Why Some Data Recovery Companies are Better than Others

A variety of digital storage media exist to fulfil this need, like hard disks, CDs, DVDs, pen drives, tape drives, flash memory cards and so on. Each of these is unique in terms of capacity, reliability, use and functionality. However, they all have one thing in common ? all of them are capable of losing data in an instant due to various factors.

Data may be lost due to many reasons. The most prominent are hardware and software errors. In the former, the physical components of storage device get damaged and make it unreadable to the computer.

In a hard disk, this may include the read / write head getting unhinged and crashing on the platter surface, the spindle motor that spins the platters developing a defect or the controller card or circuit board getting fried in an electric surge. The CDs or DVDs may get scratched, bent out of shape or cracked into pieces.

Software errors include cases where the hard disk partitions get deleted, the operating system is corrupted or system files go bad. Quite often, data loss is inflicted by the user who may accidentally delete a file and empty the recycle bin or even reformat the hard disk or memory card before realising that some important data was residing on them.

Then there are natural or man-made disasters and trauma ? the device may get crushed, fall from a height, get submerged in water, be engulfed in fire or be hit by lightning. In all these cases, the net result is the same ? the data contained on storage media becomes inaccessible to the user.

For minor cases of data loss due to software errors ? accidental deletion of files or when some data becomes untraceable on the hard disk ? there is a range of DIY software available online that can be purchased and downloaded. The user can then operate them by following simple instructions.

DIY software, however, can work only with software errors that are not severe. It is totally ineffective when data loss has occurred due to hardware errors. In such cases, the data device has to be taken to a professional data recovery company.

The field of data recovery is a very competitive one. There are many companies vying for your business. How do the customers decide which one to go for? How do they distinguish good ones from bad, the men from the boys?

The key to this question is infrastructure and experience. The better the infrastructure and experience a data recovery company has, the more the chances that it will be able to recover your data safe and sound. The most important element in the equation is a clean room.

It is a room that is sealed and air-tight. The air inside it is constantly routed through a series of filters to purge it of all tiny suspended matter like dust particles, human hair and skin flakes, pollen, fibre and even odour and vapours.

The air inside a clean room is as pure as humanly possible. All employees working inside a clean room have to compulsorily wear a moon suit to prevent them from introducing contaminants of their own into the sealed environment.

Why is a clean room needed? Many digital devices like hard disks are very sensitive to dust. Even a single dust particle that gets wedged between the read / write head and the platter surface can cause the disk to crash. In the clean room, such devices can be safely opened, repaired and closed again. A clean room essentially replicates the environment in the factory where the disk was manufactured.

If a data recovery has its own clean room, it is a sign that it is serious about the job and has made investments in critical infrastructure. Another thing that matters while choosing a data recovery company is pedigree. How old is it? Who are its customers? What is its reputation in the market? What do the customers who gave their device to the company say about their experience? A lot of these details can be gleaned from the company websites.

Equally important is the employee strength and geographical spread ? how many technicians does it have, what are their qualifications, does it use customised software and hardware to recover data, does it have many offices in the country and abroad?

Steer clear of companies whose only USP is cheap price. Most probably, they are cutting corners in crucial areas or outsourcing the job to others who are even cheaper than them. Good companies will always charge a bit of a premium over others, and it is worth it because of the quality of service they provide.

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 http://www.fields-data-recovery.co.uk