Nordural ehf's backup system needed to incorporate a Disaster Recovery plan that would reduce the backup window from ten hours to two-three hours.
A Disaster Recovery Plan is a coordinated activity to enable the recovery of IT/business systems due to a disruption. Disaster Recovery can be achieved by restoring IT/business operations at an alternate location, recovering IT/business operations using alternate equipment, and/or performing some or all of the affected business processes using manual methods.
It was essential that Nordural's backup system incorporate a trustworthy Disaster Recovery plan that would reduce its backup window from ten hours to two-three hours. In addition to this, Nordural wanted a Disaster Recovery plan that restored the company's most critical servers to bare metal restore in less than two hours.
Nordural's decision to select the SecurStore Remote Backup Service highlights the strength and flexibility of managed services.
Remote backup (sometimes also referred to as online backup) is a service that provides users with an online system for backing up and storing computer files. Remote backup service providers are companies that provide a software program and space on a server that their client's data is stored on. The software program will run on a client’s computer and (typically) once a day; compress, encrypt and then send the client's data to the remote backup service providers' servers to be stored.
With SecurStore, Nordural had the assurance that all their requirements would be met - from a fast critical restore, to remote backup at multiple locations, to a simple and effective interface for the IT people at Nordural.
"We chose the SecurStore Remote Backup Service because it gives us all round backup and recovery services for our needs, with 24x7x365 support" said Emil Hilmarsson, IT Manager Nordural. SecurStore also provided Nordural with the option of assigning which data is 'critical; and which is 'important' data by using Long Term Storage with the use of Backup Lifecycle Management system that manages data during all backing up and archiving processes.
Backup Lifecycle Management differentiates data into varying levels of protected data: current critical data, which is stored on-line for fast recovery; and archivable data that may be needed at a later time but is not likely to be accessed in the near future.
Friday, August 31, 2007
2003 California Wildfire Worst in Its History to That Time
In late October 2003 the state of California was slammed with the worst wildfire that it had experienced to that date. Twenty people where killed, and damage to local communities and infrastructure was extensive.
The wild fire extended from the Mexican boarder north to the suburbs of Los Angeles. Hundreds of thousands of acres of forest where destroyed. Local vegetation and animal life suffered very large losses and many communities where effected by the disaster. Thousands of different species where decimated by the fire. It is expected that certain of the larger species like elk, and deer, may take several years to repopulate. Even the local salmon stock feeding in the streams running through the burning acreage suffered losses from the fire.
Damage to the area was devastating. 20 people died including one of the fire fighters. Two thousand seven hundred homes and buildings where destroyed and many businesses had to close. This wildfire was to become the most expensive fire to ever hit the United States. Damage to phone lines, and local utilities caused major outages. People were displaced from their homes and many had to leave the state to find accommodation elsewhere during the clean-up period.
The social impact of this wild fire was a bit unexpected. The personal losses incurred by local residences and the tremendous losses to local wildlife resulted in a push by the United States federal government to pass the "Healthy Forests" bill which allocated seven hundred and sixty million dollars to the urban interface between urban cities and forest areas.
The economic impact of this wildfire was catastrophic. One and a quarter to two billion dollars in damages resulted from the fire, making it the most costly wildfire in American history. Losses to businesses and local municipalities amounted to millions of dollars in lost revenues, not to mention the cost of replacing or restoring lost information, and resulted in hardship for many local area residents. The logging industry, of course, took a major financial hit.
Not all natural disasters kill thousands of people, yet most will spread their effects over huge areas and cause massive damage to our fragile and over-used infrastructure. Telephone lines and utilities like electricity, water and even sewage are easily interrupted. Businesses are not able to operate without these simple services. Lost data means lost revenues. Even something as simple as a forest fire can have a huge social and economic influence on our lives. In this case it appears the best offense is a great defense. Always be prepared.
The wild fire extended from the Mexican boarder north to the suburbs of Los Angeles. Hundreds of thousands of acres of forest where destroyed. Local vegetation and animal life suffered very large losses and many communities where effected by the disaster. Thousands of different species where decimated by the fire. It is expected that certain of the larger species like elk, and deer, may take several years to repopulate. Even the local salmon stock feeding in the streams running through the burning acreage suffered losses from the fire.
Damage to the area was devastating. 20 people died including one of the fire fighters. Two thousand seven hundred homes and buildings where destroyed and many businesses had to close. This wildfire was to become the most expensive fire to ever hit the United States. Damage to phone lines, and local utilities caused major outages. People were displaced from their homes and many had to leave the state to find accommodation elsewhere during the clean-up period.
The social impact of this wild fire was a bit unexpected. The personal losses incurred by local residences and the tremendous losses to local wildlife resulted in a push by the United States federal government to pass the "Healthy Forests" bill which allocated seven hundred and sixty million dollars to the urban interface between urban cities and forest areas.
The economic impact of this wildfire was catastrophic. One and a quarter to two billion dollars in damages resulted from the fire, making it the most costly wildfire in American history. Losses to businesses and local municipalities amounted to millions of dollars in lost revenues, not to mention the cost of replacing or restoring lost information, and resulted in hardship for many local area residents. The logging industry, of course, took a major financial hit.
Not all natural disasters kill thousands of people, yet most will spread their effects over huge areas and cause massive damage to our fragile and over-used infrastructure. Telephone lines and utilities like electricity, water and even sewage are easily interrupted. Businesses are not able to operate without these simple services. Lost data means lost revenues. Even something as simple as a forest fire can have a huge social and economic influence on our lives. In this case it appears the best offense is a great defense. Always be prepared.
Data Conversion- Transfer Data From Old To New System
Computer has made this world a global village and now every one rely on the digital data for secure information. Most of the organizations have stored their data on the old machines which are now obsolete and they are not getting that much quality results which they wanted. It may create a chance for data loss while transferring it in to the other machines.
But it is very important to transfer the data from the old machines to the new ones for the good results. A data conversion is also called import and export of data, recording, transformation from one pc to the other and interprets.
Computer data is organized in some organized way but with the passage of the time and on the bases of different application types, it changes and it needs to be converting from one pattern to another. Information can easily be removed in the computer system but when times come for addition it took a lot of time and effort. There are certain software’s exists in the market that allows you to convert your data from an old to a new machine and from one application to another application. Almost 700 tools are available that facilitates you with data conversion service and these tools are for UNIX, Linux, for all MS Windows versions, Novell and other available operating systems.
Many data recovery companies are working to convert data from old systems to the newly ones and updated technology systems. Their main purpose is to shift all the data from one outdated PC to the new PC with out any loss of the data.
But it is very important to transfer the data from the old machines to the new ones for the good results. A data conversion is also called import and export of data, recording, transformation from one pc to the other and interprets.
Computer data is organized in some organized way but with the passage of the time and on the bases of different application types, it changes and it needs to be converting from one pattern to another. Information can easily be removed in the computer system but when times come for addition it took a lot of time and effort. There are certain software’s exists in the market that allows you to convert your data from an old to a new machine and from one application to another application. Almost 700 tools are available that facilitates you with data conversion service and these tools are for UNIX, Linux, for all MS Windows versions, Novell and other available operating systems.
Many data recovery companies are working to convert data from old systems to the newly ones and updated technology systems. Their main purpose is to shift all the data from one outdated PC to the new PC with out any loss of the data.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Hard Drive Data Recovery Doesn't Need to Be Hard
Hard drive data recovery can be a difficult topic for many new computer users. No one wants to believe that their data is lost, and most people have no idea how to get it back. Fortunately, there are data recovery services available that can help you with the overwhelming task of recovering your lost data. This article is intended to help you learn more about hard drive data recovery and how you can learn more.
A hard drive is a "non-volatile" storage space designed to hold data. The data is stored on a magnetic surface which is called a hard disk platter. There are many reasons why data can be lost from the hard drive, including the mechanics of the hard drive itself, and external problems. Most hard drives today have several moving parts which need to be carefully synchronized in order to maintain a constant spin rate, called RPM, inside your computer.
Modern hard drives have "SMART" technology, which stands for "self-monitoring, analysis, and reporting technology." All that means is that the computer will diagnose itself and be able to solve the majority of its problems, also that it corrects the motors and fans when needed, and lets you deal with using the computer instead of trying to maintain it.
In order to understand hard drive data recovery, it is essential to understand how data is lost from a hard drive. Let's define data loss as an unforeseen loss of data or information previously stored on your hard drive. Murphy's Law demonstrates only when it's too late that we should have been backing up our hard drive better. The best way to recover data is to never lose it in the first place, but that is a topic for a different article.
Data can be lost during a power failure, because there is unsaved data in the memory which is not yet been saved to the hard drive. Data can also be lost through a disk failure which can happen for a number of reasons, usually mechanical such as a crash in the hard drive machinery itself. Software can also crash on your computer, especially if you are using Microsoft products, and could lead to a loss of data on your hard drive. Viruses or other malicious software can corrupt your data and is one of the biggest reasons for data loss. Fortunately, today's technology provides a pretty good track record on recovering data from your hard drive.
The best thing to do is to look in your phone book or on the Internet for a local hard drive data recovery specialist. These are people who have been trained or have experience in recovering lost data and can be your best friends-especially in an emergency situation. There are many who specialize in hard drive data recovery and are happy to help you with your data recovery problems. The price they charge is normally a small price to pay if the alternative is losing your data forever.
A hard drive is a "non-volatile" storage space designed to hold data. The data is stored on a magnetic surface which is called a hard disk platter. There are many reasons why data can be lost from the hard drive, including the mechanics of the hard drive itself, and external problems. Most hard drives today have several moving parts which need to be carefully synchronized in order to maintain a constant spin rate, called RPM, inside your computer.
Modern hard drives have "SMART" technology, which stands for "self-monitoring, analysis, and reporting technology." All that means is that the computer will diagnose itself and be able to solve the majority of its problems, also that it corrects the motors and fans when needed, and lets you deal with using the computer instead of trying to maintain it.
In order to understand hard drive data recovery, it is essential to understand how data is lost from a hard drive. Let's define data loss as an unforeseen loss of data or information previously stored on your hard drive. Murphy's Law demonstrates only when it's too late that we should have been backing up our hard drive better. The best way to recover data is to never lose it in the first place, but that is a topic for a different article.
Data can be lost during a power failure, because there is unsaved data in the memory which is not yet been saved to the hard drive. Data can also be lost through a disk failure which can happen for a number of reasons, usually mechanical such as a crash in the hard drive machinery itself. Software can also crash on your computer, especially if you are using Microsoft products, and could lead to a loss of data on your hard drive. Viruses or other malicious software can corrupt your data and is one of the biggest reasons for data loss. Fortunately, today's technology provides a pretty good track record on recovering data from your hard drive.
The best thing to do is to look in your phone book or on the Internet for a local hard drive data recovery specialist. These are people who have been trained or have experience in recovering lost data and can be your best friends-especially in an emergency situation. There are many who specialize in hard drive data recovery and are happy to help you with your data recovery problems. The price they charge is normally a small price to pay if the alternative is losing your data forever.
The Most Simplest Way To Unhide A Hidden Partition
After my first article on the hidden partition I realized that the solution that I brought was rather difficult for the newbies, I thus sought and tried out various solutions and programs until I find this terrible little software, I named PARTEDIT32.
This small freeware software will allow you to make visible your partition in some clicks of mouse and on the fly under Windows XP.
Just unzip and launch Partedit32 the user interface opens, simple but effective if you have more than one hard disk, choose the hard disk where your hidden partition is in the Hard Disk menu, then look in your partitions table at the column TYPE , Partedit32 has a list of the various types of partition, you can reach it by clicking the button SET TYPE.
In this example with a Acer laptop the name of the partition is pqservice and its type is 12, changes it by type 07, and save.
Now you just have to restart your computer, enter into "my computer" you have done it, now you can see the hidden partition pqservice. If you do not see the hidden partition repeat the operation but disable before the D2D recovery software into the bios menu. To open the bios hit the F2 key during the boot (note this is for Phoenix Bios check your user manual for other bios). Go to the main menu set the D2D recovery to disable, save the change restart and you have done it.
This small freeware software will allow you to make visible your partition in some clicks of mouse and on the fly under Windows XP.
Just unzip and launch Partedit32 the user interface opens, simple but effective if you have more than one hard disk, choose the hard disk where your hidden partition is in the Hard Disk menu, then look in your partitions table at the column TYPE , Partedit32 has a list of the various types of partition, you can reach it by clicking the button SET TYPE.
In this example with a Acer laptop the name of the partition is pqservice and its type is 12, changes it by type 07, and save.
Now you just have to restart your computer, enter into "my computer" you have done it, now you can see the hidden partition pqservice. If you do not see the hidden partition repeat the operation but disable before the D2D recovery software into the bios menu. To open the bios hit the F2 key during the boot (note this is for Phoenix Bios check your user manual for other bios). Go to the main menu set the D2D recovery to disable, save the change restart and you have done it.
Data & Tape Storage & Disaster Recovery – What you need to consider (SME organisations)
Data & Tape Storage & Disaster Recovery – What you need to consider (SME organisations)
You may be in a situation where you know your data is not being backed up correctly – or at all. You know it needs to be looked into………….but you just can’t ‘find the time’ to speak to the other team members about it.
Data is the second most irreplaceable and valuable asset after ‘people’. In the event of a disaster, insurance money can only pay compensation and replace tangible assets; it cannot replace people or your unique data.
So where do you start? Well every business has their own requirements and generally will look to their IT support company for advice on their specific needs. In my experience, IT companies (particularly for SMEs) just rather organise blue cable, servers, peripheries and maintenance plans – than ensure a decent Disaster Recover (DR) plan is in place. And if they recommend a DR plan, it will be based on their biases on the subject.
Here is what to consider and investigate when developing a data backup plan.
First – How much data are you generating each day? That is how many Gigabytes? Second. How many days/hours of data can you afford to lose? Third. If there is a major systems failure – how much downtime can you afford?
How much daily needs to be backed up daily? You should only need to do an incremental backup of the NEW data for the day. When to do a FULL backup? ……………. Usually weekly. Also you may require Archive backups……………often monthly.
Once you know the quantity of data to backup daily & weekly, you can then decide on the method.
You need to consider how much data needs to be stored on Disc (eg NAS) for rapid access in case of a systems failure; and how much data can be stored on Tape (LTO, DLT). Tape is cheaper to run but takes longer to backup and access. The simplest method is to buy a Tape drive unit that can backup about 200 – 400 GB of data. The costs vary ($1000 - $2000) for the unit and the individual tapes cost about $50 - $60 each (you often need about 20 tapes). If your data is close to a Terabyte (TB), you are now looking into more money to set up ($5000 - $10000). On the other hand, you can store a lot of your daily data on Disc Storage (NAS etc..) however the hardware can be very expensive to purchase and very expensive to operate. You need to keep the units running constantly - even if you just want to have access to a simple word file – the whole unit needs to keep running. A lot of electricity for disc, whereas tape just sits on the shelf.
Some experts will say tape is vulnerable to damage and corruption. The solution is the make multiple tape backups and then store in a cool, safe place. Tape actually can last years without damage.
Many companies offer off-site tape storage. This allows you to store tapes in a library/cataloguing system that can be viewed online. They are kept in a secure vault with idea climate conditions for tape longevity. You are also able to instruct the storage company how often they visit your office to exchange your backup tapes on an agreed tape rotation plan.
You just have to know what data you need to store for rapid access (Disc storage) or archive or not so urgent (Tape) and balance your expenditure and operating costs accordingly. Also remember to factor in the amount of data increase you are experiencing in your organisation (thanks to emails and larger file sizes – there is at least a 50% increase in all extant data per annum!!!)
What about the Internet?
Yes some people have backup software that allows their data to be de-duplicated and compressed so as to fit in the available bandwidth. Some IT people actually backup onto the available space in the their Website Database. Web hosters often offer a certain amount of data to be stored in the back end of the web site itself - for a monthly fee. Just check to see the extra costs associated with data transfer. Also in the event of a systems failure (where communication lines can go down – thus internet and WAN) how are you going to retrieve the data?
IT people are also known for taking home older servers – placing them in their garage and backing up data over the internet to their second hand PCs. Is this a reliable solution considering sick days, holidays, burglary and internet integrity?
Some companies will host your data in a similar way to Web hosters? Just ensure that they are in fact a suitable option when you factor in costs, reliability, bandwidth, data restoration time and DR.
Other simple solutions
There is more software being developed that will compress and simplify your data so that you are only backing up a smaller parcel of data.
This is definitely worth investigating, however I would recommend that you start changing policy internally with regard to backup solutions. Remember that a large source of your problem is that company employees often make several copies of the one file, do not delete there ‘Sent files’ and do not archive or manage their emails. This is where you can save a lot of memory – and thus know for sure the REAL amount of data that needs to be stored.
You may be in a situation where you know your data is not being backed up correctly – or at all. You know it needs to be looked into………….but you just can’t ‘find the time’ to speak to the other team members about it.
Data is the second most irreplaceable and valuable asset after ‘people’. In the event of a disaster, insurance money can only pay compensation and replace tangible assets; it cannot replace people or your unique data.
So where do you start? Well every business has their own requirements and generally will look to their IT support company for advice on their specific needs. In my experience, IT companies (particularly for SMEs) just rather organise blue cable, servers, peripheries and maintenance plans – than ensure a decent Disaster Recover (DR) plan is in place. And if they recommend a DR plan, it will be based on their biases on the subject.
Here is what to consider and investigate when developing a data backup plan.
First – How much data are you generating each day? That is how many Gigabytes? Second. How many days/hours of data can you afford to lose? Third. If there is a major systems failure – how much downtime can you afford?
How much daily needs to be backed up daily? You should only need to do an incremental backup of the NEW data for the day. When to do a FULL backup? ……………. Usually weekly. Also you may require Archive backups……………often monthly.
Once you know the quantity of data to backup daily & weekly, you can then decide on the method.
You need to consider how much data needs to be stored on Disc (eg NAS) for rapid access in case of a systems failure; and how much data can be stored on Tape (LTO, DLT). Tape is cheaper to run but takes longer to backup and access. The simplest method is to buy a Tape drive unit that can backup about 200 – 400 GB of data. The costs vary ($1000 - $2000) for the unit and the individual tapes cost about $50 - $60 each (you often need about 20 tapes). If your data is close to a Terabyte (TB), you are now looking into more money to set up ($5000 - $10000). On the other hand, you can store a lot of your daily data on Disc Storage (NAS etc..) however the hardware can be very expensive to purchase and very expensive to operate. You need to keep the units running constantly - even if you just want to have access to a simple word file – the whole unit needs to keep running. A lot of electricity for disc, whereas tape just sits on the shelf.
Some experts will say tape is vulnerable to damage and corruption. The solution is the make multiple tape backups and then store in a cool, safe place. Tape actually can last years without damage.
Many companies offer off-site tape storage. This allows you to store tapes in a library/cataloguing system that can be viewed online. They are kept in a secure vault with idea climate conditions for tape longevity. You are also able to instruct the storage company how often they visit your office to exchange your backup tapes on an agreed tape rotation plan.
You just have to know what data you need to store for rapid access (Disc storage) or archive or not so urgent (Tape) and balance your expenditure and operating costs accordingly. Also remember to factor in the amount of data increase you are experiencing in your organisation (thanks to emails and larger file sizes – there is at least a 50% increase in all extant data per annum!!!)
What about the Internet?
Yes some people have backup software that allows their data to be de-duplicated and compressed so as to fit in the available bandwidth. Some IT people actually backup onto the available space in the their Website Database. Web hosters often offer a certain amount of data to be stored in the back end of the web site itself - for a monthly fee. Just check to see the extra costs associated with data transfer. Also in the event of a systems failure (where communication lines can go down – thus internet and WAN) how are you going to retrieve the data?
IT people are also known for taking home older servers – placing them in their garage and backing up data over the internet to their second hand PCs. Is this a reliable solution considering sick days, holidays, burglary and internet integrity?
Some companies will host your data in a similar way to Web hosters? Just ensure that they are in fact a suitable option when you factor in costs, reliability, bandwidth, data restoration time and DR.
Other simple solutions
There is more software being developed that will compress and simplify your data so that you are only backing up a smaller parcel of data.
This is definitely worth investigating, however I would recommend that you start changing policy internally with regard to backup solutions. Remember that a large source of your problem is that company employees often make several copies of the one file, do not delete there ‘Sent files’ and do not archive or manage their emails. This is where you can save a lot of memory – and thus know for sure the REAL amount of data that needs to be stored.
Monday, August 27, 2007
All About RAID
RAID is the short form of Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks, where Inexpensive is often replaced with Independent. A few years back when the disks had less storage capacity with expensive prices, a couple of disks were mounted to create a larger virtual disk, and it was much more logical and easily administered.
All the disks are all placed in a confined area and if one disk crashes then a very useful amount of data can be lost. In order to avoid this is a technique called ‘Mirroring’ is taken into consideration. The data from all the disks is copied to another bulk of disks, so that if there is any corrupted disk then it would be replaced with its mirror disk. This is done for the complete integrity of your mission-critical data.
RAID Types
Although there are many types of RAID arrays, but the ones explained below are the important of all.
Concatenation:
This type of RAID array is called ’Simple’ RAIDs. It is a group of disks that are connected together tightly. Data is distributed in a linear pattern on the disk. Data is written a sequential order i-e, first disk is filled and then the text gets written on to the next disk and so on. All this is done by the volume manager, who is the in charge of the RAID. If we have less data as compared to the total size of all the disks combined then it is useless for us.
RAID-0:
It is also known as ‘striping’. Striping is much similar to concatenation, but data processing of RAID-0 is much better than its predecessor. Whenever we write some data it gets stored across all the disks. So when there is a request for data retrieval or placement it is executed much faster. Stripe width and columns are the things which make this type important.
-Stripe Width: It specifies the amount of data to be written on one particular disk.
-Column: It refers to each disk. A major flaw of RAID-0 is that if a single disk crashes than the whole system can collapse, since the data is stripped across all the disks.
RAID-1:
This type of RAID is called ‘Mirroring’. Though it’s not actually a RAID but sure is an important component of RAID. The logic behind this technique is to create a mirror image of your RAID. So that if a particular disk crashes, then the mirror will play its part. Mirroring is an excellent way of protecting the business critical data, but it comes for a good amount of money.
RAID-0+1:
This type combines Stripping and Mirroring together. We place a bunch of disks, which acts like mirrors to save the stripped data. One important thing to know is that the mirror has to be the same type of RAID as the original RAID. If we want to make a mirror copy of the simple RAID, then our mirror will be simple RAID and vice versa.
RAID-5:
RAID-5 is the best solution for increasing disk space and disk redundancy by leaps and bounds. It is similar to RAID-1 as it contains columns and stripe-widths. The difference appears when we write data. The data is written to the multiple disks at the same time, parity is also written along the data.
So even if a single disk fails then no need to worry since the data is saved on the remaining disks. Though we get quite pleased with the results but all goes in vain when we think about I/O bandwidth.
All the disks are all placed in a confined area and if one disk crashes then a very useful amount of data can be lost. In order to avoid this is a technique called ‘Mirroring’ is taken into consideration. The data from all the disks is copied to another bulk of disks, so that if there is any corrupted disk then it would be replaced with its mirror disk. This is done for the complete integrity of your mission-critical data.
RAID Types
Although there are many types of RAID arrays, but the ones explained below are the important of all.
Concatenation:
This type of RAID array is called ’Simple’ RAIDs. It is a group of disks that are connected together tightly. Data is distributed in a linear pattern on the disk. Data is written a sequential order i-e, first disk is filled and then the text gets written on to the next disk and so on. All this is done by the volume manager, who is the in charge of the RAID. If we have less data as compared to the total size of all the disks combined then it is useless for us.
RAID-0:
It is also known as ‘striping’. Striping is much similar to concatenation, but data processing of RAID-0 is much better than its predecessor. Whenever we write some data it gets stored across all the disks. So when there is a request for data retrieval or placement it is executed much faster. Stripe width and columns are the things which make this type important.
-Stripe Width: It specifies the amount of data to be written on one particular disk.
-Column: It refers to each disk. A major flaw of RAID-0 is that if a single disk crashes than the whole system can collapse, since the data is stripped across all the disks.
RAID-1:
This type of RAID is called ‘Mirroring’. Though it’s not actually a RAID but sure is an important component of RAID. The logic behind this technique is to create a mirror image of your RAID. So that if a particular disk crashes, then the mirror will play its part. Mirroring is an excellent way of protecting the business critical data, but it comes for a good amount of money.
RAID-0+1:
This type combines Stripping and Mirroring together. We place a bunch of disks, which acts like mirrors to save the stripped data. One important thing to know is that the mirror has to be the same type of RAID as the original RAID. If we want to make a mirror copy of the simple RAID, then our mirror will be simple RAID and vice versa.
RAID-5:
RAID-5 is the best solution for increasing disk space and disk redundancy by leaps and bounds. It is similar to RAID-1 as it contains columns and stripe-widths. The difference appears when we write data. The data is written to the multiple disks at the same time, parity is also written along the data.
So even if a single disk fails then no need to worry since the data is saved on the remaining disks. Though we get quite pleased with the results but all goes in vain when we think about I/O bandwidth.
What is Electronic Evidence Discovery?
Electronic Discovery (or E-Discovery) refers to any process in which electronic data is sought, located, secured, and searched with the intent of using it as evidence in a civil or criminal legal case. Electronic Discovery can be carried out offline on a particular computer or it can be done across a network.
The average company spends between $100,000 and $1,000,000 in total ramifications per year for data loss. (Source: 7th Annual ICSA Lab's Virus Prevalence Survey, March 2002)
New Federal Rules of Civil Procedure became law on 12-1-2006, which most corporate lawyers and attorneys are either unfamiliar with or have not been required to use. The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, specifically Rule 26, Rule 34, and Rule 45, have been updated in accordance with Computer Forensics and Electronic Evidence Discovery and have added many new procedures for handling and requesting electronic information.
Various types of data may be considered as critical evidence in a case. These types of data include:
* e-mail
* plain text and documents
* images
* calendar files
* databases
* spreadsheets
* digital faxes
* audio files
* animation
* websites
* computer applications
* viruses and sypware
With the increased usage and dependence on the Internet - for corporate and individual communication - e-mail is a valuable source of evidence.
There are several phases to Electronic Discovery. The collection of data is just the first. Once a data audit has been completed and a computer forensics or data recovery service implemented, then there are the tasks to process the electronic evidence and produce the electronic evidence in a format which the client and lawyers will accept, such as TIFFs or PDFs.
The largest obstacles for Electronic Discovery are attorneys and companies who are not getting a Computer Forensic expert involved early in the process and end up compromising or destroying the data that could be important to their case.
The average company spends between $100,000 and $1,000,000 in total ramifications per year for data loss. (Source: 7th Annual ICSA Lab's Virus Prevalence Survey, March 2002)
New Federal Rules of Civil Procedure became law on 12-1-2006, which most corporate lawyers and attorneys are either unfamiliar with or have not been required to use. The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, specifically Rule 26, Rule 34, and Rule 45, have been updated in accordance with Computer Forensics and Electronic Evidence Discovery and have added many new procedures for handling and requesting electronic information.
Various types of data may be considered as critical evidence in a case. These types of data include:
* plain text and documents
* images
* calendar files
* databases
* spreadsheets
* digital faxes
* audio files
* animation
* websites
* computer applications
* viruses and sypware
With the increased usage and dependence on the Internet - for corporate and individual communication - e-mail is a valuable source of evidence.
There are several phases to Electronic Discovery. The collection of data is just the first. Once a data audit has been completed and a computer forensics or data recovery service implemented, then there are the tasks to process the electronic evidence and produce the electronic evidence in a format which the client and lawyers will accept, such as TIFFs or PDFs.
The largest obstacles for Electronic Discovery are attorneys and companies who are not getting a Computer Forensic expert involved early in the process and end up compromising or destroying the data that could be important to their case.
Understanding How Firewalls Protect Your Computer
Not many of us intentionally leave our cars unlocked or the front of our homes open to strangers. But we often leave our computers wide open to anyone and everyone that may want to snoop.
To get and keep our computers safe from hackers,or anyone wanting to have a look in our computers,we need the aid and assistance of something commonly called Firewalls.
A Firewall can be hardware or software that acts as a gatekeeper to your computer.It does this by monitoring all internet traffic coming in and going out of our computers.
They not only allow the passage of this traffic but inspects all,making sure it is safe and do not contain viruses,any spyware,or other malicious software.
Firewalls control internet traffic in two methods,Packet filtering and stateful inspection.A Packet is a chunk of data and it contains the address of the computer it comes from and a destination address.
Ok,so you're wondering what on earth is an IP Address.Well,it is an identifier for your computer device.The format of an IP address is a 32-bit numeric address written as four numbers separated by periods. If the Firewall recognizes the Packet and its IP Address,or its Internet Protocol Address,it allows the Packet to pass. The Stateful Inspection method look at the some data in the Packet and compares key chunks of data to a large area that contains known,trusted information.
to see if it is safe or if your computer is expecting the data.It also allow safe passage of data if all seems well.The Stateful Inspection method is preferred since it checks the data that have passed through your computer before. What About Those Hardware Firewalls Hardware Firewalls are devices that are designed to run software Firewalls.So why are there hardware firewalls,you ask.One big advantage of having a Hardware Firewall is that the computer don't have to do any work. The hardware running the software does all work,thereby leaving the CPU in the computer free to get on with other tasks.The CPU,or Central Processing Unit should be free as much as possible to keep the computer running at peak performance.
Explaining The Software Firewalls
There are many creative ways that people use to access or abuse your computer when its not protected. Someone is able to connect to your computer and control it in some form. This can range from being able to view or access your files to actually running programs on your computer. Some of the software Firewalls protect your computer from are the following. Email Bombs.Someone sends you the same e-mail hundreds or thousands of times until your e-mail system cannot accept any more messages. If you spend time on the internet often you will most likely experience this. Viruses. This is no doubt the most well known threat.A Virus is a small file which reproduces itself on other computers.Viruses may be harmless to wiping your hard drive clean. Firewalls may not protect you from all viruses.It would be worth your while to invest in good anti virus software as added protection.Once you invest in a Firewall,study its owner's manual to set it up. Once the Firewall has been installed and setup complete,take a minute to be sure its working.Test the Firewall by going online and visiting a security site.Go to www.grc.com and give their free Shields Up security test a try. If the Firewall pass,you will have the comfort of knowing your PC will have that added protection from someone stealing your credit card information or any valuable information. If you have not invested in a Firewall,won't wait to give one a try.Your critical files and programs will be much safer and you will have the knowledge of being able to install Firewalls on the PC of your friends,enemies,and everyone else in between. Keep your computer safe from hackers and other intruders by fully understanding how firewalls operate in the background of your computer.
To get and keep our computers safe from hackers,or anyone wanting to have a look in our computers,we need the aid and assistance of something commonly called Firewalls.
A Firewall can be hardware or software that acts as a gatekeeper to your computer.It does this by monitoring all internet traffic coming in and going out of our computers.
They not only allow the passage of this traffic but inspects all,making sure it is safe and do not contain viruses,any spyware,or other malicious software.
Firewalls control internet traffic in two methods,Packet filtering and stateful inspection.A Packet is a chunk of data and it contains the address of the computer it comes from and a destination address.
Ok,so you're wondering what on earth is an IP Address.Well,it is an identifier for your computer device.The format of an IP address is a 32-bit numeric address written as four numbers separated by periods. If the Firewall recognizes the Packet and its IP Address,or its Internet Protocol Address,it allows the Packet to pass. The Stateful Inspection method look at the some data in the Packet and compares key chunks of data to a large area that contains known,trusted information.
to see if it is safe or if your computer is expecting the data.It also allow safe passage of data if all seems well.The Stateful Inspection method is preferred since it checks the data that have passed through your computer before. What About Those Hardware Firewalls Hardware Firewalls are devices that are designed to run software Firewalls.So why are there hardware firewalls,you ask.One big advantage of having a Hardware Firewall is that the computer don't have to do any work. The hardware running the software does all work,thereby leaving the CPU in the computer free to get on with other tasks.The CPU,or Central Processing Unit should be free as much as possible to keep the computer running at peak performance.
Explaining The Software Firewalls
There are many creative ways that people use to access or abuse your computer when its not protected. Someone is able to connect to your computer and control it in some form. This can range from being able to view or access your files to actually running programs on your computer. Some of the software Firewalls protect your computer from are the following. Email Bombs.Someone sends you the same e-mail hundreds or thousands of times until your e-mail system cannot accept any more messages. If you spend time on the internet often you will most likely experience this. Viruses. This is no doubt the most well known threat.A Virus is a small file which reproduces itself on other computers.Viruses may be harmless to wiping your hard drive clean. Firewalls may not protect you from all viruses.It would be worth your while to invest in good anti virus software as added protection.Once you invest in a Firewall,study its owner's manual to set it up. Once the Firewall has been installed and setup complete,take a minute to be sure its working.Test the Firewall by going online and visiting a security site.Go to www.grc.com and give their free Shields Up security test a try. If the Firewall pass,you will have the comfort of knowing your PC will have that added protection from someone stealing your credit card information or any valuable information. If you have not invested in a Firewall,won't wait to give one a try.Your critical files and programs will be much safer and you will have the knowledge of being able to install Firewalls on the PC of your friends,enemies,and everyone else in between. Keep your computer safe from hackers and other intruders by fully understanding how firewalls operate in the background of your computer.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Few Steps To Prevent Data Loss And Preparing For Disaster
Prevent Data loss and Preparing for Disaster
You know that computer security is important to you and your business. But do you know exactly what you need to do today to protect your home/business computer? Sooner or later, disaster will strike. It does not have to be anything as dramatic as storm, fire or flood - an overheated motherboard, electric jerk, a malfunctioning hard drive, spyware or a computer virus can be enough.
The cost of backup hardware and media is trivial compared to the value of your data. Imagine that you lost your customer list, your product database, your accounting spreadsheet or other crucial business data. How would your business continue?
So, back up your data. Nothing can prevent data loss better than doing backups of all your important data. You save hours, days and weeks of works doing backups regularly.
Here are few tips for implementing a disaster recover strategy:
1. Buy an external hard drive. These hard drives, which connect to your computer via the USB 2.0 or FireWire port (check which port your computer has), have fallen dramatically in price. Some of them are about the size of a paperback and can be easily transported. Most come with a backup program that lets you schedule automatic backups for your data. Prices have gone down dramatically and if you shop around you can get a hard drive for under $50.
2. Put all crucial computer-related information in a folder. This includes the customer support numbers of hardware and software manufacturers, serial numbers, warranty documents and configuration information. The last thing you want to do is to hunt for these items while you are desperately trying to get your computer working again.
3. Back up data and store the media offsite. Having an external hard drive is great, but what would happen in the case of theft, flood or fire? You should regularly (let your calendar program remind you) back up important data on CD or DVD and store these elsewhere, such as at a friend’s house or in a safe deposit box at your bank.
4. Back up data online. There are numerous companies that will store your data online for a fee, but it might even be enough to use a web-based e-mail service such as Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo Mail, as these now offer very generous storage quotas. Just email important files to yourself.
5. Have extra hardware. If your main computer fails, you can just move the external hard drive to your laptop and continue working. It might also be useful to keep an old computer around as a backup machine, as long as it still runs the programs you need to use. This way, you do not have to run out and buy a new computer right away, if your current one fails.
6. Central storage of data on the network. Your critical data if possible should reside in one place on the network. It is far simpler and easier to backup, restore and protect one machine than several. As a side benefit, physical and network access to that machine (and therefore to critical and perhaps sensitive data) can more easily be restricted, improving security.
7. Always quit your programs before shutting down your computer. When you quit a program, it saves vital data and then exits the program. If you just turn off your computer without properly exiting your applications and closing your files, you run the risk of loosing your data.
8. Avoid overheating and vibration. All hard drives are going to crash sometime. Electronic and mechanical drive components are sensitive to heat and vibration. Keep your computer in a dry, clean and dust-free environment. It is essential that the drive must be properly cooled and ventilated. Even if your system has embedded coolers and fans, additional coolers installed in a way of cooling the hard drive directly, will improve the drive's reliability. Heat and vibration are two critical causes of hard drive failure.
9. Scan for viruses. The threat of losing data from virus is now greater than it has ever been because of growth of the Internet. Using anti-virus software is as important as keeping backups. And the anti-virus software must be updated regularly. Take the time to scan the computer and any unknown media storage that will be used on your computer. This might come from someone who might have a whole shop full of infected computers.
10. User Friendly Operating system. Always use that operating system and software applications which is user friendly and easy to handle, because users are typically less technical.
All of above preventive measures, Human error is three times more potent a data destroyer than all viruses, floods, lightning bolts, earthquakes and hurricanes combined. One accidental / intentional deletion, for instance, can be as devastating as a natural disaster. Most people delete a file and say 'Oh my God, that was a week's worth of work' and then they start looking for a product to recover the file, rather than installing the product as preventative medicine. Until and unless you have the complete satisfaction about the recovery software doesn’t use that.
You know that computer security is important to you and your business. But do you know exactly what you need to do today to protect your home/business computer? Sooner or later, disaster will strike. It does not have to be anything as dramatic as storm, fire or flood - an overheated motherboard, electric jerk, a malfunctioning hard drive, spyware or a computer virus can be enough.
The cost of backup hardware and media is trivial compared to the value of your data. Imagine that you lost your customer list, your product database, your accounting spreadsheet or other crucial business data. How would your business continue?
So, back up your data. Nothing can prevent data loss better than doing backups of all your important data. You save hours, days and weeks of works doing backups regularly.
Here are few tips for implementing a disaster recover strategy:
1. Buy an external hard drive. These hard drives, which connect to your computer via the USB 2.0 or FireWire port (check which port your computer has), have fallen dramatically in price. Some of them are about the size of a paperback and can be easily transported. Most come with a backup program that lets you schedule automatic backups for your data. Prices have gone down dramatically and if you shop around you can get a hard drive for under $50.
2. Put all crucial computer-related information in a folder. This includes the customer support numbers of hardware and software manufacturers, serial numbers, warranty documents and configuration information. The last thing you want to do is to hunt for these items while you are desperately trying to get your computer working again.
3. Back up data and store the media offsite. Having an external hard drive is great, but what would happen in the case of theft, flood or fire? You should regularly (let your calendar program remind you) back up important data on CD or DVD and store these elsewhere, such as at a friend’s house or in a safe deposit box at your bank.
4. Back up data online. There are numerous companies that will store your data online for a fee, but it might even be enough to use a web-based e-mail service such as Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo Mail, as these now offer very generous storage quotas. Just email important files to yourself.
5. Have extra hardware. If your main computer fails, you can just move the external hard drive to your laptop and continue working. It might also be useful to keep an old computer around as a backup machine, as long as it still runs the programs you need to use. This way, you do not have to run out and buy a new computer right away, if your current one fails.
6. Central storage of data on the network. Your critical data if possible should reside in one place on the network. It is far simpler and easier to backup, restore and protect one machine than several. As a side benefit, physical and network access to that machine (and therefore to critical and perhaps sensitive data) can more easily be restricted, improving security.
7. Always quit your programs before shutting down your computer. When you quit a program, it saves vital data and then exits the program. If you just turn off your computer without properly exiting your applications and closing your files, you run the risk of loosing your data.
8. Avoid overheating and vibration. All hard drives are going to crash sometime. Electronic and mechanical drive components are sensitive to heat and vibration. Keep your computer in a dry, clean and dust-free environment. It is essential that the drive must be properly cooled and ventilated. Even if your system has embedded coolers and fans, additional coolers installed in a way of cooling the hard drive directly, will improve the drive's reliability. Heat and vibration are two critical causes of hard drive failure.
9. Scan for viruses. The threat of losing data from virus is now greater than it has ever been because of growth of the Internet. Using anti-virus software is as important as keeping backups. And the anti-virus software must be updated regularly. Take the time to scan the computer and any unknown media storage that will be used on your computer. This might come from someone who might have a whole shop full of infected computers.
10. User Friendly Operating system. Always use that operating system and software applications which is user friendly and easy to handle, because users are typically less technical.
All of above preventive measures, Human error is three times more potent a data destroyer than all viruses, floods, lightning bolts, earthquakes and hurricanes combined. One accidental / intentional deletion, for instance, can be as devastating as a natural disaster. Most people delete a file and say 'Oh my God, that was a week's worth of work' and then they start looking for a product to recover the file, rather than installing the product as preventative medicine. Until and unless you have the complete satisfaction about the recovery software doesn’t use that.
Spybot Search and Destroy - 2007 5 Tips to Stop Spyware
1. Find a free software product to download to protect yourself from spyware, malware, and annoying pop ups
2. Locate Spybot search and destroy spyware and download it to your computer and prepare yourself to begin learning how to use it.
3. You can find this software at new-spybots.com and download it for free.
4. After you download this information you can put set it up to work from any PC.
5. This information comes in different languages and you can get a free video tutorial on how to use this software in different languages as well.
I know this is just short of telling you how to actually stop spyware but if you feel you need more information on spybot search and destroy spyware then you can find this information along with a free download below.
You know that you can have all your information stolen from you online and you really need to take precaution's to stop this menance before you are victimized.
Did you know that over 457,398 people every day have their personal information stolen from them online and they do not even realize it because it comes in what is called a logger type spyware so it looks like an ad of some kind.
The spybot software is really a great spyware protector and the best part that it is totally free download to start.
If you are asking yourself the question "am I protected, is it already to late and my computer is infected," if you have to ask and you have been online then that answer is yes and you should start to stop it from taking over your computer.
2. Locate Spybot search and destroy spyware and download it to your computer and prepare yourself to begin learning how to use it.
3. You can find this software at new-spybots.com and download it for free.
4. After you download this information you can put set it up to work from any PC.
5. This information comes in different languages and you can get a free video tutorial on how to use this software in different languages as well.
I know this is just short of telling you how to actually stop spyware but if you feel you need more information on spybot search and destroy spyware then you can find this information along with a free download below.
You know that you can have all your information stolen from you online and you really need to take precaution's to stop this menance before you are victimized.
Did you know that over 457,398 people every day have their personal information stolen from them online and they do not even realize it because it comes in what is called a logger type spyware so it looks like an ad of some kind.
The spybot software is really a great spyware protector and the best part that it is totally free download to start.
If you are asking yourself the question "am I protected, is it already to late and my computer is infected," if you have to ask and you have been online then that answer is yes and you should start to stop it from taking over your computer.
Hard Drive Data Recovery Doesn't Need to Be Hard
Hard drive data recovery can be a difficult topic for many new computer users. No one wants to believe that their data is lost, and most people have no idea how to get it back. Fortunately, there are data recovery services available that can help you with the overwhelming task of recovering your lost data. This article is intended to help you learn more about hard drive data recovery and how you can learn more.
A hard drive is a "non-volatile" storage space designed to hold data. The data is stored on a magnetic surface which is called a hard disk platter. There are many reasons why data can be lost from the hard drive, including the mechanics of the hard drive itself, and external problems. Most hard drives today have several moving parts which need to be carefully synchronized in order to maintain a constant spin rate, called RPM, inside your computer.
Modern hard drives have "SMART" technology, which stands for "self-monitoring, analysis, and reporting technology." All that means is that the computer will diagnose itself and be able to solve the majority of its problems, also that it corrects the motors and fans when needed, and lets you deal with using the computer instead of trying to maintain it.
In order to understand hard drive data recovery, it is essential to understand how data is lost from a hard drive. Let's define data loss as an unforeseen loss of data or information previously stored on your hard drive. Murphy's Law demonstrates only when it's too late that we should have been backing up our hard drive better. The best way to recover data is to never lose it in the first place, but that is a topic for a different article.
Data can be lost during a power failure, because there is unsaved data in the memory which is not yet been saved to the hard drive. Data can also be lost through a disk failure which can happen for a number of reasons, usually mechanical such as a crash in the hard drive machinery itself. Software can also crash on your computer, especially if you are using Microsoft products, and could lead to a loss of data on your hard drive. Viruses or other malicious software can corrupt your data and is one of the biggest reasons for data loss. Fortunately, today's technology provides a pretty good track record on recovering data from your hard drive.
The best thing to do is to look in your phone book or on the Internet for a local hard drive data recovery specialist. These are people who have been trained or have experience in recovering lost data and can be your best friends-especially in an emergency situation. There are many who specialize in hard drive data recovery and are happy to help you with your data recovery problems. The price they charge is normally a small price to pay if the alternative is losing your data forever.
A hard drive is a "non-volatile" storage space designed to hold data. The data is stored on a magnetic surface which is called a hard disk platter. There are many reasons why data can be lost from the hard drive, including the mechanics of the hard drive itself, and external problems. Most hard drives today have several moving parts which need to be carefully synchronized in order to maintain a constant spin rate, called RPM, inside your computer.
Modern hard drives have "SMART" technology, which stands for "self-monitoring, analysis, and reporting technology." All that means is that the computer will diagnose itself and be able to solve the majority of its problems, also that it corrects the motors and fans when needed, and lets you deal with using the computer instead of trying to maintain it.
In order to understand hard drive data recovery, it is essential to understand how data is lost from a hard drive. Let's define data loss as an unforeseen loss of data or information previously stored on your hard drive. Murphy's Law demonstrates only when it's too late that we should have been backing up our hard drive better. The best way to recover data is to never lose it in the first place, but that is a topic for a different article.
Data can be lost during a power failure, because there is unsaved data in the memory which is not yet been saved to the hard drive. Data can also be lost through a disk failure which can happen for a number of reasons, usually mechanical such as a crash in the hard drive machinery itself. Software can also crash on your computer, especially if you are using Microsoft products, and could lead to a loss of data on your hard drive. Viruses or other malicious software can corrupt your data and is one of the biggest reasons for data loss. Fortunately, today's technology provides a pretty good track record on recovering data from your hard drive.
The best thing to do is to look in your phone book or on the Internet for a local hard drive data recovery specialist. These are people who have been trained or have experience in recovering lost data and can be your best friends-especially in an emergency situation. There are many who specialize in hard drive data recovery and are happy to help you with your data recovery problems. The price they charge is normally a small price to pay if the alternative is losing your data forever.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Infrastructure Decimated By Earthquake In Kobe, Japan On January 17, 1995
On January 17th, 1995 a massive earthquake hit the region of Kobe, Japan. This quake was unique in that it occurred at the intersection of three tectonic plates. This resulted in enormous damage to the area. Buildings collapsed, roads were destroyed, and utilities went offline for days.
An earthquake will cause damage in two ways. Initially damage is caused as a direct effect of the shift in the tectonic plates. In this incident the shifting plates resulted in ground displacements as large as 3 meters along the fault line. Fortunately the actual fault line did not go through the heart of the port city of Kobe. In this case the direct effect damage was limited to the destruction of underground utility lines, fences, and drainage ditches. The rapid shift in displacement of the ground along the fault line sheared the underground lines like butter, cutting off all major utilities.
Most of the damage caused in this earthquake was the result of the secondary effects of the quake which radiated out from the epicenter. Secondary effects from a quake of this magnitude may take many forms including aftershocks, liquefaction, fissuring, and possibly triggering additional quakes. Wooden houses collapsed from the severe shaking of the ground. Many buildings suffered extensive damage from the 5th floor and higher. This was attributed to the building codes at the time that relaxed the structural requirements of the buildings from the 5th floor up.
The social impact of this quake was devastating. The Japanese had considered themselves to be well prepared for such an event. It was thought that their buildings, mostly made of wood, were better able to withstand the shaking and shearing forces brought on by quakes because of the material's ability to flex, and bend. What they did not count on was the effect that the heavy tiled roofs would have on their structures. The heavy weight of the roof, placed on the lighter wood frame created a whiplash effect that turned these wooden structures into rubble. Making matters worse was the fact that roads where damaged, and those that where not damaged were covered in debris. The rubble strewn everywhere made it very hard to navigate into the area and render assistance, resulting in a much longer and more difficult recovery period. In all, 5000 people died as a result of this disaster.
The economic effects of this earthquake where just as devastating. The clean-up and repair of all the damage cost millions of dollars. Local businesses, even those not located directly in the areas of major destruction, where unable to resume business, as local utilities had suffered major damage and remained offline. In some cases it took as much as 2 months to effect repairs.
The Japanese thought they where prepared for any eventuality. They built their homes and buildings using techniques and materials that they thought would withstand the forces that an earthquake would create. Yet, despite all their preparation and planning, the result was still a disaster of colossal magnitude. Some 5000 people lost their lives; buildings, houses, roads, highways, and all major services where damaged, and tremendous financial loss, and hardship resulted. There is no such thing as being too prepared.
An earthquake will cause damage in two ways. Initially damage is caused as a direct effect of the shift in the tectonic plates. In this incident the shifting plates resulted in ground displacements as large as 3 meters along the fault line. Fortunately the actual fault line did not go through the heart of the port city of Kobe. In this case the direct effect damage was limited to the destruction of underground utility lines, fences, and drainage ditches. The rapid shift in displacement of the ground along the fault line sheared the underground lines like butter, cutting off all major utilities.
Most of the damage caused in this earthquake was the result of the secondary effects of the quake which radiated out from the epicenter. Secondary effects from a quake of this magnitude may take many forms including aftershocks, liquefaction, fissuring, and possibly triggering additional quakes. Wooden houses collapsed from the severe shaking of the ground. Many buildings suffered extensive damage from the 5th floor and higher. This was attributed to the building codes at the time that relaxed the structural requirements of the buildings from the 5th floor up.
The social impact of this quake was devastating. The Japanese had considered themselves to be well prepared for such an event. It was thought that their buildings, mostly made of wood, were better able to withstand the shaking and shearing forces brought on by quakes because of the material's ability to flex, and bend. What they did not count on was the effect that the heavy tiled roofs would have on their structures. The heavy weight of the roof, placed on the lighter wood frame created a whiplash effect that turned these wooden structures into rubble. Making matters worse was the fact that roads where damaged, and those that where not damaged were covered in debris. The rubble strewn everywhere made it very hard to navigate into the area and render assistance, resulting in a much longer and more difficult recovery period. In all, 5000 people died as a result of this disaster.
The economic effects of this earthquake where just as devastating. The clean-up and repair of all the damage cost millions of dollars. Local businesses, even those not located directly in the areas of major destruction, where unable to resume business, as local utilities had suffered major damage and remained offline. In some cases it took as much as 2 months to effect repairs.
The Japanese thought they where prepared for any eventuality. They built their homes and buildings using techniques and materials that they thought would withstand the forces that an earthquake would create. Yet, despite all their preparation and planning, the result was still a disaster of colossal magnitude. Some 5000 people lost their lives; buildings, houses, roads, highways, and all major services where damaged, and tremendous financial loss, and hardship resulted. There is no such thing as being too prepared.
September 11, 2001 - Terrorism Reaches The United States With Deadly Consequences
On September 11, 2001 four airliners where hijacked by terrorists and used as weapons to attack the United States. Two of the hijacked aircraft where flown by the terrorists into the "Twin Towers" of the World Trade Center in Manhattan. One was flown into the Pentagon, and the last aircraft crashed before it could reach its intended target.
The devastation caused by the attack was unheard of and completely unexpected. Two thousand nine hundred and seventy three people where killed in the attack, and twenty four where considered missing. Some companies whose offices where located in the Twin Towers lost huge percentages of their total staff. Others where totally wiped out by the attack.
Cantor Fitzgerald L.P. an investment bank lost 658 employees, while Marsh Inc. lost 295 employees. To everyone's horror the Twin Towers collapsed and 5 other buildings in the surrounding area suffered major damage including the Marriott Hotel, and two New York City subway stations. Twenty five other buildings suffered minor damage and all seven World Trade Center buildings had to be demolished.
Radio, television, and two-way radio towers where destroyed, and local infrastructure including power, water, gas, and communications suffered major interruptions. Some fires caused by the attack burned for as long as 3 months after the initial impact of the aircraft.
The effect the attack had on American society was devastating, emotionally, culturally and economically. Many schools closed for the day and it became a concern that local residents might have been exposed to hazardous fumes, and dust for a considerable period of time after the actual attack. Many of the rescue workers have since been diagnosed with health problems from the attack.
The United States has not experienced an economic setback of this magnitude since the great depression. The Federal Reserve Bank lost contact with local banks due to outages in communication. The telephone exchange that handled service for the lower Manhattan area was damaged and phone service was interrupted as a result.
Local utilities including; power, phone, gas, and water where cut off and many people were without basic services for a considerable period of time. U.S. stocks lost $1.2 trillion in value and thirty percent of lower Manhattan office space was completely destroyed.
As an international economic hub, the loss of data and critical information of all kinds had a world-wide effect. The Airline industry experienced a huge drop in traffic and had to cut capacity by twenty percent in order to survive.
Not all disasters experienced by mankind are the result of the natural elements. Some catastrophic events are caused by our own kind and have an impact that equals or in some cases surpasses those that Mother Nature may send our way. Regardless of the cause, disasters may come in many forms with varying severity; the lesson, however, remains the same. Always be prepared.
The devastation caused by the attack was unheard of and completely unexpected. Two thousand nine hundred and seventy three people where killed in the attack, and twenty four where considered missing. Some companies whose offices where located in the Twin Towers lost huge percentages of their total staff. Others where totally wiped out by the attack.
Cantor Fitzgerald L.P. an investment bank lost 658 employees, while Marsh Inc. lost 295 employees. To everyone's horror the Twin Towers collapsed and 5 other buildings in the surrounding area suffered major damage including the Marriott Hotel, and two New York City subway stations. Twenty five other buildings suffered minor damage and all seven World Trade Center buildings had to be demolished.
Radio, television, and two-way radio towers where destroyed, and local infrastructure including power, water, gas, and communications suffered major interruptions. Some fires caused by the attack burned for as long as 3 months after the initial impact of the aircraft.
The effect the attack had on American society was devastating, emotionally, culturally and economically. Many schools closed for the day and it became a concern that local residents might have been exposed to hazardous fumes, and dust for a considerable period of time after the actual attack. Many of the rescue workers have since been diagnosed with health problems from the attack.
The United States has not experienced an economic setback of this magnitude since the great depression. The Federal Reserve Bank lost contact with local banks due to outages in communication. The telephone exchange that handled service for the lower Manhattan area was damaged and phone service was interrupted as a result.
Local utilities including; power, phone, gas, and water where cut off and many people were without basic services for a considerable period of time. U.S. stocks lost $1.2 trillion in value and thirty percent of lower Manhattan office space was completely destroyed.
As an international economic hub, the loss of data and critical information of all kinds had a world-wide effect. The Airline industry experienced a huge drop in traffic and had to cut capacity by twenty percent in order to survive.
Not all disasters experienced by mankind are the result of the natural elements. Some catastrophic events are caused by our own kind and have an impact that equals or in some cases surpasses those that Mother Nature may send our way. Regardless of the cause, disasters may come in many forms with varying severity; the lesson, however, remains the same. Always be prepared.
Tsunami Hits Coastal Communities Across Southeast Asia, Killing An Estimated 275,000 People
On December 26, 2004 the Asian Tsunami hit the coastal regions of Southeast Asia. It was the result of the second largest and longest lasting underwater earthquake ever recorded, and has since been referred to as the single worst tsunami on record.
The earthquake that generated this tsunami reached a magnitude of 9.3 on the Richter scale and lasted for between 500 and 600 seconds. The wave caused by this quake did massive damage to parts of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand, with crests reaching a maximum height of 100 feet.
The damage that resulted from this tsunami was extensive. Repairs to the area are ongoing, and are estimated to take five to ten years to complete. Widespread damage to local infrastructure, shortages of food and water, and the potential for disease create additional risks. 186,983 people where killed, and 14,100 where reported missing. A further 1,126,900 people were rendered homeless, requiring massive relief efforts to ensure that those that survived the tsunami did not suffer from other causes, resulting from the extensive damage created by the wave.
The social impact of this tsunami was significant as well. Tourism to the area was quashed: travelers no longer wanted to visit the Southeast Asian coasts. Local families where devastated; many lost the major income earners, and in some cases whole families where completely wiped out.
There was a massive economic impact as a result of this tsunami. The local infrastructure, including roads, utilities, and food supplies where totally destroyed or extensively damaged requiring much needed and very costly repairs. The coastal fishing communities lost laborers, as well as boats, traps and other gear. It was estimated that 66% of the total fishing fleet was wiped out. Shipping through the Malacca Straights was affected by changing depths, the drifting of shipping buoys, and the shifting or movement of old shipwrecks. Salt from the sea water contaminated local fresh water supplies and farm land, in some cases rendering it useless for what may become many years. Seven billion dollars in financial aid was pumped into the area by the international community. Even now tourism has only just begun to return to the region.
To think that something as simple as a very large wave could cause damage of such a magnitude is beyond what most people can begin to imagine. Most of us think little about the possible consequences that could ensue when Mother Nature decides to make a change. In this day and age, with our complex information systems, and huge data storage requirements it is easy to see why being prepared and taking every reasonable precaution makes economic sense, and is socially responsible.
The earthquake that generated this tsunami reached a magnitude of 9.3 on the Richter scale and lasted for between 500 and 600 seconds. The wave caused by this quake did massive damage to parts of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand, with crests reaching a maximum height of 100 feet.
The damage that resulted from this tsunami was extensive. Repairs to the area are ongoing, and are estimated to take five to ten years to complete. Widespread damage to local infrastructure, shortages of food and water, and the potential for disease create additional risks. 186,983 people where killed, and 14,100 where reported missing. A further 1,126,900 people were rendered homeless, requiring massive relief efforts to ensure that those that survived the tsunami did not suffer from other causes, resulting from the extensive damage created by the wave.
The social impact of this tsunami was significant as well. Tourism to the area was quashed: travelers no longer wanted to visit the Southeast Asian coasts. Local families where devastated; many lost the major income earners, and in some cases whole families where completely wiped out.
There was a massive economic impact as a result of this tsunami. The local infrastructure, including roads, utilities, and food supplies where totally destroyed or extensively damaged requiring much needed and very costly repairs. The coastal fishing communities lost laborers, as well as boats, traps and other gear. It was estimated that 66% of the total fishing fleet was wiped out. Shipping through the Malacca Straights was affected by changing depths, the drifting of shipping buoys, and the shifting or movement of old shipwrecks. Salt from the sea water contaminated local fresh water supplies and farm land, in some cases rendering it useless for what may become many years. Seven billion dollars in financial aid was pumped into the area by the international community. Even now tourism has only just begun to return to the region.
To think that something as simple as a very large wave could cause damage of such a magnitude is beyond what most people can begin to imagine. Most of us think little about the possible consequences that could ensue when Mother Nature decides to make a change. In this day and age, with our complex information systems, and huge data storage requirements it is easy to see why being prepared and taking every reasonable precaution makes economic sense, and is socially responsible.
Friday, August 10, 2007
How to choose which data recovery company to use
Faced with every computer owner’s worst nightmare? Dealing with the reality of lost data? Frantic, because you just discovered that your most recent back up failed?
If you have experienced some type of physical damage to your hard drive, optical drive or other external media storage device there is a high likelihood that you are going to need the help of a professional data recovery service center. The question you are probably asking right now is how exactly you should go about selecting the right data recovery center. Well, I am here to tell you that are some very specific things that you need to look out for. Unfortunately, not every company operates with the same appreciation for customer satisfaction and loyalty. Therefore, you really need to protect your interests by doing a careful investigation before allowing anyone to touch your damaged storage media device or hard drive,
So, what are these things that you need to investigate?
First, it is a good idea to do an internet search on data recovery providers in order to compare the claims made by the available providers. You should then look at the providers who offer the service you need and determine what price they will charge for recovery services.
But, don’t make a decision based upon their website claims. You will need to pick up the phone and contact each of the companies that you are considering. If you cannot find a phone number, then it’s a pretty good indication that this is not a company with which you should be working.
When you get a representative on the phone, ask them about their success rate and whether they are willing to guarantee their service. If a company promises you a 100% success rate, there is a good chance that they are not being entirely honest.
If you are satisfied with the success rate, ask questions about the price structure that the company uses and the type of equipment that they use for recovery purposes.
A good company with an excellent success rate and better than market pricing for their entirely guaranteed data recovery service is 800Tech.com. If you check out their service listing through their website, and call to speak with one of their certified technicians, you are going to find out that not only are the 800Tech prices competitive but they also don’t charge you until they can produce your lost data.
Data loss is stressful enough. You certainly don’t deserve to have the same disappointment from the company that you hire to recover your lost data. If you do your homework before selecting a company to help with your data recovery, you will not be caught paying more than necessary for your data recovery.
If you have experienced some type of physical damage to your hard drive, optical drive or other external media storage device there is a high likelihood that you are going to need the help of a professional data recovery service center. The question you are probably asking right now is how exactly you should go about selecting the right data recovery center. Well, I am here to tell you that are some very specific things that you need to look out for. Unfortunately, not every company operates with the same appreciation for customer satisfaction and loyalty. Therefore, you really need to protect your interests by doing a careful investigation before allowing anyone to touch your damaged storage media device or hard drive,
So, what are these things that you need to investigate?
First, it is a good idea to do an internet search on data recovery providers in order to compare the claims made by the available providers. You should then look at the providers who offer the service you need and determine what price they will charge for recovery services.
But, don’t make a decision based upon their website claims. You will need to pick up the phone and contact each of the companies that you are considering. If you cannot find a phone number, then it’s a pretty good indication that this is not a company with which you should be working.
When you get a representative on the phone, ask them about their success rate and whether they are willing to guarantee their service. If a company promises you a 100% success rate, there is a good chance that they are not being entirely honest.
If you are satisfied with the success rate, ask questions about the price structure that the company uses and the type of equipment that they use for recovery purposes.
A good company with an excellent success rate and better than market pricing for their entirely guaranteed data recovery service is 800Tech.com. If you check out their service listing through their website, and call to speak with one of their certified technicians, you are going to find out that not only are the 800Tech prices competitive but they also don’t charge you until they can produce your lost data.
Data loss is stressful enough. You certainly don’t deserve to have the same disappointment from the company that you hire to recover your lost data. If you do your homework before selecting a company to help with your data recovery, you will not be caught paying more than necessary for your data recovery.
Data Recovery in Clean Room Labs
When you are evaluating possible companies for your data recovery needs, one of the most critical questions that can ask them is what type of clean room they have and if it meets Class-100 criteria. Class-10 is optimal, however Class-100 is the industry accepted standard.
So, what exactly is a clean room? Well, for one thing it is an environmentally controlled area which maintains a constant temperature and has a very strictly controlled level of humidity. The room will be lit from an external source, and there will be a very powerful ventilation system installed in order to remove any possible contaminants from the air.
There are three criteria that every clean room must exhibit in order to be considered acceptable:
1. No outside contaminants can be allowed into the controlled space.
2. None of the machines located in the clean room can result in the creation of contaminants.
3. If contaminants are found in the clean room, they must be immediately removed.
In order to keep the clean room free of contaminants, those who go into the space must wear protective clothing that prevents contamination.
Why is this it so important to maintain a clean room for data recovery work? Well, quite simply it is necessary to avoid the potential of introducing additional contamination to an already damaged media storage device or hard drive. This is particularly true for a device that has been damaged in a fire or flood.
This is because a damaged hard drive that is exposed to airborne contaminants can be rendered useless should the contaminants get onto the platters inside of the drive. If this happens, it will be nearly impossible for the drive head to work correctly and important data can be lost forever as a result.
If you are in need of data recovery services, you should definitely ask the companies that you are considering about their clean room technology. Ask how often their clean room is inspected and know that it should be inspected annually, at least. If a company is not willing to disclose the details of their clean room technology, you might want to consider working with one who does.
800 Tech is a leading data recovery provider, with a Class-100 inspected clean room that utilizes industry-leading technology in order to constantly monitor the quality of the clean room. All of the certified engineers and technicians are trained in clean room practices and wear appropriate clean room gear before ever coming into contact with your data storage device.
Don’t take chances with your data. You need to ensure the safety practices of anyone who will come in contact with your exposed data; otherwise you may end up losing any chance of recovering your lost data.
Now that you have an idea of what goes into maintaining a clean room, you probably have a better understanding of why data recovery is so costly for consumers. The price is definitely worth getting access to your lost data, and the better the technology the higher the chance that you will once again have access to your much needed data.
So, what exactly is a clean room? Well, for one thing it is an environmentally controlled area which maintains a constant temperature and has a very strictly controlled level of humidity. The room will be lit from an external source, and there will be a very powerful ventilation system installed in order to remove any possible contaminants from the air.
There are three criteria that every clean room must exhibit in order to be considered acceptable:
1. No outside contaminants can be allowed into the controlled space.
2. None of the machines located in the clean room can result in the creation of contaminants.
3. If contaminants are found in the clean room, they must be immediately removed.
In order to keep the clean room free of contaminants, those who go into the space must wear protective clothing that prevents contamination.
Why is this it so important to maintain a clean room for data recovery work? Well, quite simply it is necessary to avoid the potential of introducing additional contamination to an already damaged media storage device or hard drive. This is particularly true for a device that has been damaged in a fire or flood.
This is because a damaged hard drive that is exposed to airborne contaminants can be rendered useless should the contaminants get onto the platters inside of the drive. If this happens, it will be nearly impossible for the drive head to work correctly and important data can be lost forever as a result.
If you are in need of data recovery services, you should definitely ask the companies that you are considering about their clean room technology. Ask how often their clean room is inspected and know that it should be inspected annually, at least. If a company is not willing to disclose the details of their clean room technology, you might want to consider working with one who does.
800 Tech is a leading data recovery provider, with a Class-100 inspected clean room that utilizes industry-leading technology in order to constantly monitor the quality of the clean room. All of the certified engineers and technicians are trained in clean room practices and wear appropriate clean room gear before ever coming into contact with your data storage device.
Don’t take chances with your data. You need to ensure the safety practices of anyone who will come in contact with your exposed data; otherwise you may end up losing any chance of recovering your lost data.
Now that you have an idea of what goes into maintaining a clean room, you probably have a better understanding of why data recovery is so costly for consumers. The price is definitely worth getting access to your lost data, and the better the technology the higher the chance that you will once again have access to your much needed data.
How to Prevent Data Loss from Hardware and Software Failures
If you want to ensure that none of your critical data is lost in the event of a hardware or software problem with your computer, there is only one way to do it. Back up, back up and back up your data as often as possible.
There are many different ways to ensure that your data is backed up, and as technology becomes available back up methods become much simpler. Take me for instance. Ten years ago, I backed up all of my files onto floppy disks. Eight years ago, I installed a tape drive and managed my back up process that way. Seven years ago, I automated the tape back up. When the tape drive failed, I moved to Zip disks. Tired of the clunky collection, I moved to CD backups.
Last year, I began using an Active Directory file server that not only backs up my files but also synchronizes them with what is currently on my hard drive several times a day.
I also make a DVD back up of my machine every month – just in case!
Let’s look for a moment at what a back up is. Backing up your computer files means that you are simply making a copy of your data that will be stored somewhere other than on your computer. You should always have a back up of at least your most important files, because should you experience a hardware or software problem you will still be able to access your files.
Many people don’t back up their files, because they don’t know what they need to back up. Start with those files that cannot easily be recreated. Then, move on to files to which you make frequent changes just in case you accidentally change something that you shouldn’t have. Back up your music collection – because this can be quite expensive to replace in the event of data loss.
Finally, you should back up your preference files and settings. And, make a copy of your registry. It may not be necessary to back these files up with every back up, but you should try to run a complete back up at least once a month.
In general, best practice is to back up your files at least monthly and more frequently if you access your files regularly. If you have the ability to establish auto-backup then by all means do it!
If you are a windows user, depending on the variety of the operating system that you are using it may be possible for you to set up automated back ups that can also be restored directly through the operating system from your CD, DVD or other storage device.
Quite honestly, it really doesn’t matter how you back up your files so long as you are backing up your files and storing them somewhere other than on your hard drive. Trust me when I tell you that if you have a back up – even an old one – it can save you a tremendous amount of aggravation and money in the future should you experience a virus related software problem, fire, flood or even a dropped hard drive.
There are many different ways to ensure that your data is backed up, and as technology becomes available back up methods become much simpler. Take me for instance. Ten years ago, I backed up all of my files onto floppy disks. Eight years ago, I installed a tape drive and managed my back up process that way. Seven years ago, I automated the tape back up. When the tape drive failed, I moved to Zip disks. Tired of the clunky collection, I moved to CD backups.
Last year, I began using an Active Directory file server that not only backs up my files but also synchronizes them with what is currently on my hard drive several times a day.
I also make a DVD back up of my machine every month – just in case!
Let’s look for a moment at what a back up is. Backing up your computer files means that you are simply making a copy of your data that will be stored somewhere other than on your computer. You should always have a back up of at least your most important files, because should you experience a hardware or software problem you will still be able to access your files.
Many people don’t back up their files, because they don’t know what they need to back up. Start with those files that cannot easily be recreated. Then, move on to files to which you make frequent changes just in case you accidentally change something that you shouldn’t have. Back up your music collection – because this can be quite expensive to replace in the event of data loss.
Finally, you should back up your preference files and settings. And, make a copy of your registry. It may not be necessary to back these files up with every back up, but you should try to run a complete back up at least once a month.
In general, best practice is to back up your files at least monthly and more frequently if you access your files regularly. If you have the ability to establish auto-backup then by all means do it!
If you are a windows user, depending on the variety of the operating system that you are using it may be possible for you to set up automated back ups that can also be restored directly through the operating system from your CD, DVD or other storage device.
Quite honestly, it really doesn’t matter how you back up your files so long as you are backing up your files and storing them somewhere other than on your hard drive. Trust me when I tell you that if you have a back up – even an old one – it can save you a tremendous amount of aggravation and money in the future should you experience a virus related software problem, fire, flood or even a dropped hard drive.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
How To Survive the Blue Screen of Death
The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) is a blank screen displayed when your computer has encountered a critical error. Most often, the basic solution is to reboot your computer. In this case you should expect to lose all the data changes or entries you have made since your last save preceding the error message. In the worse case scenario, the reboot process will not work, and may require a complete re-install of your operating system, possible hardware replacements, and total loss of stored data.
The trick to taming this wild beast is twofold. First, you can prevent BSOD by conducting some basic housekeeping; and second, you can minimize the impact of BSOD by preparing yourself ahead of time. As the adage states, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” In the interest of preventing the BSOD, I suggest you conduct frequent disk cleaning and system checks. Here are a few things you should make routine:
1. Delete unused files and uninstall obsolete programs
2. Defrag your disks regularly
3. Perform a Disk Cleanup of your hard drive
4. Use Internet Options under Tools to delete cached files, cookies, and temp files
In my experience the BSOD only occurs at the worst possible moment. You have just spent two hours updating data or writing a critical presentation, when “poof,” it’s all gone. At times like this you’ll be wishing you had hit the save button more often. Worse, the BSOD may lead to a critical error that prevents rebooting—suggesting a total loss of your database and an expensive recovery process. There are numerous products and software packages that can reduce the chances of incurring a BSOD, and in the event the unthinkable does happen, may help mitigate the impact of the disaster. Here are the key areas to cover in your efforts to prepare for the BSOD scenario:
1. Reduce the risk of a corrupt Registry failure by performing regular Registry cleaning and editing. Be careful though, if you don’t know what you’re doing here, attempting to edit your Registry can be catastrophic. 2. Create a Boot Disk and have one handy for every computer in your home or office. 3. Use a CD-Rom powered operating system that runs secondary to your hard drive as a way to mirror your existing system. 4. Use RAM testing software to perform memory tests. 5. Use Data Recovery software and offline backup storage. 6. Conduct spin tests of your hard drive to monitor its health and isolate bad sectors.
We’ve all heard of creating backups, but the shocking truth is, we just don’t do them often enough. Get yourself on a schedule to perform data backups, and stick with it.
So far I have focused on the software aspect of BSOD. In my experience, however, the bulk of BSODs occur due to hardware problems—namely, hard drives, power supplies, and RAM issues. I suggest you replace hard drives with bad sectors, do frequent system checks of your RAM, and replace power supplies that can’t keep up with the power demands. As a last resort, you may want to re-install your operating system.
You can tame the BSOD beast and minimize its impact on your database by following the few simple rules I’ve discussed above. For links to some popular websites that offer Registry cleaning and free software, visit the website mentioned in my bio below.
The trick to taming this wild beast is twofold. First, you can prevent BSOD by conducting some basic housekeeping; and second, you can minimize the impact of BSOD by preparing yourself ahead of time. As the adage states, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” In the interest of preventing the BSOD, I suggest you conduct frequent disk cleaning and system checks. Here are a few things you should make routine:
1. Delete unused files and uninstall obsolete programs
2. Defrag your disks regularly
3. Perform a Disk Cleanup of your hard drive
4. Use Internet Options under Tools to delete cached files, cookies, and temp files
In my experience the BSOD only occurs at the worst possible moment. You have just spent two hours updating data or writing a critical presentation, when “poof,” it’s all gone. At times like this you’ll be wishing you had hit the save button more often. Worse, the BSOD may lead to a critical error that prevents rebooting—suggesting a total loss of your database and an expensive recovery process. There are numerous products and software packages that can reduce the chances of incurring a BSOD, and in the event the unthinkable does happen, may help mitigate the impact of the disaster. Here are the key areas to cover in your efforts to prepare for the BSOD scenario:
1. Reduce the risk of a corrupt Registry failure by performing regular Registry cleaning and editing. Be careful though, if you don’t know what you’re doing here, attempting to edit your Registry can be catastrophic. 2. Create a Boot Disk and have one handy for every computer in your home or office. 3. Use a CD-Rom powered operating system that runs secondary to your hard drive as a way to mirror your existing system. 4. Use RAM testing software to perform memory tests. 5. Use Data Recovery software and offline backup storage. 6. Conduct spin tests of your hard drive to monitor its health and isolate bad sectors.
We’ve all heard of creating backups, but the shocking truth is, we just don’t do them often enough. Get yourself on a schedule to perform data backups, and stick with it.
So far I have focused on the software aspect of BSOD. In my experience, however, the bulk of BSODs occur due to hardware problems—namely, hard drives, power supplies, and RAM issues. I suggest you replace hard drives with bad sectors, do frequent system checks of your RAM, and replace power supplies that can’t keep up with the power demands. As a last resort, you may want to re-install your operating system.
You can tame the BSOD beast and minimize its impact on your database by following the few simple rules I’ve discussed above. For links to some popular websites that offer Registry cleaning and free software, visit the website mentioned in my bio below.
How To Survive A System Crash
A system crash occurs suddenly is a nightmare for many. A system crash can happen due to a corrupt operating system or with an old hard disk. It can destroy important personal data beyond recovery. If you take proper precautions, you can survive the system crash easily. Following are some of the important steps you can take to survive a system crash.
* Save your data files to a drive other than the drive where you have installed your operating system. If you have your operating system in C drive, choose another drive say D drive to save your personal files. This is very important, as the C drive may be required to be formatted after a serious system crash. If your personal files are in the C drive, then there is a chance for those files getting deleted. If you have any database backup scheduled, you can take these backups to another drive other than C drive. Installation of software packages can be done in C drive.
* Use an external hard disk or drive to copy your very important files or database backup at regular intervals. This will help you even if all the drives are affected during a serious system crash. The investment you make on an external device to store the data is worth. Update this external drive periodically, may be once in a week or month.
* If you have your important data in C drive during the system crash, there is a chance for recovering it if your hard disk only partially affected. Attach the hard disk to another system as a secondary hard disk and you can copy the contents of this drive to another drive.
* Save your data files to a drive other than the drive where you have installed your operating system. If you have your operating system in C drive, choose another drive say D drive to save your personal files. This is very important, as the C drive may be required to be formatted after a serious system crash. If your personal files are in the C drive, then there is a chance for those files getting deleted. If you have any database backup scheduled, you can take these backups to another drive other than C drive. Installation of software packages can be done in C drive.
* Use an external hard disk or drive to copy your very important files or database backup at regular intervals. This will help you even if all the drives are affected during a serious system crash. The investment you make on an external device to store the data is worth. Update this external drive periodically, may be once in a week or month.
* If you have your important data in C drive during the system crash, there is a chance for recovering it if your hard disk only partially affected. Attach the hard disk to another system as a secondary hard disk and you can copy the contents of this drive to another drive.
Getting Back You Lost Data
Chances are, if you are reading this article, you have either lost some important data, or someone has lost the Data for you. If this lost information is critical to the success of a current job or business, or perhaps there is sentimental value place on the lost data, consider using the expert services of a data recovery company. From damaged hardware or crashed software, lost computer files to memory cards, most data recovery companies can assist in the retrieval of your lost data.
There are many data recovery companies to choose from, be sure that you investigate the experience and services supplied by your chosen data recovery expert. The internet can be a great source of information regarding various data recovery specialists, visit their web sites to find information on their facilities, services and experience in the industry. Check web sites of data recovery companies to read testimonials of past clients. Most people use data recovery services to save money and time, some lost data can be important to the success of a particular business, therefore data recovery services can be the answer you are looking for.
Most professional data recovery companies will make the process very easy for their clients, if you have lost some data, stop what you are doing and call in the professionals to arrange pick-up of the memory storage facility or damaged hardware/software. Your chosen data recovery company will guide you through the process of data retrieval or take care of the project themselves. Ensure that the data recovery company you choose can offer many services to suit most technology and the skilled staff to ensure your lost files are retrieved.
Data Recovery specialists can usually fix any data loss situation. Data recovery experts are equipped with the software and technical know-how to retrieve most lost data. There are many factors which can contribute to data loss – from accidental deletions to technical failure such as a crashed hard drive. Find a data recovery firm which specializes in your particular area of problem. Choose a data recovery company which can do the best job with the skilled staff and technical resources to face any data recovery issue.
So, if you have some technical problem and think you may have lost some important data, call the experts in to retrieve lost data, save yourself time and money by using Data Recovery services. Modern technology, though high-tech and advanced, can still be unreliable, this is when you will need the services of a data recovery professional.
There are many data recovery companies to choose from, be sure that you investigate the experience and services supplied by your chosen data recovery expert. The internet can be a great source of information regarding various data recovery specialists, visit their web sites to find information on their facilities, services and experience in the industry. Check web sites of data recovery companies to read testimonials of past clients. Most people use data recovery services to save money and time, some lost data can be important to the success of a particular business, therefore data recovery services can be the answer you are looking for.
Most professional data recovery companies will make the process very easy for their clients, if you have lost some data, stop what you are doing and call in the professionals to arrange pick-up of the memory storage facility or damaged hardware/software. Your chosen data recovery company will guide you through the process of data retrieval or take care of the project themselves. Ensure that the data recovery company you choose can offer many services to suit most technology and the skilled staff to ensure your lost files are retrieved.
Data Recovery specialists can usually fix any data loss situation. Data recovery experts are equipped with the software and technical know-how to retrieve most lost data. There are many factors which can contribute to data loss – from accidental deletions to technical failure such as a crashed hard drive. Find a data recovery firm which specializes in your particular area of problem. Choose a data recovery company which can do the best job with the skilled staff and technical resources to face any data recovery issue.
So, if you have some technical problem and think you may have lost some important data, call the experts in to retrieve lost data, save yourself time and money by using Data Recovery services. Modern technology, though high-tech and advanced, can still be unreliable, this is when you will need the services of a data recovery professional.
Types of Backups
Backups are created to avoid situations of losing precious data. Backups can be created on daily basis, weekly basis, or monthly basis. Backups prove useful at the time of data loss, data inaccessibility, software malfunctions, drive corruptions etc. Before we know the types of backups an individual can perform, the basic backing up process should be clear. Windows offer built-in backup facility which proves easy for the backup creations.
The Windows Backup utility provides various types of backups. One should carefully choose the backup type according to his / her needs. There are different combinations of backups available; Normal, Copy, Incremental, Differential, and Daily.
Normal Backups
A normal backup is the first step to any backup plan. When the Normal backup option is selected; all the selected files and folders are backed up and the archive attribute of all files are cleared. Normal backups are the most time consuming process but prove more efficient at the time of restoration than other backup types.
Copy Backups
A copy backup option is not considered as a planned schedule backup, all the selected files and folders are backed up. Archive attributes of the files are not cleared while this option is selected.
Incremental Backups
Incremental backups are the fastest backup process. An incremental backup backs up the files and folders which were last created or modified or changed since last normal or incremental backup.An incremental backup backs up files that are created or changed since the last normal or incremental backup. After the backup is performed the archive attributes of the files are cleared. Restoration of data from an incremental backup requires the last normal backup and all the following incremental backups. These backups need to be restored in the same manner as they were created.
Note: If any media in the incremental backup set is damaged or data becomes corrupt, the data backed up after corruption cannot be restored.
Differential Backups
Differential backups backs up those files which were created or changed since the last normal backup. Archive attributes of the files does not get cleared after taking the backup with the differential backup method. The restoration process of files from differential backup is more efficient than an incremental backup.
Daily Backups
All the selected files and folders which have been changed during a day are backed up with Daily Backups option. The data is backed up by using the modified date of the files and the archive attributes are also does not get cleared with this option.
Normal backup is easy, fast and effective backup process which can be performed every night. But at times the created backup files can also get corrupt, damaged, deleted or become inaccessible. In this case, MS backup recovery software can help to recover the lost backup files. The bkf repair software offered by various data recovery companies proves effective and result-oriented bkf file repair software.
The Windows Backup utility provides various types of backups. One should carefully choose the backup type according to his / her needs. There are different combinations of backups available; Normal, Copy, Incremental, Differential, and Daily.
Normal Backups
A normal backup is the first step to any backup plan. When the Normal backup option is selected; all the selected files and folders are backed up and the archive attribute of all files are cleared. Normal backups are the most time consuming process but prove more efficient at the time of restoration than other backup types.
Copy Backups
A copy backup option is not considered as a planned schedule backup, all the selected files and folders are backed up. Archive attributes of the files are not cleared while this option is selected.
Incremental Backups
Incremental backups are the fastest backup process. An incremental backup backs up the files and folders which were last created or modified or changed since last normal or incremental backup.An incremental backup backs up files that are created or changed since the last normal or incremental backup. After the backup is performed the archive attributes of the files are cleared. Restoration of data from an incremental backup requires the last normal backup and all the following incremental backups. These backups need to be restored in the same manner as they were created.
Note: If any media in the incremental backup set is damaged or data becomes corrupt, the data backed up after corruption cannot be restored.
Differential Backups
Differential backups backs up those files which were created or changed since the last normal backup. Archive attributes of the files does not get cleared after taking the backup with the differential backup method. The restoration process of files from differential backup is more efficient than an incremental backup.
Daily Backups
All the selected files and folders which have been changed during a day are backed up with Daily Backups option. The data is backed up by using the modified date of the files and the archive attributes are also does not get cleared with this option.
Normal backup is easy, fast and effective backup process which can be performed every night. But at times the created backup files can also get corrupt, damaged, deleted or become inaccessible. In this case, MS backup recovery software can help to recover the lost backup files. The bkf repair software offered by various data recovery companies proves effective and result-oriented bkf file repair software.
Zip File Recovery
Ever tried to send a folder or file with big file size and disk occupying space through email. Many a times your email account cannot send the file and displays error messages. Why does this happens?
This mainly happens when the size of the file which you are mailing is large or your internet connection speed is slow or your ISP is not able to transfer your request. But this can be solved by using the WinZip software – a compression utility to reduce the file and disk storage size of a file.
WinZip software is used to compress a file into an archive so that it occupies less disk storage space. Files and folders with heavy file size can be compressed with WinZip compression utility which will reduce the storage space on the disk.
For example, the size of a folder on disk comes to be 276 KB but when the same folder is compressed with the WinZip utility, its occupying disk space becomes 160 KB. A straight away reduction of 116 KBs. Now this folder can be transferred easily through email and will take less time to get transferred to other storage medium.
Corportaes, students, accountants, designers and many other professionals use WinZip software to send important data thus reduce file size, which then can be easily transferred from one place to another. But at times these zipped files may get corrupt in the electronic transit or by virus attacks, software malfunction, or the storage media where the zip files are stored might get corrupt; any situation can lead to file corruption and make you face data loss situations.
This mainly happens when the size of the file which you are mailing is large or your internet connection speed is slow or your ISP is not able to transfer your request. But this can be solved by using the WinZip software – a compression utility to reduce the file and disk storage size of a file.
WinZip software is used to compress a file into an archive so that it occupies less disk storage space. Files and folders with heavy file size can be compressed with WinZip compression utility which will reduce the storage space on the disk.
For example, the size of a folder on disk comes to be 276 KB but when the same folder is compressed with the WinZip utility, its occupying disk space becomes 160 KB. A straight away reduction of 116 KBs. Now this folder can be transferred easily through email and will take less time to get transferred to other storage medium.
Corportaes, students, accountants, designers and many other professionals use WinZip software to send important data thus reduce file size, which then can be easily transferred from one place to another. But at times these zipped files may get corrupt in the electronic transit or by virus attacks, software malfunction, or the storage media where the zip files are stored might get corrupt; any situation can lead to file corruption and make you face data loss situations.
Data Recovery
Recovering lost data is expensive. Regardless of whether you will attempt to recovery your data yourself, or send your hard drive out for recovery, the cost is quite prohibitive. The only way to guarantee that you will never require such a service is to continually make backup copies of your files and to store them securely. Even this is not really a guarantee, but it will provide you with the security of knowing that if you computer should crash or experience major hardware failures, your data can be recreated.
Data recovery is the process where lost data is recovered from broken, damaged or inaccessible media storage or hard drives. Data recovery can also be used to explain the process of restoring lost or deleted files on a hard drive.
There are many different data recovery software packages available to consumers who prefer to attempt restore data themselves. However, in most situations when a hard drive needs to be recovered, the only option is to send it to a service provider who is skilled at data restoration.
Here are some of the applications that you might want to try if attempting recovery on your own:
1. File Recovery for Windows by Active @ Data Recovery Services
2. File Recover™ 6.1 for Windows by PC Tools Software
3. GetDataBack by Runtime Software
4. Recover My Files by GetData
5. R-Undelete by R-tools Technology Inc.
6. Undelete 5 by Diskeeper Corporation
7. WinUndelete™ by WinRecovery Software
These software packages range in price and level of effectiveness.
Here are some useful things that you should know, courtesy of http://www.800tech.com:
1) Back up As mentioned above, you should back up your data routinely. Having a back up copy of your data is one of the best defenses against lost data and the need for recovery in the first place.
2) Hard disk noise
Anytime you hear a churning or clicking noise inside of your computer it means trouble. You should seek assistance as soon as possible from an authorized repair center.
3) Do not attempt the Recovery If you face any problem of data loss, do not attempt to recover data yourself unless you are an expert. Attempting the data recovery your self from the hard disk may further complicate the problems.
If you are in need of data recovery services, you should always work with a recovery center that guarantees their process. You should never be charged for unsuccessful data recovery, and you should be permitted to see your data before you are charged for the service. You should also be given an accurate quote for the total recovery cost before work begins.
A certified quality recovery service provider like 800Tech.com can help you with the process of recovering lost or damaged data at the best price and within the shortest amount of time in the industry.
You should never pay for unsuccessful recovery efforts, and also be sure that the company with whom you work guarantees the viability of your data in a contract prior to beginning work. Access to filenames is great, but what you need is content.
Data recovery is the process where lost data is recovered from broken, damaged or inaccessible media storage or hard drives. Data recovery can also be used to explain the process of restoring lost or deleted files on a hard drive.
There are many different data recovery software packages available to consumers who prefer to attempt restore data themselves. However, in most situations when a hard drive needs to be recovered, the only option is to send it to a service provider who is skilled at data restoration.
Here are some of the applications that you might want to try if attempting recovery on your own:
1. File Recovery for Windows by Active @ Data Recovery Services
2. File Recover™ 6.1 for Windows by PC Tools Software
3. GetDataBack by Runtime Software
4. Recover My Files by GetData
5. R-Undelete by R-tools Technology Inc.
6. Undelete 5 by Diskeeper Corporation
7. WinUndelete™ by WinRecovery Software
These software packages range in price and level of effectiveness.
Here are some useful things that you should know, courtesy of http://www.800tech.com:
1) Back up As mentioned above, you should back up your data routinely. Having a back up copy of your data is one of the best defenses against lost data and the need for recovery in the first place.
2) Hard disk noise
Anytime you hear a churning or clicking noise inside of your computer it means trouble. You should seek assistance as soon as possible from an authorized repair center.
3) Do not attempt the Recovery If you face any problem of data loss, do not attempt to recover data yourself unless you are an expert. Attempting the data recovery your self from the hard disk may further complicate the problems.
If you are in need of data recovery services, you should always work with a recovery center that guarantees their process. You should never be charged for unsuccessful data recovery, and you should be permitted to see your data before you are charged for the service. You should also be given an accurate quote for the total recovery cost before work begins.
A certified quality recovery service provider like 800Tech.com can help you with the process of recovering lost or damaged data at the best price and within the shortest amount of time in the industry.
You should never pay for unsuccessful recovery efforts, and also be sure that the company with whom you work guarantees the viability of your data in a contract prior to beginning work. Access to filenames is great, but what you need is content.
How to choose which data recovery company to use
Faced with every computer owner’s worst nightmare? Dealing with the reality of lost data? Frantic, because you just discovered that your most recent back up failed?
If you have experienced some type of physical damage to your hard drive, optical drive or other external media storage device there is a high likelihood that you are going to need the help of a professional data recovery service center. The question you are probably asking right now is how exactly you should go about selecting the right data recovery center. Well, I am here to tell you that are some very specific things that you need to look out for. Unfortunately, not every company operates with the same appreciation for customer satisfaction and loyalty. Therefore, you really need to protect your interests by doing a careful investigation before allowing anyone to touch your damaged storage media device or hard drive,
So, what are these things that you need to investigate?
First, it is a good idea to do an internet search on data recovery providers in order to compare the claims made by the available providers. You should then look at the providers who offer the service you need and determine what price they will charge for recovery services.
But, don’t make a decision based upon their website claims. You will need to pick up the phone and contact each of the companies that you are considering. If you cannot find a phone number, then it’s a pretty good indication that this is not a company with which you should be working.
When you get a representative on the phone, ask them about their success rate and whether they are willing to guarantee their service. If a company promises you a 100% success rate, there is a good chance that they are not being entirely honest.
If you are satisfied with the success rate, ask questions about the price structure that the company uses and the type of equipment that they use for recovery purposes.
A good company with an excellent success rate and better than market pricing for their entirely guaranteed data recovery service is 800Tech.com. If you check out their service listing through their website, and call to speak with one of their certified technicians, you are going to find out that not only are the 800Tech prices competitive but they also don’t charge you until they can produce your lost data.
Data loss is stressful enough. You certainly don’t deserve to have the same disappointment from the company that you hire to recover your lost data. If you do your homework before selecting a company to help with your data recovery, you will not be caught paying more than necessary for your data recovery.
If you have experienced some type of physical damage to your hard drive, optical drive or other external media storage device there is a high likelihood that you are going to need the help of a professional data recovery service center. The question you are probably asking right now is how exactly you should go about selecting the right data recovery center. Well, I am here to tell you that are some very specific things that you need to look out for. Unfortunately, not every company operates with the same appreciation for customer satisfaction and loyalty. Therefore, you really need to protect your interests by doing a careful investigation before allowing anyone to touch your damaged storage media device or hard drive,
So, what are these things that you need to investigate?
First, it is a good idea to do an internet search on data recovery providers in order to compare the claims made by the available providers. You should then look at the providers who offer the service you need and determine what price they will charge for recovery services.
But, don’t make a decision based upon their website claims. You will need to pick up the phone and contact each of the companies that you are considering. If you cannot find a phone number, then it’s a pretty good indication that this is not a company with which you should be working.
When you get a representative on the phone, ask them about their success rate and whether they are willing to guarantee their service. If a company promises you a 100% success rate, there is a good chance that they are not being entirely honest.
If you are satisfied with the success rate, ask questions about the price structure that the company uses and the type of equipment that they use for recovery purposes.
A good company with an excellent success rate and better than market pricing for their entirely guaranteed data recovery service is 800Tech.com. If you check out their service listing through their website, and call to speak with one of their certified technicians, you are going to find out that not only are the 800Tech prices competitive but they also don’t charge you until they can produce your lost data.
Data loss is stressful enough. You certainly don’t deserve to have the same disappointment from the company that you hire to recover your lost data. If you do your homework before selecting a company to help with your data recovery, you will not be caught paying more than necessary for your data recovery.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
