Data recovery is in fact an umbrella term that refer to number of procedures, techniques and sometime software that engineers use to retrieve lost information stored in digital devices. In days when not-so-green cloud computing is taking over storing data on variety of servers stacked around the globe traditional DR services has been halted yet not obsolete. Believe it or not more and more cloud storage providers need such services mostly due to misconfiguration and data corruption caused by ransomware.
These days cost estimates of data recovery services can be acquired via chatbot but back in 1990s when such services were still relatively new and prices extremely high one needed substantial skills just to locate a lab able to provide such services. In 2020 most computer and mobile repair shops advertise data recovery services yet only handful are actually able to perform it. Most of them are simply virtual offices designed to forward your devices to affiliated provider or a clean-room lab. There are numerous of articles outlining such outsourcing scheme similar to cloud service providers selling their storage via numerous reseller partners and other shady “store-fronts” (called Apps).
“Cloud storage should not be viewed as a backup option. Such service is more like any other data storage device. Cloud should be treated as such and properly backed up to avoid data loss and therefore need for data recovery services.” – Igor Sestanj, Project manager at ADRECA.
Project ADRECA (stands for mouthful Advanced data recovery analytics) is a unique research project which uses statistical information to predict recoverability of data in various of data loss events and develop techniques to increase chances of information retrieval. “Our work does not rely on how good is data recovery sales department but uses math to predict outcome before failed data storage device leave your hands” says Mr Sestanj. Recent developments include work that uses AI and machine learning to predict outcome in such situation.
It is always good to explore your option before you commit. This rule applies to almost anything but in case you get stuck with data loss a call to data recovery service provider or submitting a quote request leads to mysterious “in-lab” analysis. This diagnostics test most companies rely upon is outdated, can cause further damage to your device or get you stuck with a bad bad company.
“Most of our AI and ML related work relied on cloud hosted solution from the tech giants. This was done to cut the development and operational cost. Recent news are shining a racial bias light on these companies and their AI related work so we must think a better solution before we move away from public beta stage. Self-hosted independent solutions are being tested.” said ADRECA’s project manager before leaving on a sailing trip this late November. Henry, his Bombay cat was not excited about all this.
Data recovery services are utilized in cases of accidental deletion, malware (most recently ransomware), device failure, data corruption and other causes. The demand although slowed down due to COVID-19 pandemic for data recovery services is still quite high and will likely remain that way until we are continuously connected to our cloud storage without interruption.
