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Data Loss Due To Natural Disasters

Article Summary: Data loss can happen in a number of different ways whether the reason is a simple error or the result of a catastrophe. Natural or man-made disasters can occur at the unlikeliest of times leaving the best of us caught off guard and unprepared. Disasters happen in any and every form; from earthquakes, fire, arson, storms, flooding, lightning strikes, to terrorist attacks.

Little did anyone imagine an attack like the 9/11 terrorist strike would ever happen. It not only happened but caused so much devastation that left the whole world reeling in reaction. The loss of human lives is of course monumental and irreversible and along with it there was the loss of millions of dollars worth of data. Nobody can be blamed for loss of data in terrible circumstances such as that but the lesson one takes away from this is to always be prepared.

When Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc, lives were lost, livelihood was affected and valuable data was damaged. In the way we live today, the importance of data cannot be discounted as it affects the very way we live. So while human loss is definitely the greater loss, data loss affects how we live thereafter.

Damage to Data

The consequences of natural or man-made disaster can range from head crashes, circuit board shorts, electrostatic shocks, power surges, over heating etc; all of which could lead to data loss. Mechanical storage devices are extremely susceptible to power surges.

Extreme weather and hurricane season almost inevitably lead to data loss. There are cases where damage is caused due to accidents and data is lost. One hears of incidents where laptops have been dropped from helicopters. Shampoo leaks corrupting hardware, fire out breaks causing severe damage, or waterproof digital equipment not quite being waterproof are all events that have happened and resulted in data loss.

Data Recovery is possible and can be recovered from computers, server and memory cards but not before a great deal of stress and a lot of hard work. The damage caused due to natural disasters or man-made disasters can range from being minimal to really extensive. However, whatever the nature of damage the best thing to do is to show it to a professional, as trying to undo the damage without knowing how, can aggravate the situation.

Backup Solutions

Considering the unpredictable nature of natural catastrophes and accidents, it is always best to remain prepared. While data recovery is possible after damage has been caused, it isn’t without stress and expense. The best way to be prepared against disaster therefore is to have satisfactory backup.

Backup of important data has to be done mandatorily and routinely which requires backup media. There are several backup media that are available, from CDs, DVDs to external hard drives and pen drives. However, in the case of natural disasters, having the backup in the same place as your main storage source, defeats the purpose as both are equally susceptible.
Increasingly, companies have begun having remote or online backups. This ensures that even the worst disasters don’t reach the backup as it is in an alternative location.

Remote backup, apart from remaining out of reach of an unannounced disaster also has the advantage of being able to be accessed from anywhere at any time. This ensures that there is hardly any down time and work can go on as usual.
There are also online services that offer to store data which is encrypted and can be accessed anytime with an internet connection. This service comes at a fairly affordable fee and ensures that valuable data is stored as safely as possible.
Apart from backup of data which is mandatory, a computer user can take a few precautionary measures to ensure minimum data loss. Computers should be placed in clean, dry and cool rooms. It is a good idea to invest in some form of uninterrupted power supply to protect against power surges.

If caught unawares and damage is caused, the best solution is to call in a professional who can help with data recovery.

Conclusion

We have become used to the fact that the wrath of natural fury does not leave technology untouched, no matter how advanced the latter may be. Natural disasters manage to catch the best weather predictors off guard and the damage caused is devastating.
The harsh nature of natural disasters means we have to always protect the data that we store. Considering the importance of data in our everyday lives, any effort and expense to backup data is well worth it. The consequence of losing mission-critical files should motivate us to give backup its due attention.

Article Source: http://www.upublish.info

About the Author:
James Walsh
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