Data Recovery Services Constitute A Business Opportunity With Increasing Potential
With the proliferation of computers and computer networks in business, the demand for various incidental services is increasing. Data recovery service is one such incidental service.
If you can organize the necessary facilities and technical know-how, data recovery services is a good business opportunity.
The Context
Data means the information recorded on various computer storage devices, such as hard disks and different types of removable storage devices. The recorded information includes customer details, invoices, correspondence, product specifications, process flow charts, contracts and so on.
It would be evident that such data constitute an important asset that is absolutely essential for smooth operation of the business. Storing them on paper in the traditional manner makes subsequent retrieval extremely inefficient and costly in terms of both time and money. Hence the increasing adoption of computer media to store them.
How Data Gets Lost
Data recorded on computer media can get lost in different ways. Typical examples include:
Human Errors such as accidental erasure of data or careless performance of administrative routines System Crashes caused by software bugs or hardware problems Power Supply Problems that can corrupt the file system and make the data unreadable Misplacing Removable Media such as CD/DVD and Flash Disks Pilferage of removable media or portable computer systems Viruses and Hackers can damage or even completely wipe out data recorded on hard disks and other media Natural Disasters like fires, floods and building crashes
It is clear that the risk of data loss is something that cannot be ignored.
Impact of Data Loss
The impact of data loss can be crippling to an organization. Imagine a scenario where you lose customer data. You might not be able to ship merchandise against orders, or bill for merchandise already shipped. Loss of accounts receivable data can mean that you do not know how much money is due from whom. Day-to-day operations can thus be severely crippled.
The traditional response to data loss is to reconstruct the lost data from original documents. Again, you can imagine the costs and problems that would typically be involved. The original documents might not be easily traceable if they relate to past months and years. Even if they are traceable, retrieving and arranging them, not to mention keying in the data from them, is going to be a time-consuming and expensive proposition. And after all the effort, data can be inaccurate owing to numerous human errors caused by the haste with which the exercise needs to be carried out.
It is in such a context that the alternative of data recovery from the original computer media becomes important. This alternative is available if the storage media have not been lost.
What Does Data Recovery Involve?
Data recovery need not always involve utilizing the services of an outside agency. Where systematic backup procedures are in place, it is also quite likely that systematic data recovery procedures would also be available. In-house staff can follow these procedures and recover the data.
On the other hand, if such systematic procedures are not in place, in-house data recovery attempts can aggravate the problem. Data that might be recoverable by expert agencies might become completely unrecoverable if amateurish attempts are made.
Professional data recovery agencies would typically have Class 100 or higher Clean Rooms that are both dust-particles-free and climate controlled. Even minute dust particles can damage the data on a densely packed high-capacity storage disk. Humidity and high temperatures can also cause problems.
Professional agencies would capture the raw image left on the damaged disk onto a new media, and work with these. They might use different approaches such as:
Using data recovery software to make the data readable again Replacing any damaged components of the storage media Rebuilding the data using the logic that was used to record it
It would be apparent that relevant technical knowledge is essential for professional data recovery. You need full familiarity with the physical processes involved in recording to the media, the device components and the recording logic.
The above kind of familiarity is needed not with just a "universal standard" (if such a thing exists). Instead, you might be called upon to work with different kinds of media from the old-generation low capacity hard disks and floppy disks to the latest very high capacity media and complex systems like RAID. The recording formats have also been evolving from ancient 8 bit systems to modern 64 bit ones.
organizing a Data Recovery Service Business
The following steps should ensure that your data recovery business will have the best prospects for success. The first three issues are critical; the last two become relevant only if you can handle the first three.
Technical Know-How: As discussed in this article, very specialized know-how is required to handle the varied types of data recovery assignments. Can you organize experienced technicians to handle the assignments? Marketing Plan: How are you going to persuade prospective customers to let you handle data recovery assignments? The best option is to develop an offer that is more convenient for the customers to access, and is also a better value for money. Then present this in a manner that will carry conviction with your particular prospects. Financial Resources: You need facilities like a Clean Room and equipment to carry out the assignments. You also need to pay expensive technicians. Then there are several other one-time and recurring expenses. Estimate these and decide how you will raise the finance. Customers: Are there a large enough number of business computer users in your market? Try to make a list. Find out whether data loss is a significant problem and whether your prospects use outside data recovery services. Competition: Find out who provides data recovery services to customers in your market. What do they charge? Do your prospective customers find it inconvenient to avail their services? Are there any dissatisfactions?
Gopi Nathan worked in senior executive positions for over two decades before starting his own venture of custom business software development. Since his retirement, he has been focusing on his website www.smallbusiness-start.com/ researching current developments and writing on managing a small business.
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