วันอาทิตย์ที่ 30 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

How To Perform A Full Backup Of Your Hard Drive

By: Copyright 2006 Otis Cooper
We all know that we should back up our system as soon as possible.But if you're like most of us,you will get to it tomorrow.The problem is that tomorrow rarely ever comes until you experience a serious computer failure and then its too lake.Taking the time to backup your data or entire hard drive is not as painstaking as it may seem.And the rewards of doing so will be great should your system experience a crash.WINDOWS AND OTHER BACKUP SOFTWAREIf you have Windows XP you will need to install the new Windows backup utility from the Windows XP cdrom.Just place the WinXP cdrom in your cdrom drive and locate the line D:VALEADDMSFTNTBACKUP.Here you see the first letter as D but if your optical drive have a different drive letter,exchange the D with your drive's letter.To install the utility,click on the file named NTBackup.msi.The backup utility will be installed to the system tools group.Click Start,All Programs,Accessories,System Tools,and Backup.There is a neat wizard that will walk you through the backup process.WinXP's backup utility will backup your entire hard drive and will make a recovery disk to boot.One neat third party backup software you can try is NewTech InfoSystems at http://www.ntius.com where you can download their trial version and put it to use for 30 days.And if its your cup of tea,the full version will run you about $79.95INCREMENTAL OR DIFFERENTIAL BACKUPSYou should back up your entire hard drive when you perform your first backup.After that it is best to perform an Incremental backup.This type of backup only allow you to backup files that have changed since your last performed backup.Differential Backups copy changed files and files that have been added since you last did your entire backup. This type of backup is more detailed than incremental backups and is easier to restore.BACKUP STORAGE DEVICESYou can backup your files on cdroms and have the files compressed to save both space and backup time.WinXP will compress folders,subfolders,and files during backup.You can purchase compression software that will do the same saving you cdrom storage space.The compressed files are automatically uncompressed once they are restored unto your hard drive.You can also use a second hard drive as your backup storage device.We use two backup hard drives to be certain Ultimate PC Repair is up and running 24/7.You can either purchase an internal hard drive in install it to your ide cable or you may want to purchase an external hard drive that connects to your Universal Serial Bus or USB Port.The advantage of the external drives is that they have very large amount of storage space,transfer data fast,and can be moved from your computer to any other computer.We use the Western Digital 170 Gigabyte External Hard Drive and we simply bounce it around to either one of our four computers with the greatest of ease.USING ONLINE BACKUP SERVICESYou may also consider online services for backing up your data.If you lose all your backup data,say due it a natural disaster such as a flood,your online data is right there waiting for you.Another advantage of online backups is that you can access,upload,or download your data from any location. It is best to use high speed internet access if you're considering online data storage.One such online backup service is Istorage located at http://www.iomega.com/istorage and charges from $2.49 a month for 50MBs to $17.95 a month for a big 1,000MBs of storage.Or you can check out FilesAnywhere located at the url http://www.filesanywhere.comStill another online service to try is CapSure located at http://www.capsure.comBackup your system now in one way or another if you have not done so.If you have critical data that you simply cannot due without,take the time to invest in a backup device or one of the many online backup services.Stop and perform those backups as soon as possible. You will be thankful you did should something go wrong with your computer.Its always better to be safe than sorry.

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วันเสาร์ที่ 29 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Digital Preservation: How To Protect And Care For Your Data Storage Media

By: Christine Harrell
When you stop and think about it, it's amazing how much of a company's profitability is tied up in its archived information. 99.9% of the time, the right bit of critical information is there when we need it so we tend to take data storage for granted. Like anything else, digital preservation media such as magnetic tape media and optical disks have a finite lifespan. But ultimately, it is the way in which you protect and care for your digital media that determines how long the data will keep its integrity. In this article we'll discuss ways to care for your various data storage media to increase its lifespan. Tape MediaTape media is one of the first forms of digital data storage and is still heavily used today. One of the reasons why tape media is so popular, aside from its dependability, is that that tape media is a mature media. Unlike the newest fad in digital storage media like the mini disk, devices that read tape media will most likely still be prevalent years down the road. Before recording on new tape media, it's best to send it through a full forward and rewind cycle for the purpose of equalizing the tape tension. In order to keep the tension retained while in storage, archived tapes should be put through a full forward and rewind cycle every year or two. When handling tape media, it's essential that the magnetic tape always remain encased and never touched. Not only is the tape in jeopardy of being torn or stretched, but oils on the skin can destroy the stored data over time. As for storage tape media, optical disks, or solid state media, it's critical that the media be stored in its correct case. Tape media cases are designed to protect the tape media from harm by magnetic fields. When possible, choose archival quality cases for tape media that are designed in such a way that they don't emit chemicals over time that could damage the tape media. Even if these archival cases cost a bit more, they're well worth the few extra cents. Optical disksThe top layer of the underside of an optical disk is where the data is stored which is why it's so important only to touch optical disks on the outer side edges. Optical disk cases are designed to prevent scratches and should remain in their cases at all times. Preferably, cases should be made of heavy plastic and disks should never be stored in a paper sleeve alone.If you do need to clean optical disks, use only optical disk cleaning solution and a lint-free cloth. Never wipe in a circular motion around the circumference of the disk. Instead wipe the cloth across the disk from the center hole to the outer edge. Take care with the label side of the disk as well. Only use a soft-tip marker with water soluble inks and never write on the disk with a ball point pen or a fine tipped marker. Both tape media and optical disks should be stored in cool, dry environments that are free of smoke and protected against insects. Temperature, humidity, and other environmental factors must be rigidly controlled. The temperature in your storage room should be between 60 and 68 degrees and humidity maintained between 35% and 45%. Still, even with proper care, digital storage media doesn't last forever. The life expectancy for tape media is around 20 years and about 10 for optical disk. To be safe and to keep your data in the best shape possible, you should recopy tape media every 10 year and optical disks about every 5 years.

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วันศุกร์ที่ 28 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Computer Backup and Recovery Strategies for Home Users

By: Keith Scott
With technology today, you have a variety of options of backing up your data. In this article, I will cover many of the options that are local to your computer. Before you begin, you need to create an inventory of your data the locations and size of all your data. Please note: The tips/advice here are for backing up user/data files and not for backing up system/Windows files. As you read through this information, you will notice that much of this is "old school" back-up processes. I have used Windows XP backup but I prefer writing my own batch files and creating my own process as I believe this is cleaner for what I need. For example, in Windows XP backup, when you create a backup of several files, Windows XP backup, backs them up all into a single file. My method simply copies the files to another location, file by file, which means you are not later dependant on any Windows software for restores. Now, please know, that the Windows XP backup utilities are full of cool features, it is just I prefer to have more control over what I am backing up.You are now ready to backup where data? But wait, my data is spread out all over my hard drive. Is there an easy way? Yes, there is. My method may not be the best way, or most slick method, but it works for me and has saved me many times. I write a batch file using the old dos command (xcopy) and copy my data from all the different locations on my hard drive into one central location. I can then save this folder to CD/DVD/etc. To improve speed, I use the command line options to copy only new files or files that have changed. The batch file has several lines like thisxcopy c:\pictures\*.* d:\backup\pictures\ /e/s/h/c/dxcopy c:\mydata\*.* d:\backup\data\ /e/s/h/c/dxcopy c:\mydocu~1\*.* d:\backup\data\ /e/s/h/c/detcI now have all the data I need in one main folderWith that in mind, here are your options:Saving Data to Floppy - I feel silly even mentioning this option, but it is still an option if you need to back up a few very small files and bring them with you somewhere. Please note, most computers today do not even come with floppy drives making this option all but obsolete. Saving to a Zip Disk - A Zip Disk is much like a supercharged floppy or external hard drive. It is just another form of media that you can use to store data. While quick and simple, in order to restore to another computer, it has to have a zip drive attached, or you need to bring your actual drive with you. Saving to a CD - Most computers today come with a CD drive that has write capabilities. What this means is you can save your data (up to about 700 Meg) to a CD. This option is more than adequate for the majority of computer users. Each CD drive has its own set of software that enables you to do this, so you will have to refer to your own manufacture/software instructions for details. Saving to a DVD - If you have more then 700 MB of data, you may want to consider getting a writable DVD drive for your computer. While you may think of DVD's for movies, the reality is a DVD is just another form of media for storing data. The movie is nothing more than zeros and ones. The advantage of the DVD is that a DVD can store up to 4.7 Gig of data. That is considerably more than a regular CD. Of course you will need a DVD writer. Fortunately, they are not that much more expensive than a CD writer. If you are buying a new computer, you should consider the DVD burner option. Like a CD, instructions for copying data to a DVD differ by the software being used.Saving to a USB Flash Drive - Flash drives are now at 2 gigs of data and will soon be more. A flash drive is a small device you connect into a USB port. It is somewhat like your computer memory except it does not lose data when the power goes out. These handy little devices are becoming more and more popular as a quick and easy way to get data from one computer to another and have basically replaced the floppy drive. They can be used to back up your data, but you will only have the most current backup, and of course you are limited to the data storage limits of the device.Another Disk Drive - Got tons of data? Get another drive. My preferred method of backing up data is to another hard drive. This is perhaps a little overkill, but it works. I back up all my data (many, many gigs of data) to another hard drive in my computer. This is quick and fast. It is also rather expensive and does not solve the off-site problem, so still need to save data to DVD's. But this method allows me to incrementally backup my data at any give time, and allows me the options to create a permanent backup at a later time. The advantage was clear when I had to rebuild my computer. Once the OS was installed and patched, I simply attached my backup drive, and presto, there was ALL my data. No restores, no waiting around, it was just there. Had I had to rebuild my computer due to viruses or other issues, I may not have been able to do this because my files on my backup drive could have also been infected. So be careful when using this strategy. You can purchase external hardrives for this type of activity.Saving to Tape - It is unlikely that you will want to save your data to tape if all you have is a personal computer or two. Tape drives are expensive and the tapes for the drives are expensive as well. Tape backup does make sense in large data centers or file servers as this method provides a good alternative to backing large amounts of data day after day. It also provides a good back tracking record as tapes are usually rotated on some sort of schedule. If you have a home business with several computers, a few file servers, and gigs and gigs of data, then a tape backup may be the thing for you.

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วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 27 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Why Is Important For Disk-to-Disk-to Tape?

By: Christine Harrell
Traditionally, many businesses have at some point done backup directly to relatively inexpensive tape systems. For many computer applications, it's important to have data immediately ready to be restored from a secondary disk if and when the data on the primary disk becomes inaccessible. The time to restore data from tape would be considered unacceptable. On the other hand, tape is a more economical alternative for long-term storage (archiving). Because it's also more portable, tape is often used for off-site backup and restoration in case of a disaster.Disk-to-Disk-to Tape which is also known as D2D2T, refers to backing up data on disks first and tape (or optical disk) second. Backing up onto tape is performed at less frequent intervals than from disk-to-disk.As backup and recovery becomes more of a chief concern in the data centers, many storage managers are looking to new technologies to make the process easier. In the near future tape is not going away, but it will be increasingly joined by disk as a core backup technology.Tape was the only acceptable method of backup for some time. As with any other technology there have been problems, whether it be the media, the drive/library or the backup window. However, backup to disk locally, replicates the backup to offsite disk, then backup to tape there. One will never have to touch the tapes as they're offsite already. In order for this to work though, you have to have something that changes the way backups are done. It simply cannot be completed with traditional backup software because there would not be enough bandwidth to replicate full and incremental backups.When it comes to disk-to-disk tape, there are numerous manufacturers of hardware and software that will copy the data across. Most recently introduced is the Assureon, which is a combined hardware/software platform that provides fixed-content archive storage capabilities for the enterprise. This platform is disk-based, and offers both WORM storage capabilities as well as automated retention periods in which files cannot be changed or erased until their designated retention period has elapsed. There are those skeptics that feel that disk is not ready for "prime time." Many others may disagree. SATA Disk based arrays have penetrated every market, there are millions of these drives "spinning" and drive failures are rather infrequent. With RAID5 or RAID6 and hot spare implemented the odds of data being lost is extremely slim.

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วันพุธที่ 26 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

3 Things You May Not Hear In Sales Pitches For Data Storage Devices

By: Christine Harrell
When comparing different types of data storage devices, you'll certainly read and hear about all of the great things that each product has to offer. But what about the downside to each type of media storage? Optical drives, tape media, and disk storage, all have their own set of pros and cons that you'll need to evaluate before making a decision about which type data backup strategy to implement.#1 Lifespan of the Data:In most sales copy, you'll read about how much storage space a particular type of media offers, but rarely will you read about how long that data will last. Most people just assume that once stored, their data will be safe forever. The data stored on optical drives, tape media, and disk storage each has a shelf life depending on the media type, the brand of storage device, and how it's cared for. Optical disks: Between x and x yearsTape media: Between x and x yearsDisk storage: Between x and x yearsJust because one type of media has a shorter lifespan than another doesn't mean you shouldn't choose it. It is, however, critical to know the life expectancy so that you can implement a foolproof process for recopying the data at regular intervals. It's more important to choose a data storage type that fits with your business processes than the one that will last the longest. #2 Potential for Data Failure:The whole point of backing up data is to have it available should the unthinkable occur. But what if it's not there when you need it? Optical drives, tape media, and disk storage all have their own acceptable and expected rates of failure. According to some statistics, disk storage has an approximate Mean Time Before Failure (MTBF) rating of 600,000 to 1,000,000 hours while tape media has a MTBF of about 400,000 to 500,000 hour.Again, just because one type of data storage has a greater rate of failure than another doesn't mean it's not the right option for your business. After all, a failure every 1,000,000 or a failure every 600,000 is still a failure. The logical approach is to ensure that there is system in place to catch and repair failures. It's more important to inquire about a specific product's failure backup strategy than make a decision based on failure rate alone.#3: Length of Time to Restore Data:When data is lost, recovering systems and data to their pre-disaster state doesn't just happen instantly. Optical drives, tape media, and disk storage each require different processes and require different lengths of time to recover data. It's essential to calculate the cost of downtime for your business. How much money will you lose for each hour you're your systems are down? How much downtime can you afford? You won't want to choose your data storage device on this factor alone, but it should be a big part of your consideration. While disk storage can have everything back up and running fairly quickly, it can't store nearly as much data as tape media. You may need to combine multiple types of data storage devices for different types of data.It's important to seek out an unbiased opinion on these issues when choosing your data storage solution. When you begin doing your own research on any one of these subjects, you'll find that each of these issues tends to spark heated debates among proponents in different industries. Not surprisingly, the data figures vary widely depending on who publishes them. In order to obtain the most objective information about the right type of data storage solution for your particular business, a value added reseller is a smart option. These are educated resellers that offer a wide variety of media types and brands along with free one on one consultation. This way, you'll not only get a logical, unbiased consultation, but a data backup strategy that is completely customized for your business.

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วันอังคารที่ 25 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Backup Your Data On Your Computer Or Lose It Forever

By: Gregg Hall
Computers, though they are meant to make our lives generally easier, depending on the perception, usually are much like a double-edged sword. Any person, who has used a computer for a while, will have an understanding on just how safe their date is. More the fact, that safe date simply does not exist, when it comes to computers. It really does not matter what type of work you are doing you have experienced computer failure likely numerous times. Occasionally, as is expected, we will experience disruptions within the work we are doing on the computer rather we are laying out a business plan, writing a book, or simply surfing the internet. Each piece of data you store upon your computer is in danger of a variety of threats. Because of this, regular computer users have integrated recovery of data directly into our knowledge of computers. While it is possible to recover data, it does not mean it is always a necessity. There are rules all computer users should know and apply; the following will help in preventing the need to use data recovery.You should practice regular backups of:Games you have SavedYour System SettingsMy Documents FolderMy Music FolderMy Pictures FolderDriversApplications that you do not have copies ofIt is important to back up the above; because doing so will help you prevent the need to use data recovery. When backing up these items you should use secondary method of storage such as tapes, disks, floppies, or zip drives, this allows you to ensure hard disk recovery. Once you have performed the backup, you will want to keep the backup medium stored in a location away from your computer where it will be protected from contamination, heat, and dust, all of which may destroy the data contained on the storage medium. This helps in prevent data recovery from becoming necessary.Data recovery is still possible, if you accidentally delete a much-needed file. However, before running out to buy the data recovery software, you will want to look into your recycle bin. The recycle bin is the holding folder before permanent deletion. If you have accidentally deleted an important file, first look there and data recovery could be as easy and just restoring the file. However, once it has been emptied, recovering in this manner is not longer available.If you have ever suffered a crash you know how crucial it is to back up your computer, I have and I know the damage that can be done. Take the time to back up your computer before it is too late.

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วันจันทร์ที่ 24 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

How To Accomplish Data Recovery In Incredimail and Outlook

By: Gregg Hall
When it comes to mail servers and exchanges the presence of virus attacks, corrupted files, and booting issues are very much a reality. Any of these instances can create a problem with your email and cause them to disappear suddenly. It is crucial that you backup your email data to prevent loss. Businesses who fail to have back up and place strong reliance upon communication via email have great problems with these attacks.There is a solution, it is called email recovery and it is a form of data recovery, only used specifically for lost emails. I don't know how you feel about the possibility of loss of data in your email program, but for my business it could be devastating. The following are a few different examples of the steps you should take, for three of the most popular email servers, for data recovery.Email Data Recovery in IncrediMailStep 1-From the IncrediMail menu, click on Select file, then Data and Settings transfer, then Transfer from Old computerStep 2-Click OkStep 3-Click on Open, then OkStep 4-Data recovery the beginsStep 5-Upon completion, you will see a dialog box that states that the recovery process has been performed.Step 6-Click okStep 7-Upon clicking ok Incredimail will complete the data recovery process by automatically restarting.Data Recovery and Email Recovery in OutlookStep 1-From the Outlook menu, click on file, then Import and ExportStep 2-When the drop down menu appears, click on file or Import from another programStep 3-Click on NextStep 4-Highlight the PST (Personal Folder File) with your mouseStep 5-Click on NextStep 6-Click on Browse button, choose the PST File backup copy you want to use in data recovery from the appropriate locationStep 7-A dialog will appear, using your mouse mark the Replace Duplicates box, this will replace the duplicated items that are imported. This will begin the process of data recovery.Step 8-Click on NextStep 9-When data recovery has completed, click on the finish button.Email Data Recovering in Outlook ExpressStep 1-From the Outlook Express menu, click on file, then import, then messagesStep 2-Choose the appropriate version of Outlook Express that you are currently using when asked what email program you are importing fromStep 3-Click on NextStep 4-A dialog box will appear, ensure that you have chosen the appropriate version of Outlook ExpressStep 5-Click on OkStep 6-Click on NextStep 7-Designate the folders you want to import, data recovery will then begin.Step 8-Click on NextStep 9-The data recovery process is now complete.

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วันอาทิตย์ที่ 23 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Recovering Your Data From Damaged DVDs

By: Charles Hammer
There are many computer applications out there that will perform DVD data recovery for you. Often times your data can become lost or damaged on your DVD and it is vital to you that this data be recovered. When data recovery is necessary, a good recovery program will perform this task for you. There are some important factors to look for when selecting which software you will use in this frustrating time.So what should I be looking for?You must use a recovery program that can, when necessary, retrieve your data from disks that you made with "drag and drop" DVD authoring software. When comparing the features of different recovery programs, you will want to choose the one that records directly onto disks. These disks should include disks for your digital camera, DVD video cameras, or your personal DVD recorders/players.You will probably need a recovery application that can unzip the files that were previously compressed. The program should also be able to obtain the back up data from the discs that were written in several stages. The DVD data recovery program will most likely benefit from an internal UDF reader. Even if you have erased your files from your DVD you should be able perform some kind of data recovery. Improperly closed disks can also be recovered by the software. The software will likely be able to identify missing or corrupt data on the ISO/Joliet discs even if they have a damaged file system.Can I expect anything more from this software?A good recovery application will likely be able to recover the files that are found on your defective, scratched, or damaged discs. In addition to all of that, it will probably give you direct access to the drive, while bypassing the Windows File System. It should scan for the lost sessions each time you put a new disc into the drive. The DVD data recovery application will digitally save audio tracks from a vast range of wave types. It will also examine the usability of the DVD as well. When this is performed by the software you should have an extracted ISO Image file. The program should organize all of your files and folders into a DVD library. A good program will most importantly be one that is very easy for the end user to use.

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วันเสาร์ที่ 22 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Advantages of Colocation Services for your Critical Data

By: Rob Parker
One idea that has come to the forefront in light of recent disasters is that of the colocation centre: a secure site where several companies base their data centres. It is often the technical hub of a business where key applications and critical data are stored, as well as the area that manages incoming and outgoing electronic communication between the company, its clients, and its workers.Data centres that are located in-house are increasingly expensive, and in the case of many small or medium sized businesses prohibitively so. By using a colocation centre, which securely houses the data centres for many different companies, business owners can cut costs significantly, both in terms of carrying capacity and personnel.Because colocation centres concentrate only on IT aspects of business, they are always supplied with the latest in terms of worker ability, safety, and in-service provision. The data stored in colocation centres are always protected by the very latest in firewall and other hacking proof technology. In-house servers frequently run behind the times, as security services need to be constantly monitored for any changes to protect against new threats. Business owners either get behind, or can’t pay the properly qualified personnel to monitor and update their systems. A colocation centre has a dedicated group of certified technicians monitoring the data centres in the facility 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As the costs are shared amongst the businesses using the facility, it is much more efficient than paying in-house staff. Colocation centres can also take a lot of the headache out of customer relations. Internet presence is an increasingly important factor in creating and maintaining relationships between customers and businesses, and a fault with a connection can mean lost dollars. Colocation centres are serviced with the latest fool proof systems and wiring, allowing constant connectivity.In the event of a disaster, colocation centres also include backup servers which kick in immediately if trouble occurs. This allows much more streamlined and efficient recovery in case data centres are compromised in any event. In-house data recovery is always much more costly, if in fact it is a possibility at all.In short, colocation centres offer a lot of advantages to the business owner. Safety and continuity are two considerations when it comes time to decide if you want to outsource the storage of your critical data.

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วันศุกร์ที่ 21 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Data Backup in Web Hosting Industry

By: Bedrich Omacka
Data is very important in any business whether it is online or offline. Data stored in your server cannot be lost as it puts a full stop to your business. If you lose data then you have to spend a lot money, time and effort to replace them. In some critical applications it is not even easy to replace the data. Hence a wise decision is to find some ways to retain your data. This is where Back-up comes into picture. Data back-up is a process in which you save your valuable data to some remote server or in some media which can be used to restore them back when you need it. You may face situations in which you application becomes corrupt or your data file is corrupted. Intentional damage, natural disasters, and hardware failure are some of the other situations which makes your lose your data. During such situations you can use the data that is backed up in your remote server to restore. A periodic backup is necessary so that you do not lose much data when a contingency occurs. Data backup in web hosting industry is common and is also a must, since they face a lot of contingencies mentioned above. With ever increasing viruses and worms you may not when you will lose your data. Hence taking backup of your data is a must in these days. Any web hosting account that you purchase also comes up with a comprehensive backup scheme that can be used to backup the important data that you might have in the server. If you have a site that has many users (members), then it is important that you also backup the data of your users also. Under such situations it is better to backup the site data and the users’ data separately so that you can restore which ever you want. A backup can be incremental or full backup. Full backup is to take a backup of all the data available in the site, whereas the incremental backup is to take a backup of the data that has changed since the last backup. It takes a lot of time and space to take a full backup of your site. Backup is taken usually in the tar format or the .gz format. Taking backups in these formats saves a lot of space and time. Most of the web hosting services provides a backup plan which could be monthly, weekly, or daily basis. The data thus backed up is stored offline on a secure server. Some services charge you for the backup services provided by them. Some of the hosting providers provide you the necessary tools to take a backup so that you can schedule backup on your own. If your site has critical data then hourly backup can also be sought after. Such exclusive backups are charged by the hosting provider. Hence taking a backup of the important data and the site is important in the web hosting industry so that the website can be restored in the minimum time with minimum interruption to the users.


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วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 20 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

How To Recover Lost or Deleted Data Files: Data Recovery Software Information

By: Mary Markell
Have you heard of data/file recovery? The definition of the term Data Recovery is "..Making previously lost or damaged data available again.." A data recovery software or method can help us recover destroyed data e.g. an accidentally deleted file. It happens all the time. You delete an important file on your PC and send it to your recycle bin by mistake. You realize what you've done only after you've cleaned the contents of the recycle bin.What do you do now?That file you deleted was so important. Fortunately there are lots of methods (Data Recovery Methods) and software (Data Recovery Software) available to help you get your lost files back.Let's start by mentioning some possible reasons for the loss of data:* You accidentally delete an important file. Then you immediately shred the contents of your recycle bin* During today's system crash some files just disappeared and cannot be located or accessed* You format your hard drive but then you remember those important .zip files previously stored in the newly formatted empty medium.* A power outage prevented some files from being written to the hard disk.* Data loss can also occur due to physical damage of the storage media. For example the surface of your CD-ROM may be scratched off or your hard disk may suffer from all kinds of possible mechanical failures...and the list goes on.Is Data Recovery Important?Data recovery is a very misunderstood concept. A lot of people may not even be aware of the existence and the importance of data recovery. Maybe they think of it on a personal level. The truth is, lost data causes financial disasters to companies all over the world. The cost associated with computer downtime and lost data is enormous (several million dollars) for businesses.How to deal with data loss?Losing files is easy but recovering them can be difficult. If the loss was due to physical damage then you need someone with experience, a hardware technician or something. It wouldn't be wise to try to overcome hardware failures alone unless you are a professional.Now, if the loss of data was due to logical failure or human error then the solution is data recovery software. The data recovery software should be able to:- Undelete files even after you've shred the contents of your recycle bin- Recover files after you've been infected from a malicious threat (trojan, worm or other virus)- Recover files from reformatted hard disks or after your system crashes or your hard disk fails- Recover all types of files (all kinds of documents, images, music, videos, email messages, zipped files etc)- Recover data from all types of storage mediums (hard disks, external drives, CD-ROM, usb drives, floppy disks etc)- Recover files easily and successfully. Should be user-friendly allowing someone with no data recovery skills to use it- Take/create backups of critical system files or files you chooseThe best way to avoid data loss is to start taking backups of your important storage mediums. Either create backups of data on CD-ROMS or use an external drive or zip drive to back up your critical files. If you want to go further look for software that automates the process of backing up and storing your data. These programs are kind of "set and forget". You set it up to take backups every hour or every day or month etc. and let the software do the rest.

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วันพุธที่ 19 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Selecting a Data Recovery Company to Rescue Data from a Crashed Hard Drive

By: Rob Parker
The worst has happened and your hard drive has crashed in a power surge or some other accident that causes both your mental and computer circuits to fry. Most of us don’t take the time to back up all of our files, and the reasons are varied. Perhaps your drive crashed just before your weekly backup. Maybe you thought you just did a backup yesterday, but discovered that months have passed in the blink of an eye. Whatever the reason, there are several things you must now concern yourself with in order to get that valuable data back.Trust! The number one issue when looking for a data recovery company is that of trust. Everyone today has a very large amount of personal information stored on their hard drive, sometimes without being aware that it is there. Passwords for different sites, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, and records of Internet sites visited are all pieces of information that can make their way onto a hard drive. The more often you use your computer, the more information you likely have on it that you do not want out for just anyone to see.There are different sizes of companies who provide data recovery services, and this might be crucial in determining who you want to use. Smaller companies may charge less, but one or two individual operators might not be a very good option unless you know the operators personally. An important thing to keep in mind here is how long the company has been established. A smaller company that has been around for a few years will have a long record as far as clients, and you will be able to tell something about their trustworthiness from their track record. Reputation. The Internet provides consumers with a very valuable tool when it comes to deciding which company might be best for them. When you are short listing companies, be sure to do some searches on them on the Internet to find out their reputation. Because they are involved in computer technology, any company worth your time will have a presence on the ‘net. In addition, you can do searches to see what past clients are saying about the company’s services. Flag any complaints right away; always remember that you don’t want to take chances with your valuable information.Once you have decided on a few companies and determined that they are reliable, the deciding factors will probably be price and time. Fast tracked recovery may cost more, but if you absolutely need that information quickly you are probably willing to pay the price. Otherwise, it may make sense to go for a less expensive option; data recovery is one area where a high price doesn’t guarantee high quality.Losing your hard drive is a stressful experience, but it is very important to keep your cool. Don’t make hasty decisions because of time. The last thing you want to do is to take a cheap, quick price from a company with a less than stellar reputation when it comes to your personal data.

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วันอาทิตย์ที่ 16 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

An introduction to Computer Forensics

By: Carter Scott
Computer Forensics is the process of investigating electronic devices or computer media for the purpose of discovering and analyzing available, deleted, or "hidden" information that may serve as useful evidence in supporting both claims and defenses of a legal matter as well as it can helpful when data have been accidentally deleted or lost due to hardware failure.However, this is a very old technique but now it has been changed a lot because of technological advances, modern tools and software’s which makes Computer Forensics much easier for Computer Forensic Experts to find & restore more evidence/data faster and with more accuracy.Computer forensics has change the way digital evidence is gathered & used as evidence of a crime & it is done using advanced techniques and technologies. A computer forensic expert uses these techniques to discover evidence from an electronic storage device for a possible crime. The data can be from any kind of electronic device like Pen drives, discs, tapes, handhelds, PDAs, memory stick, Emails, logs, hidden or deleted files etc.Most of us think that deleting a file or history will remove it completely from the hard disk drive. In realty, it only removes the file from the location but the actual file still remains on your computer. It is easier to track what has been done on your computer but difficult to say by whom though it is possible to alter or delete the data completely from your storage device. It depends on computer forensic expert’s skills how well he can find and restore the data without any loss or change.Computer forensics got widespread attention during the Enron scandal widely believed to be the biggest computer forensics investigation ever. Nowadays Computer Forensics & Electronic discovery is becoming a standard part of litigation of all types, especially large litigations involving corporate matters in which there are large amounts of data.Computer forensics can be used to uncover a fraud, unauthorized use of a computer, violation of company policies, inadequate record keeping etc… by tracking e-mails, chat-history, files, tapes, sites people browse or any other form of electronic communications.Data security is one of the biggest issues that the corporate world is facing now by publishing company’s internet/policies & consequences for violations, signing of compliance documents by employees. Businesses can initiate monitoring their own computer systems to avoid legal consequences in future. Making employees aware that monitoring software and Computer forensics personnel are available could prevent workers from wrong doing.With the use of computers in everyday life and increasing amount of hi-tech crimes, Computer forensics is a growing niche in the litigation support sector. Unlike many jobs in information technology sector, chances are that computer forensics services will not be outsourced to other country because of the confidentiality of the data business which will not allow it to travel just to save a little cash.


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You can recover lost data if you have a backup

By: Jerry Tim
The possibilities of hard disk failure and virus attack have become an increasing risk to hard disk corruption and data loss. Data on hard disk is important for you and cannot be replaced if once lost. Losing data can cause of unrecoverable damage to a business. You can avoid loss of your precious data with regular backup method. It is an easy and money saving task to backing up data on your computer. You can recover data from back up at the time of disaster. But if you do not have data backup, data recovery process can be expensive and time consuming.Data backup depends on the importance of data. There are so many solutions are available for data storage. By using following methods, you can backup your data easily:• Backup with Tape: Tape backup is less popular because of other media like CD\DVD solutions are available with more data storage capacity and cheap prices. Tape write speed is slow than other storage media. Tape backup is available in a number of varieties such as 4mm helical for low end system, 8mm helical for mid range system and AIT for high end system. • CD and DVD R/W: - CD and DVD are mostly used technologies for data backup and offer a number of benefits. In these types of storage media data can access easily and write time are fast. The re- writable media allowing the same disk to reused many times. Capacity of CD is 700 MB and the capacity of DVD is 8.5GB data storage. So DVD affords the user by more storage capacity and DVD burner can burn DVD as well as CD. Data backup on CD and DVD can easily be read on any computer. They can store files and folder. When you create a backup, select files and folder that you want to store and add to CD or DVD R/W disk. • USB flash driver: flash driver is a good solution for small amount of data. it is vary small and easy to put in your pocket. Its storage capacity range is 64MB to 1GB. It is easy to plug with USB port into your computer. It has unlimited rewrite capabilities and convenient to transfer data from one computer to another. • External hard drive: if you want to backup your entire hard drive, you should use an external hard drive with your previous disk inside the computer. Cost of per GB is cheap and data storage is unbelievable easy. By using external hard drive you can create entire hard disk backup and avoid data loss due to hard disk failure. • Online backup: online backup services are helpful for those who make online transactions and want to protect their data from hackers and virus attack. Online services allow users to upload their data to a server for safe keeping. But it can available only when internet connection is available. Usually financial organizations and banks are used these types of services. For security issues, username and password are used.You can protect your crucial data by using above mentioned backup methods. In case your hard drive fails and data backup not able to recover whole data, data recovery can help you. Data recovery companies are providing online data recovery software that is do-it-yourself programs. You can download data recovery software online and restore your data from corrupted hard drive. You can try software’s demo to preview lost data and restore them with full version.

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