Data Recovery

What Is RAID and Why It Must Be Considered In A Backup Strategy

2011-09-08T07:43:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has ever looked into their computer backup strategy in any serious way will no doubt have heard of RAID. Essentially, RAID (an acronym originally meaning Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) is a term used to describe an arrangement of hard drives in which numerous drives are configured to work as one. This can be done in several ways, resulting in a system which is more capable in one way or another. For example, RAID 0 (also known as striping) involves splitting information and writing on half on one drive, and half on another. This increases the performance of the drives, but increases the chance of losing data, as when one hard drive fails, the information on the other becomes useless.

For users interested in keeping reliable backups, there is RAID 1 (also known as mirroring). In this arrangement, the same information is written to two drives simultaneously, and the operating system recognises the two as a single drive. This option results in a much smaller chance of losing data, as one hard drive failing still leaves the user with the other, which contains exactly the same information. This can be an invaluable tool when it comes to backing up your computer because it is a zero-maintenance solution.

Since the information is written to both drives by the operating system, the user doesn't have to manage backup programs, or organise the backup themselves in any way. Once the drives are in RAID, everything is done automatically and it take the element of human error out of the process. All but the most obsessive computer users have at some point forgotten to back up information, or done it quite irregularly and therefore been unsure of the last time they have done so. Additionally, automatic backup programs leave a gap between the data being written and then copied, as they are often configured to run once per week, whereas RAID 1 does it instantly.

Occasionally, users may find that they either need or desire both redundancy (meaning multiple drives with the same information) and increased performance. For these people, the answer is one of two slightly more complex forms of RAID, RAID 0+1 or RAID 1 + 0. For these, a minimum of four drives would be needed, so they are likely only useful for enthusiasts, but they work in much the same way one would expect after learning about RAID 1 and 0; they create arrays of drives with both the increased speed of RAID 0 and the increased reliability of RAID 1.

Ultimately, for those people for whom keeping backups is an absolute necessity, RAID can be invaluable. It is especially good for shared computers, as no one user is responsible for keeping the backup up-to-date. For simple peace of mind, it can be useful to have RAID set up so the user can simply forget about backing up and just let it happen. With increased data reliability, less worry, and less time spent organising data safety, it's no wonder many professionals and enthusiasts choose to use RAID as part of their system setups.

Is Free Online Backup Any Good?

2011-09-01T07:42:00.000-07:00

Getting online backup is now a must for most individuals and businesses. With that said, the upfront cost of paying for the service or monthly membership fee is more than what most people are willing to pay. This kind of perspective is understandable especially if they have yet to experience the benefits of backup services.

So if you're not ready to pay, then getting a free service gives you a foretaste of what the backup solution has to offer. It gives an overview of the features, functions, and the amount of data you can safety store in an offsite location. Contrary to some perspectives, there are actually a lot of fully-featured online backup services that are available for free.

Online backup services let you store everything from cherished digital photos, large enterprise spreadsheets, and important business documents. It eliminates the need to buy multiple hard drives for storage. With that said, here are the different types of online backup you can take advantage of depending on your needs:

Email Backup

Have you ever considered using free email services for online backup? Believe it or not, tech companies offer great storage capacity on this service. Just upload your files to Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail and name them accordingly. You can easily access, view, and download the documents when you need them.

Dropbox

Another notable name in the online backup services industry is Dropbox. The company offers 2GB of free storage space. If you need a larger option, upgrades are available for a fee. Dropbox offers file synching to make the process of storing files easier for you. This service is available in computers, mobile devices, and tablets. The service has become a favorite collaboration tool among individuals who work virtually.

Windows Live Skydrive

The fact that Microsoft is offering a free online service may come as a surprise to many. The company is known to champion propriety licensing for software and tech products over the open-source platform. The Skydrive program offers users an incredible 25GB of free online storage. The system requires you to have a Microsoft Live account. It has a complete set of features including file synching, user-friendly interface, and compatibility with Windows OS system.

Mozy

Mozy is one of the first companies that offered online backup services. While a lot of names have cropped up since then, it remains one of the top names in the industry. The company offers a basic plan for free. If you need bigger storage and better capacity, it is recommended for you to upgrade the service. Mozy is known to keep user data secure with its sophisticated encryption system.

How Online Backup Can Help Your Small Business

2011-08-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

If you are a small business owner you know the importance of keeping your information safe today in the computer age. Data loss could be detrimental to your business severely setting it back or worse, it could ruin your business. It is difficult to regularly backup your computer as often as needed as there are other things on the mind, like meeting payroll, sending invoices, receiving orders and all the other responsibilities that come with being a small business owner. That is why online backup is a service that your business should have. Backing up online offers an incredible service for an affordable price that can help your business in more than just the obvious way.

Why online backup? There are many advantages of backing up your information online, the first being having your information stored off site should anything happen to the place of your business. While hopefully this never happens, it is possible that water damage, fire damage or even theft or accidental damage could happen to your computer and even the storage drive you keep on hand. Having all your backup device in the same area as your computer is like keeping all of your money under the mattress, should something happen you will lose everything.

Backing up online also offers several additional and advantageous features like scheduled backups, versioning, remote access, computer syncing and much more. Scheduled backups and versioning are features that can give you some peace of mind because you do not have to worry about backing up your computer as it is done for you and the backup service backs up different versions should you need to restore to a certain point or date. Remote access and syncing are probably the biggest advantages of cloud backup. They allow you to not only access your computer remotely, meaning on any computer with a internet connection but also the ability to sync work files from one computer to another. If you are out on the field or traveling, syncing a file to an employee, another worker or even just your work station at home is an incredibly helpful feature that can be utilized in so many ways.

While backing up online does have some disadvantages like needing an internet connection, it overall is an incredibly sound technology. Many of the best cloud backup services available use state-of-the-art technology when it comes to securing your information. The level of security is on par with that of online banks. Also all of the backup service providers secure your information from even themselves. They can see you have data but they cannot access that data. Some companies go even further and offer personal encryption keys. And almost every company backs up your information with Geo Redundancy, basically in several areas should anything happen to their facilities.

Online backup offers great features for your business as well as performs necessary and vital functions. These days when money is tight getting your dollar to stretch is important and using services like cloud backup helps with that cause. As with anything research is key when making a decision and it is recommended to check out some online backup reviews and check which online backup services match your needs.

Dealing With Hard Drive Failure and Disk Recovery

2011-08-16T07:40:00.000-07:00

Whether a person works in an office or simply uses a personal computer at home, it is important to remember that much like any other piece of equipment that gets used on a regular basis, parts will eventually fail. Pretty much any part on a personal computer can fail, from memory, to a power supply, to the motherboard, to a hard drive, and any other piece of hardware inside the PC as a matter of fact.

Most pieces of hardware inside of a PC are easily replaceable, and most can be swapped in the matter of minutes with a cost of $100 or less. Hard drives, however, are a different story. Hard disk drives are the only pieces of hardware in a personal computer that act as internal data storage. What does this mean? This means that while a user can be up and running within minutes after any other piece of hardware is replaced, a hard drive failure can cost that person not only time, but significant amounts of money.

Hard drives store pretty much all data that a person will need access to, so if there isn't a backup, it simply isn't a matter of replacing the drive and moving on. If any important data exists on the drive, that person will need to have that data restored and moved to a new drive before they can continue with their work.

How does a person go about getting their data recovered? Well, data recovery is a process best left to the professionals. A person can take a hard disk to a third party company and they will most likely be able to fix any problems and get the data moved to a new hard drive. If the failure is a hardware issue, then the drive itself will need to be fixed and afterwards, the data will need to be moved to a new, stable drive. If the issue is software, then the company will need to work on restoring the file system or will need to fix the issue causing the corruption before the data is accessed and restored.

Either way, whether the problem with a hard drive is software or hardware, a data recovery specialist can often restore the information stored on the drive without losing much, if any, data on the drive. A hard drive failure at an inopportune time can be disastrous, but there are companies out there that can help get a person

Find the Best Tracing That Works

2011-08-07T07:40:00.000-07:00

One of the unheralded advantages of living in an increasingly high tech age is the advent of crime fighting techniques such as laptop tracing. Traditional smash and grab criminals are not known for their technical prowess or scholastic achievements. They can perhaps be forgiven for thinking that once they have stolen a laptop, the time-honored dictum of finders keepers applies to their booty. This is often their last mistake. At least it should be, provided the laptop is equipped with tracing software.

Laptop tracing relies on the universal desire of people to surf the internet for free. Thieves log on with their new toy. This enables the IP of the computer to be logged and triangulated. Once this occurs, a visit from the local police force occurs. The laptop is retrieved and the criminal caught.

Of course laptop tracing has evolved since its inception. Not all police departments are able to jump on a case of theft right away. Also, most laptops contain data that the owner is not eager to share with other people. This information can include direct links to financial accounts and personal identifiers that could turn an annoyance into a catastrophic identity breach. For this reason, many laptop tracing suites offer a menu of remote encryption and erasure that will ensure nobody compromises your personal information.

The concept of laptop tracing software works like this. You select a software package and install it on your laptop. Then you install the package on a different computer, preferably one that is not likely to be stolen at the same time. In the event of a theft, you log onto the safe computer and use it to track the location of your stolen laptop through the thief's use of its wireless capabilities.

Assuming you have an extended laptnp tracing software package, you choose what you want to do about it. You can lock up the system, encrypt everything, or wipe the drives. Another option is to simply remain passively monitoring the situation. The police will eventually arrive at the pinpointed GPS location and the drama ends.

Most criminals never realize that their own actions cause their apprehension in such cases. A laptop may change hands rapidly after being stolen, however. This is why it is important to have a full range of options rather than a simple tracking program. Often, it is the data that is far more valuable to the owner than the laptop itself. Unfortunately, not all laptop owners are aware of the immense benefits of laptop tracing software, or how easy it is to install and use

Tips for Data Loss Prevention

2011-08-02T07:39:00.000-07:00

Unexpected computer crashes that lead to a total loss of important business and personal data are making data prevention software essential for anyone who uses a computer. Almost anyone uses a computer to store files, from photos and music to secure documents. Professionals especially those who make their living online tend to have a majority of their business data stored on computers. This is the reason why you need to use software that will secure your files for you before a computer crash wipes your drive clean.

Top Features Available in the Best Data Loss Prevention Software

Top features to look for in good data loss prevention software include fast backup, minimal maintenance, efficient use of data space, easy accessibility, and high scalability. You also need data backup software to perform secure backups, which only accepts backup requests from clients.

Most users prefer software that perform fast and non-intrusive backups. Installation should also be easy. Most top-rated software can be installed in less than 20 minutes and the software automatically deploys clients to linked devices such as your phone or tablet. The top-rated software also performs automatic software updates but you can schedule when your computer checks for updates and how to install them.

Top-rated DLP software are also app-aware. This means that they utilize the minimum amount of disk space through an efficient system of duplicate reduction. Backups are made faster this way since you utilize less bandwidth. Quality DLP software also tweak how bandwidth is utilized in order to further increase the backup speed by choosing the optimal packet size coupled with the use of up to 8 threads in one network to make the best use of the bandwidth available. Administrators can further tweak this feature with the use of smart percentage bandwidth caps.

Quality data loss prevention software also allows users to restore their data using various devices anytime whether they are using browser-based restore options in their laptops and other mobile devices such as the iPhone or iPad.

Excellent data loss prevention software can be the fine line that divides a successful business from one that you have to rebuild from scratch. If you do business online or if you store important data on your laptop, you need the security that only high quality data security software can give you. Start with the features mentioned above to find data loss prevention software that can give your files the protection they need.

The Top Enterprise Online Backup Systems

2011-07-09T07:38:00.000-07:00

Enterprise online backup solutions are options which exist to provide online backup of important files and data. A sense of security comes from knowing your personal or business data is safe, regardless of what may happen in daily events. Knowing what to look for can help when it comes to choosing the best option for backing up the files of a large company or organization online.

Choosing the features best suited to your organization will aid in selecting the best option available for your enterprise online backup solutions.

The most important feature to consider is reliability of the service provider you choose. What is their reputation? Reading the reviews and the ratings of the various companies you are interested in can provide valuable information. Also consider asking people you know and do business with who they trust with the responsibility. Knowing what customers say about the company can help you decide if they are the right one to trust with your online backup storage.

Consider the costs of free accounts versus paying an annual or monthly fee. Free accounts typically may have ads and little to no customer support. However, if you pay a regular fee, you can usually expect no ads and customer support is more readily available. This is important in enterprise online backup, given the larger scale of services required. Also consider how they charge, some companies may charge by amount stored, others may require an additional fee per user.

Flexibility of the account and plan is also important. It is a good idea to go with an account that allows for changes as needed based on the requirements of the business.

If you find you have an account with too few features, you should be able to upgrade to cover what you need. The same should apply if you find you have features you are paying for but not using, and downgrade to a more manageable bundle of services.

Researching the flexibility of the accounts available will help you decide which is better suited for your purposes.

Finally, be aware of any contract terms you have to follow before making a decision in your enterprise online backup needs.

Find out who will have access to the data and who will not. Depending on the sensitivity of the information, you may opt for the company that cannot read everything you backup. Be aware of what requirements the company will place on your network for backup purposes. If your connection is slow, yet they are backing up large quantities of data, your internet connection may be useless to everyone but the company providing your online backup services. It is always important to be aware of what you are buying, and to know what you are looking for.

Maximum Protection With Cloud Backup

2011-07-03T07:34:00.000-07:00

Cloud backup is an important element of any reliable computer system. If you do not have a good backup system, you are at the mercy of chance. Data can be wiped quite easily as soon as a hard drive fails, and it may not be possible to retrieve it. However, backup solutions differ, and choosing the right one can sometimes be difficult if you do not know what criteria are important.

Durability

One of the most important elements of any backup solution is durability. The cloud server from which you intend to retrieve your data must be available. If it is unavailable for any reason, your data will be irretrievable. Therefore, a large uptime proportion is vital for any business that values its data and needs quick retrieval.

Bandwidth

A single user rarely has severe problems with bandwidth. However, cloud backup for an entire company is a different story. It is entirely possible for the system to become saturated with constant backups and duplicate data. Therefore, a system that keeps only a single copy of each file but shares it among all users is better than one that stores separate copies for everyone.

Access

In this modern age of smart phones and other portable devices, it is important not to limit access only to full-size computers. Many employees will find their jobs easier if they can access their files through their phone or tablet. The backup solution should cater for this and be compatible with all operating systems across all devices if it is to be genuinely universal. Therefore, look for cross-platform compatibility with any backup system.

Security

Your business's data is important, and it is very important to keep it private. Most importantly, your employees' and customers' privacy is at stake. Your business will also suffer if your competitors get your data. Advanced encryption and security systems are therefore a vital part of any cloud backup system.

Conclusion

No backup system should be without these features. Your employees should be able to access the necessary data anywhere at any time, easily and cheaply, while being safe in the knowledge that everything they do is hidden from prying eyes. Many popular backups systems have some implementation of these features, but the best ones are those that make these criteria primary. When choosing a cloud backup system, spend some time making sure that it fulfills your criteria as well as you and your company deserve.