Data Recovery
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FAQs Learn More EssaysBack-Up Tips
- Back up your data on a frequent, regular basis. For really important data, make an additional back-up.
- For back-up software, we like Prosoft Engineering's Data Backup 3 for Macintosh (prior to 10.5) or Data Backup - PC for Windows PCs.
- Store a copy of your back-up off site, in case of disaster or theft.
- Except for tape archives, do not use data compression. Although it saves space, it makes recovery more difficult.
- When choosing an external back-up drive, try to find and enclosure that has an internal fan to provide forced air circulation. Provide enough space around the drive to promote adequate ventilation.
- Heat is harmful to hard drive life expectancy, and large capacity drives generate a lot of heat. Cooling and good ventilation are especially critical for modern storage devices.
- When purchasing a hard drive, note the manufacturer's warranty, which ranges from one to five years.
- A manufacturer's warranty does not cover the data on the drive. If you return a hard drive under warranty, expect to receive a blank (and usually "recertified") drive in return.
- Network-Attached Storage devices, or NAS drives, are both popular and inexpensive. These are devices that connect to a network, usually via Ethernet. These devices are slower than drives that directly connect to a PC. Be aware that many incorporate proprietary recording and design features that can greatly add to the cost of data recovery, should they fail.
- Avoid RAID 0 drives. These are also called striped drives, which split up your data into segments that are alternately (and sequentially) stored on two drives. The bottom line is that if one drive fails, there is no redundancy, and you lose access to all of your data. Recovery of data from a RAID 0 device is much more expensive than recovery from a RAID 1 or JBOD drive array. Many large and inexpensive storage devices sold today actually consist of two hard drives in a RAID 0 configuration, and it is not always obvious from the package. Sometimes you can reconfigure a RAID 0 drive to a more reliable array. For more information, see the detailed section under Learn More.
- If you are interested in reliable, high-volume networked or stand-along storage, check out the Drobo® line of products offered by Data Robotics, Inc.
- Back up your data on a frequent, regular basis. For really important data, make an additional back-up.
- For back-up software, we like Prosoft Engineering's Data Backup 3 for Macintosh (prior to 10.5) or Data Backup - PC for Windows PCs.
- Store a copy of your back-up off site, in case of disaster or theft.
- Except for tape archives, do not use data compression. Although it saves space, it makes recovery more difficult.
- When choosing an external back-up drive, try to find and enclosure that has an internal fan to provide forced air circulation. Provide enough space around the drive to promote adequate ventilation.
- Heat is harmful to hard drive life expectancy, and large capacity drives generate a lot of heat. Cooling and good ventilation are especially critical for modern storage devices.
- When purchasing a hard drive, note the manufacturer's warranty, which ranges from one to five years.
- A manufacturer's warranty does not cover the data on the drive. If you return a hard drive under warranty, expect to receive a blank (and usually "recertified") drive in return.
- Network-Attached Storage devices, or NAS drives, are both popular and inexpensive. These are devices that connect to a network, usually via Ethernet. These devices are slower than drives that directly connect to a PC. Be aware that many incorporate proprietary recording and design features that can greatly add to the cost of data recovery, should they fail.
- Avoid RAID 0 drives. These are also called striped drives, which split up your data into segments that are alternately (and sequentially) stored on two drives. The bottom line is that if one drive fails, there is no redundancy, and you lose access to all of your data. Recovery of data from a RAID 0 device is much more expensive than recovery from a RAID 1 or JBOD drive array. Many large and inexpensive storage devices sold today actually consist of two hard drives in a RAID 0 configuration, and it is not always obvious from the package. Sometimes you can reconfigure a RAID 0 drive to a more reliable array. For more information, see the detailed section under Learn More.
- If you are interested in reliable, high-volume networked or stand-along storage, check out the Drobo® line of products offered by Data Robotics, Inc.