermore, they can also preview the files before recovering them so you will be provided with a data recovery from where you can choose which selected files to be retrieved or ask for all of them back.

Even when the hard drive data recovery is exposed to severe recovery situations, professional data recovery services can include additional support for over 300 specific file types and uncommon file types such as FLV and flash files, MIDI music files, digital media files, voice files, and many others.

Another service that professionals can offer and you probably will not be able to implement, except if you are an IT technician, is the emergency boot media, which allows you to recover data from systems that cannot boot Windows due to data loss, hard drive damage or virus attack.

Sometimes you can have the knowledge and skills, the data recovery software, but not the time. Professional services can perform the recovery because of time constraints, offering a solution for almost any hard drive situation or the critical nature of the data recovery.

Such hard drive data recovery solutions may include the most advanced data recovery software, including disk diagnostic and file repair, the best disk diagnostic tools, improved file type searching capabilities, and the confidence that your most important information is in good hands to be rescued.

Natalie Aranda writes about computer and information technology. Data recovery is a time consuming process that most of the time requires some level of technical knowledge in order to keep the integrity of the destroyed data no matter what the cause. Hard drive data recovery, when performed the wrong way, can lead to permanent data loss and even damage the surface.

Tags: data recovery

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Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery - Reducing Your Risk Profile

Like all plans, there is an ultimate goal to achieve. The goal in a business continuity plan is simply that: to continue your business in the face of a disaster or a disruption. A business continuity plan is not just for a disaster. It’s also for the smaller things in life, like your friendly neighborhood burglar who decides to borrow all of your computers or the small power interruption, which causes loss of data and downtime or the fire five floors below you, which causes a 5 hour building shutdown. These are a few of the many things, which do occur every day and do happen to companies like yours.

Disaster recovery has traditionally been associated with computing systems and data storage and recovery of data. Different than business continuity, disaster recovery is focused more on after the fact, quickly and effectively recovering from a disaster or disruption.

There are many good sources of information on both business continuity and disaster recovery. Some of the more authoritative sources are: Disaster Recovery International (www.drii.org), Disaster Recovery Journal (www.drj.com), and Global Continuity (www.globalcontinuity.com).

It’s, of course, not realistic to think that you can guard against every risk. However, through risk analysis, business impact analysis, selecting effective strategies, documenting detailed recovery plans and testing your plans, you can significantly reduce many of your risks, often in a very cost effective way. You have an important management responsibility to safeguard company assets. Reducing your risk profile through a well thought out business continuity and disaster recovery plan is an effective way to do so.

About The Author

Robert Mahood has significant technology and management experience in data communications, internet, storage, disaster recovery and data recovery. He is currently the president of Midwest Data Recovery. www.midwestdatarecovery.com

bmahood@midwestdatarecovery.com, 866 786 2595, 312 907 2100

Tags: data backup, disaster recovery, online backup, business, data recovery, IT, disaster planning

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