The process of trying to salvage precious computer data seemingly lost to damage or deletion is always going to be a tense process. Will it succeed? Are the files lost forever? What happens if everything I’ve saved for the last six years is gone? Rebuilding what’s possible will take months, if not years…
The age of the cloud and other forms of off-site data saving have paved the way for a world where hopefully someday, data recovery is a non issue for individuals and small businesses. However, Secure Data Recovery remains a critical issue so long as households and enterprises utilize local hard drives, flash drives, servers, and RAID for data storage. More than that, the recovery has to be professionally orchestrated, under professional grade conditions, for the maximum chance of successful data retrieval.
Alas, the options for expert data recovery seem far and wide, but by adhering to the following guidelines, it’s possible to find a team which not only helps save the family photo albums or last year’s receipts, they do so without risk of doing more harm than good:
1. Free estimates
A red flag regarding whether a data recovery service is good or not is whether they offer free estimates, not unlike a car repair shop. Top tier companies have the tools and experience to know if a job is possible before starting. This allows folks to make a decision as to whether or not it’s financially worth it to go ahead.
2. Around the clock service
Potential data loss can occur anytime, anywhere. Consequently, data recovery experts have to be at the ready at all times. Companies that shy away from weekend work, holiday time, and other schedule-related issues, question their professionalism. Startups cannot afford to wait until mid-next week to find out whether or not the client email list is gone for good.
3. Vetted reputation
Every city has a long list of alleged data recovery professionals. Most don’t have a leg to stand on, but will do what they can to appear legitimate online. It’s crucial for folks in need of data recovery to find several independently published reviews and ratings regarding a company before going forward. This removes3 practically all doubt as to whether or not the team is up to the task or just playing the part.
4. Certified clean room
For the average hard drive or flash drive recovery operation, a certified clean room may seem a little like certified overkill. Yet it’s a strong indicator that a data recovery team is not going to further compromise the security of the data in question. Taking it to Tom’s Computer Repair Shop, you’re likely to find a dusty and dirty workplace. You want your drive opened up around that?
5. Certified security
As mentioned earlier, security isn’t the only important factor when seeking data recovery, but it’s at the top of the list (even though it’s at the bottom of this one.) We’re talking files, folders, and what not with lots of personal information therein. Do you want the aforementioned Tom, with seemingly good intentions but no known background, having access to social security numbers, family photos, business records, and so forth?
Waiting to find out whether your “lost” data is truly lost for good is a nail-biting experience. The key to making it easier, less stressful, and ultimately more likely to end up good is finding a reputable data recovery service. It’s not a guarantee of success, but if data is to be rescued, they’re the ones who will make it happen.
