Lost Critical Data – DIY or Professional Software?

There are whole directories available of recovery software and ever so many top ten lists compiled by magazines, websites, net forums and enthusiastic individuals working for money or plain fun. The problem is who do we choose among this crowd of helpers, and on what basis?

The Cost Factor

The greatest factor is often the cost of the data recovery services. One moment you may be facing a charged-up CEO who wants the “priceless company information” back “at any cost” and wants to “spare no effort towards that end’; the next moment he may not like the idea of having to spend so many precious pounds as he gets to know the quotation for the services. You may feel on the spur of the moment that getting back your daughter’s photos or your son’s letters or your favourite songs is the most important mission of your life, but would you seriously want to spend beyond £ 150 on it? This is a common human fallacy, and we really cannot part with our money unthinkingly.

The Time Factor

Sometimes, money may be recovered readily, but not the time lost. A student losing his or her research on the eve of the PhD cannot possibly spend hours searching for the cheapest recovery solution; neither can an executive afford such luxury when the server of his company crashes. The thrust in such cases would be on the fastest service provider, and not on how much that is costing you. If it is a business setup, then time is of essence, since your downtime is being counted and later the overtime would be added as you try to get into pace again. Lost opportunities and other overheads that you keep counting (wages, bills, services, maintenance) cannot be discounted either.

The Security Factor

How secure is your data in the hands of the rescuer? Will trying out a new software delete what little might have been saved? Will the professional data recovery group you have hired sell your intellectual property to a rival? The concerns may vary, but security is a fear that enters everyone’s mind as they try out new avenues of rescuing data.

The Effectiveness of the Process

You need to get your data back and that is the most important factor. Does the recovery process ensure a full recovery of all your lost data? Does the software get back all types of file formats and work with any kind of OS? Whether you invest in a recovery process (DIY or professional) will depend on the effectiveness of the whole process.

How to Decide

The above factors are some of the considerations according to which a choice may be made. There are a whole lot of pointers you need to keep in mind while taking this crucial decision.

• What is the value of the data? If it is something extremely costly, you cannot afford to risk it on a DIY software, and a professional recovery company is recommended.



• Is it something that affects a lot of people? Sensitive banking information of customers is not to be entrusted to just any company. You need to entrust it only to a group that will recover it for sure, and with all the safety that such matters require.



• The volume of the data is also a decisive factor. Heavy loads of data cannot be supported by a software. You need to find out a suitable company for yourself. Their credibility and facilities should be thoroughly checked before entrusting the matter to them.



• If the data is for home use, and of not very heavy volume, you may as well go for a downloaded or off-the-shelf software. It is a good idea at any time to go for a reputed company. A free software by an unknown group might do further damage to your data. The penny-wise pound-foolish policy will clearly not work in the case of a recovery job. You don’t want to end up paying for a whole new system by trying to save a few pounds.



• If the problem is hardware-related, then you have no choice but to approach professional recovery people. The same applies to any cases where corporate espionage or theft is involved.

Article Source: http://www.goldenpalacedownload.com/articles/

James Walsh is a freelance writer and copy editor. If you are concerned about data loss and would like more information on Data Recovery see www.fields-data-recovery.co.uk

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