That is the reason behind the birth of what is a familiar setup today - the LAN and WAN - networks of computers that are interconnected. This ensures that data within the group is secure, better managed, have optimum space usage and ease of sharing. One need not go to an overseas office physically to look at the computer there, the interconnected network allows access to all those who belong to that network.
What are Servers?
But how are these networks managed? There would be chaos if hundreds of computers had to be connected physically through wires, and the cables would not cross over oceans anyway. That is why we have servers - systems whose job is to manage a network of computers. Servers may be doing all types of activities, or they may be dedicated to only one kind of job. A file server, for example, stores files containing data belonging to a particular network. Microsoft's Exchange Server is dedicated, for example, to handling only business mails and other means of business communication such as official IM accounts. Multiprocessor servers handle several tasks at the same time, keeping the internet connected, storing data, managing mailboxes etc. These are complicated programmes rather than one computer, and have much the same function on a massive scale as our humble OS on any home pc.
Uses of Servers
Servers were created to manage data better and make it faster and safer for all users. All of us deal with servers in some format or the other. Some of the most common utilities provided by servers are:
· Providing access to the internet. Most of us use a server provided by a company that manages the web connectivity, availability and services for us. This makes it cheap and easy for us to stay connected through the net.
· Managing official communication. Almost all offices run on a LAN server now, connecting all the computers and managing them centrally. This makes the office infrastructure cheaper, simpler, safer and better managed.
· Allowing remote access. As illustrated in the example above, one need not travel to Germany to look at the computer there; one can access it right here in the UK through a server that connects both systems.
· Everyday services such as ATMs and travel bookings as provided by the respective companies are all dependent on servers for the services rendered.
· Entertainment has made its foray in the area of servers too, with movies being distributed remotely over a common server now.
Types of Servers
The list given above is only the tip of an iceberg. Servers are of many kinds, and new ones are being created or customised to meet client demands everyday. Some of the types of servers that are very familiar to us are listed below:
· Chat Servers: All of us are using net chat rooms, instant messengers and all kinds of live forum activities. These are all thanks due to servers.
· Fax Servers: Again, a common feature of most offices, and a blessed relief from extremely high telephone bills but, nevertheless, a source of obtaining document hard copies.
· FTP Servers: One of the oldest formats around, these ensure secure file transfers between interconnected systems.
· Group Servers: Be it the internet or the office intranet, linking several computers in a virtual space is done by these servers.
Hard Disks in Servers
Hard disks are household goods now, and the definition of disks inside servers has been affected by this changed scenario. A 60GB disk can also act as a server now. But the most usual format is the RAID - an array of disks - that is discussed below.
What is RAID?
RAID stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disks, and is self-explanatory. It is literally a 'stack' of two or more disks with a specialised disk manager to run it. RAIDs are rated on a scale of 1 to 10 to measure efficiency and utility. Besides, there are also RAID 53 and RAID 0+1 that are very powerful arrays.
Data Loss from Server Drives
Data loss from servers can happen through natural disasters, virus and hacker attacks, logical failures, disk crashes, electrocution and human errors or mishandling.
Solutions for RAID Data Loss
RAID data loss can be attended to by only the best data recovery professionals. Any company that has experienced a RAID data loss (or is on the brink of one) must immediately contact an established data recovery company.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Data Protection Guide
Protecting Your Valuable Data
1. Set up your computer in a safe environment. Your computer should be in a dry, cool, controlled environment that is clean and dust-free. Placing your computer in a low-traffic area will protect your system and storage media from harmful jarring or bumping.
2. Backup your data regularly. Creating regular backups is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from losing data. Back up data at least once a week with reliable tapes or other storage devices, always verifying that the correct data is backed up.
3. Use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). In the event of a surge of electricity or lightning strike, an uninterruptible power supply protects your computer from being fried. In addition, a UPS has a battery backup that keeps your computer running for a short time in the event of a power outage, giving you time to save your work and avoid potential data loss. If UPS is not an available or economical solution, a surge protector is also a good investment.
4. Run a virus scan regularly and update it four times a year. Computer viruses are one of the worst enemies to your computer. Good anti-virus software tests your system for sequences of code unique to each known computer virus and eliminates the infecting invader.
5. Be aware of strange noises. If you hear a strange noise or grinding sound, turn off your computer immediately and call an expert. Further operation may damage your hard drive beyond repair.
6. If you do experience a data loss, Ontrack Data Recovery can help. Even the best maintenance program cannot always prevent system crashes or data loss. Ontrack Data Recovery offers a wide array of data recovery solutions, ranging from in-lab data recovery services and remote data recovery services to cost-effective do-it-yourself data recovery software. Please visit our Data Recovery Service Center to learn more about these solutions, and to find out which is best for your particular situation.
Caring for Your Hard Disk Drive
Despite the obvious importance of this equipment to your system, many users neglect to care for their hard disk drive. Your drive is easily susceptible to many sources of damage. Ontrack offers the following tips to protect and care for your hard drive:
1. Protect your drive from excessive jarring and bumping. All too often, when people install, move or reconfigure hard disk drives, they knock the drive around unintentionally, damaging equipment that can result in the loss of data.
2. Beware of static. Static electricity, an unseen and unfelt enemy, can wreak havoc on the wiring inside computer chips and transistors. Because it's so easy to discharge built-up static when you touch a hard disk drive, precautions like wrist straps can help prevent static discharge.
3. Acclimatize the room in which you store your equipment. Be careful of temperature, humidity, altitude and vibration, all forces that could lead to the intermittent or total failure of hard drives.
4. Perform periodic checks of your hard disk drive. Ontrack Data AdvisorTMsoftware can run tests of your system, warning you of impending problems.
5. Place your hardware in a safe location. When you move your computer to a new position (from your desk to the floor, or from a horizontal to a vertical position), you should always backup the hard disk drive. An accidental bump to the drive could cause the heads to track differently, resulting in disk read or write errors.
Caring for Your Tapes
Tapes are delicate storage media, but like the hard drive, people often fail to give their tapes adequate attention and protection.
1. Keep your tapes boxed until you need to use them. Opening tape boxes prematurely will unnecessarily increase a new tape's exposure to dust, moisture and sunlight, and could eventually erode a tape's quality and dependability.
2. Do not attempt to load a tape into the drive if you notice dents, cracks or moisture in the tape's cases, hinged doors or file-protect selectors. Loading a damaged tape could not only lead to further tape damage, but compromise the integrity of your system.
3. Store your tapes in proper fashion. It's important to store your tapes in their original cases, and standing upright. This helps prevent uneven winding of the tape and protects them from potentially damaging environmental elements.
4. Beware of temperature extremes. Store your tapes at room temperature. Excessive heat can cause the plastic used in tapes to constrict, causing instant destruction and unpredictable read/write errors in your tapes.
5. Avoid magnetic fields. Speakers, microwave ovens and printer heads can destroy your tapes and erase all information stored on them.
Tips for Successful Data Recovery
No matter how hard you try to protect your data, your system may still fall victim to data loss. Regardless of the cause of your data loss, there are steps you can take to keep your data loss from becoming a data disaster.
1. Don't panic. You should never assume your lost data is unrecoverable. Simply call a qualified data recovery expert or visit the Ontrack Data Recovery Service Center. In most cases, your data is fully recoverable.
2. Do not use file recovery software if you suspect an electrical or mechanical failure. Using file recovery software on a faulty hard drive may destroy what was otherwise recoverable data.
3. "Undelete" tools can save your data from human error. Most disk utility packages contain a function that allows you to retrieve an erased file. This tool must be used immediately; however, because your computer will quickly write new data over the deleted file. For users of Windows 95 and Windows NT (v4.0) deleted files are stored in the recycle bin and can be restored as long as you haven't emptied the recycle bin. For more information see your Windows documentation or help file.
4. Do not clean or operate equipment damaged by a natural disaster. Whether it's a flash flood or a twisting tornado, if you've fallen victim to a natural disaster, there is only one option. Call Ontrack immediately. Your chances for a successful recovery are greatly reduced if you make any attempts yourself to clean or dry your damaged computer.
5. If your data falls victim to computer crime, seek professional advice. Computer crime is a growing threat to data. Intentional data deletion, duplication and theft increasingly threaten valuable computer information. If you need to uncover criminal computer activity or need electronic evidence to make your case, contact Kroll Ontrack immediately. Ontrack Electronic Information Management specialize in computer theft diagnosis and electronic evidence gathering.
6. Create and maintain reliable backups. It's surprising how few people actually backup their systems regularly, and verify that backups are complete and error free.
7. If you have suffered data loss, seek professional help. Professional data recovery services offer the expertise and tools required to recover your data quickly and efficiently.
1. Set up your computer in a safe environment. Your computer should be in a dry, cool, controlled environment that is clean and dust-free. Placing your computer in a low-traffic area will protect your system and storage media from harmful jarring or bumping.
2. Backup your data regularly. Creating regular backups is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from losing data. Back up data at least once a week with reliable tapes or other storage devices, always verifying that the correct data is backed up.
3. Use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). In the event of a surge of electricity or lightning strike, an uninterruptible power supply protects your computer from being fried. In addition, a UPS has a battery backup that keeps your computer running for a short time in the event of a power outage, giving you time to save your work and avoid potential data loss. If UPS is not an available or economical solution, a surge protector is also a good investment.
4. Run a virus scan regularly and update it four times a year. Computer viruses are one of the worst enemies to your computer. Good anti-virus software tests your system for sequences of code unique to each known computer virus and eliminates the infecting invader.
5. Be aware of strange noises. If you hear a strange noise or grinding sound, turn off your computer immediately and call an expert. Further operation may damage your hard drive beyond repair.
6. If you do experience a data loss, Ontrack Data Recovery can help. Even the best maintenance program cannot always prevent system crashes or data loss. Ontrack Data Recovery offers a wide array of data recovery solutions, ranging from in-lab data recovery services and remote data recovery services to cost-effective do-it-yourself data recovery software. Please visit our Data Recovery Service Center to learn more about these solutions, and to find out which is best for your particular situation.
Caring for Your Hard Disk Drive
Despite the obvious importance of this equipment to your system, many users neglect to care for their hard disk drive. Your drive is easily susceptible to many sources of damage. Ontrack offers the following tips to protect and care for your hard drive:
1. Protect your drive from excessive jarring and bumping. All too often, when people install, move or reconfigure hard disk drives, they knock the drive around unintentionally, damaging equipment that can result in the loss of data.
2. Beware of static. Static electricity, an unseen and unfelt enemy, can wreak havoc on the wiring inside computer chips and transistors. Because it's so easy to discharge built-up static when you touch a hard disk drive, precautions like wrist straps can help prevent static discharge.
3. Acclimatize the room in which you store your equipment. Be careful of temperature, humidity, altitude and vibration, all forces that could lead to the intermittent or total failure of hard drives.
4. Perform periodic checks of your hard disk drive. Ontrack Data AdvisorTMsoftware can run tests of your system, warning you of impending problems.
5. Place your hardware in a safe location. When you move your computer to a new position (from your desk to the floor, or from a horizontal to a vertical position), you should always backup the hard disk drive. An accidental bump to the drive could cause the heads to track differently, resulting in disk read or write errors.
Caring for Your Tapes
Tapes are delicate storage media, but like the hard drive, people often fail to give their tapes adequate attention and protection.
1. Keep your tapes boxed until you need to use them. Opening tape boxes prematurely will unnecessarily increase a new tape's exposure to dust, moisture and sunlight, and could eventually erode a tape's quality and dependability.
2. Do not attempt to load a tape into the drive if you notice dents, cracks or moisture in the tape's cases, hinged doors or file-protect selectors. Loading a damaged tape could not only lead to further tape damage, but compromise the integrity of your system.
3. Store your tapes in proper fashion. It's important to store your tapes in their original cases, and standing upright. This helps prevent uneven winding of the tape and protects them from potentially damaging environmental elements.
4. Beware of temperature extremes. Store your tapes at room temperature. Excessive heat can cause the plastic used in tapes to constrict, causing instant destruction and unpredictable read/write errors in your tapes.
5. Avoid magnetic fields. Speakers, microwave ovens and printer heads can destroy your tapes and erase all information stored on them.
Tips for Successful Data Recovery
No matter how hard you try to protect your data, your system may still fall victim to data loss. Regardless of the cause of your data loss, there are steps you can take to keep your data loss from becoming a data disaster.
1. Don't panic. You should never assume your lost data is unrecoverable. Simply call a qualified data recovery expert or visit the Ontrack Data Recovery Service Center. In most cases, your data is fully recoverable.
2. Do not use file recovery software if you suspect an electrical or mechanical failure. Using file recovery software on a faulty hard drive may destroy what was otherwise recoverable data.
3. "Undelete" tools can save your data from human error. Most disk utility packages contain a function that allows you to retrieve an erased file. This tool must be used immediately; however, because your computer will quickly write new data over the deleted file. For users of Windows 95 and Windows NT (v4.0) deleted files are stored in the recycle bin and can be restored as long as you haven't emptied the recycle bin. For more information see your Windows documentation or help file.
4. Do not clean or operate equipment damaged by a natural disaster. Whether it's a flash flood or a twisting tornado, if you've fallen victim to a natural disaster, there is only one option. Call Ontrack immediately. Your chances for a successful recovery are greatly reduced if you make any attempts yourself to clean or dry your damaged computer.
5. If your data falls victim to computer crime, seek professional advice. Computer crime is a growing threat to data. Intentional data deletion, duplication and theft increasingly threaten valuable computer information. If you need to uncover criminal computer activity or need electronic evidence to make your case, contact Kroll Ontrack immediately. Ontrack Electronic Information Management specialize in computer theft diagnosis and electronic evidence gathering.
6. Create and maintain reliable backups. It's surprising how few people actually backup their systems regularly, and verify that backups are complete and error free.
7. If you have suffered data loss, seek professional help. Professional data recovery services offer the expertise and tools required to recover your data quickly and efficiently.
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