A2zDataRecovery

Data recovery professional can be full-fledged data recovery company with extensive data recovery facilities. Or they could be small individual operators who provide a specialized service to smaller IT installations.

The professionals will typically face very different data recovery scenarios. They will have to deal with varied kinds of hardware, from USB Drives to complex RAID servers in a network. The data loss could occur owing to several different factors, from simple accidental deletions of files to extremely serious incidents of data loss caused by a natural disaster or fire.

There is the additional complexity of varied system configurations and platforms - from Windows Desktops to an Intranet spread over many locations.

It means that the professional data recovery software must have facilities to handle all these varied combination of factors.

In practice, however, even the most professional data recovery software is likely to be able to handle only a limited variety of data loss incidents. For the more serious incidents, you will have to approach a full facility data recovery service company.

These service companies would typically have Class 100 clean rooms kept exceptionally free of dust particles and with controlled humidity and electrical power. They will also employ trained technicians who have been exposed to all kinds of data recovery tasks.

Even with the full facilities, the service companies might use proven professional data recovery software if they determine that a particular data loss incident can be handled quickly that way.

Data Recovery Needs of Large IT Installations

We hinted at the varied data loss scenarios above. Professional data recovery software must be able to handle a wide range of scenarios to be worth the label "professional".

HARDWARE: The installations could range from standalone desktops through networked local area systems to Intranets spanning many locations. The systems can use many kinds of data storage devices such as Hard Disk Drives, CD/DVD, USB Flash Drive and tapes. Each of these devices come in numerous makes and models, often with proprietary designs. There are also special configurations like RAID.

SOFTWARE: Windows, Linux, Unix, Netware and MacOS are some of the more widely used operating systems. Then there are innumerable applications such as office suites and accounting software, any of which can malfunction and cause a data loss.

DATA LOSS FACTORS: Data loss can occur from such varied factors as accidental deletion of files or disk partitions, disk formatting, power problems leading to hardware malfunctions, software crashes, virus or hacker attacks and natural or manmade disasters.

It would be clear that any data recovery solution must be based on hard experience of as many data loss scenarios as possible. The requirements can vary widely depending on the particular combination of factors.

Other Elements of Professionalism

The professional data recovery software should be easy to use. They must follow layouts and practices that have become so familiar to computer users as to become intuitive. For example, a hierarchical system of clearly labeled buttons, use of dropdown boxes and checkboxes, Windows Explorer style screens, etc can make even the most complex piece of software easier to use.

True professionalism comes through in the design underlying the above interfaces. The design must be aligned to the way typical users tend to use each feature.

Professionalism is also reflected in the kind of support available to users. This can range from well-written, illustrated user manuals through Help and FAQ sections built into the software to phone and email support.

Professional data recovery software would thus be able to handle varied data loss scenarios and be designed with the clear understanding that persons who are NOT data recovery technicians will use it.