Monday 30 April 2018

The Costly Business Of Data Recovery

The modern world we live in thrives on big data. We already lost track of the number of devices we use on our own, at home, or in public and we likewise access various online platforms for school, work, and recreation. Social media is so popular that it has become an extension of our personal lives. Not only that, we take so many pictures, videos, and all sorts of multimedia that we have files stored on our phones, computers, handy flash drives, or even up in the clouds. However, life is not always a bed of roses. Technical problems arise either by accident or over time. The issue now is now everyone has prior tech knowledge on how to deal with these problems and they may end up paying more than necessary for data recovery services in their desperate attempt to retrieve their lost files.

Data recovery services can be offered to individuals, groups, or organizations and it usually comes at a hefty price. However, it is a precaution everything is taking now with the rising prevalence of online bugs like malware that threatens to steal other people’s information and valuable data that is not always replaceable. It is why these services become more popular because there is a high demand for it and people are willing to shell out the cash as long as they don’t lose any more of their precious data. Big organizations even the ones running the cloud invest in reliable data recovery services because they understand the value of data both to them and their customers. As we all know, disasters can strike anywhere and anytime of the day both manmade and natural, so the least we can do is to be prepared for the time when it comes and to have a backup plan in place.

Backup, disaster recovery, and virtualisation management firm Veeam has announced the acquisition of N2WS, a Florida-based enterprise backup and disaster recovery firm focused on Amazon Web Services (AWS) workloads.

The all-cash deal, valued at $42.5 million, is expected to strengthen Veeam's disaster recovery offering, combining Veeam's existing capabilities in protecting virtual, physical, and cloud environments with N2WS' AWS-specific data protection.

(Via: http://www.zdnet.com/article/veeam-invests-in-aws-disaster-recovery-with-42-5m-n2ws-acquisition/)

The digital game is robust and strong. If the rise of services like this is any indication that we all take data seriously, so is data recovery. It simply follows that we don’t want to lose the data we have created, taken, and have saved because of technical glitches or a lack of foresight on our part. If you are not careful enough, you may lose years’ worth of memories and have all your files gone in a snap. It is even more crucial now that most processes and services are web and cloud-based. Businesses and organizations must be cautious in securing their data or face costly consequences and the wrath of their customers, something that has happened quite often than we wanted to in the past years.

Veeam has struck a takeover deal to boost its cloud-centred enterprise availability for AWS workloads. Veeam shook hands on a $42.5m all-cash buyout of N2WS, an Iaas data protection firm specialising in disaster recovery solutions with Amazon cloud.

As part of the deal, N2WS will continue to exist as a standalone organisation with its main offices in Edinburgh, UK as well as premises in Florida, US and Haifa, Israel. Jason Judge will stay as CEO of the business and all teams are to stay intact. Cloud-native enterprise backup specialists at N2WS are poised to strengthen Veeam’s ability to protect AWS deployments for business.

Iaas is the fastest-growing cloud segment, with the market set to hit $88bn by 2022. Big hitter AWS leads the sector, standing astride 44.2{42c07f7f4ed3da5e2b17ff80184aca1c09c0d2cc98cfc328fb1b32a3f56d2786} of the market, according to the latest figures from Gartner. Companies across the board are demanding improved data protection guarantees to reduce costly downtime.

(Via: https://www.cbronline.com/news/veeam-aws-backup-data-recovery-software)

You can’t just ignore the risks anymore when you see malware attacks occurring in all parts of the globe more often now. No need to be surprised anymore of major investments like this since it is a must for everyone to protect their businesses especially that it involves working on people’s data 24/7. People will feel at ease working with these businesses if they feel that they can trust them with their personal details that it will be there when they need it and that unauthorized people won’t be able to access it without their permission.

If they do their job well, then they no longer have to worry about common complaints most tech users experience. Pricing for data recovery is here: https://www.harddriverecovery.org/pricing.html and https://www.harddriverecovery.org/raid-pricing.html. Even smaller servers may experience data loss now and then especially when 3rd-parties try to bypass security measures they put in place and retrieve files they want to exploit and use for their own benefit.

42c07f7f4ed3da5e2b17ff80184aca1c09c0d2cc98cfc328fb1b32a3f56d278642c07f7f4ed3da5e2b17ff80184aca1c09c0d2cc98cfc328fb1b32a3f56d2786postlink42c07f7f4ed3da5e2b17ff80184aca1c09c0d2cc98cfc328fb1b32a3f56d278642c07f7f4ed3da5e2b17ff80184aca1c09c0d2cc98cfc328fb1b32a3f56d2786 Read more on: http://www.harddriverecovery.org



source https://www.harddriverecovery.org/blog/the-costly-business-of-data-recovery/

Friday 27 April 2018

Computer Servers Make The World Go Round

When we were younger, we used to think that the world is such a big place. There are so many places to go to and sights to see. People’s language is not the same in different parts of the globe and that used to scare us from going out of our comfort zones. Yet that thought does not scare us anymore. While the world may still be big geographically and cultural and language differences are still as big of an obstacle as it was before, it has become somewhat closer and interconnected. What made it possible? Technology. The rapid rise and popularity of the Internet has bridged thousands of miles of distance and made a lot of things readily available in real-time regardless of the time zone.

What makes all these things happen then? We may talk about the Internet as if we know it like the back of our hands but in reality, what powers the web are countless computer servers that serve as the backbone of the World Wide Web that we know. The web itself and all the multitude of websites and pages populating this virtual platform are supported by PC servers that work nonstop in collecting/gathering, storing, and processing data and making sure everything is readily available when the need arises. What it is capable of doing right now is already mind-blowing but the upcoming innovations to it will definitely get you shook all the more.

A company’s technology stack functions much like an orchestra; many parts working together in harmony, but if one instrument is too slow or out of tune, the entire company runs less effectively. Concertio, previously known as DatArcs, serves as an AI-driven maestro that optimizes and orchestrates your software and hardware deployments. When deploying and maintaining your server, there are a myriad of options that can be configured and optimizing this architecture across your technology stack ensures that the show runs smoother.

AlleyWatch chatted with CEO and cofounder Tomer Morad to learn more about the company, the need its solving, and where it plans to go next.

(Via: http://www.alleywatch.com/2018/03/concertio-uses-ai-to-optimize-your-servers/)

The web and everything else connected to it can work effectively and efficiently if all parts are working perfectly or else your system will suffer alongside the overall user experience too. Users will experience connectivity issues or constantly get interrupted when accessing specific sites because the servers can’t meet user demands. With AI expected to hit the mainstream in a decade or so, servers are gradually upgraded and AI technology is integrated to optimize server features and performance. Only servers that are able to innovate and adapt to the rapidly progressing technology will make it big later on.

Does something need checking out in your data center? Before you send out a technician, why not send out a robot?

That’s the upshot of a newly published Amazon patent for mobile robots that are designed to respond to the report of a glitch, check out the computer server that may be having an issue, hook into it if necessary and gather data for a fix.

The system, described in an application that was filed back in 2014, even calls for having the machine use its robotic manipulator to pull out a suspect part and install a replacement if need be.

There’s no sign that Amazon Web Services already has robotic IT workers on the job, servicing the hundreds of thousands of computer servers it has in data centers around the globe. Plenty of patents never get implemented, and Amazon didn’t immediately respond to GeekWire’s emailed inquiry about its intentions.

(Via: https://www.geekwire.com/2018/service-computer-server-send-robots-amazon-patent-says/)

And seeing how many servers are needed right now to power the web and everyone else that is using it, it is common to see servers breaking down more often than we’d like it to be. To prevent this from happening, the idea of mobile robots being used to fix it first instead of technicians is something that Amazon entertains. These servers ought to work round-the-clock as people are constantly using the site for a variety of services and having them down can prove costly to the business. The robots can effortlessly do the job of periodic maintenance, something that humans have a hard time keeping up with. Some people may try to fight off innovation but perhaps they’re not that bad at all especially when done right.

In the case of smaller servers unlike the ones backing up Amazon, services like https://www.harddriverecovery.org/raidcenter/dell_poweredge_data_recovery.html and https://www.harddriverecovery.org/raidcenter/hp-proliant-data-recovery.html can save it from breakdowns and help it get running back up again to keep the business going at more reasonable prices. We can’t stop technology from pushing forward, so the least we can do is ride the tide and embrace all these innovations while we are at it.

42c07f7f4ed3da5e2b17ff80184aca1c09c0d2cc98cfc328fb1b32a3f56d278642c07f7f4ed3da5e2b17ff80184aca1c09c0d2cc98cfc328fb1b32a3f56d2786postlink42c07f7f4ed3da5e2b17ff80184aca1c09c0d2cc98cfc328fb1b32a3f56d278642c07f7f4ed3da5e2b17ff80184aca1c09c0d2cc98cfc328fb1b32a3f56d2786 is republished from http://www.harddriverecovery.org



source https://www.harddriverecovery.org/blog/computer-servers-make-the-world-go-round/

Monday 23 April 2018

Data Recovery Makes All The Difference

No matter how careful a person is, accidents still happen. You might miss something without knowing and it could prove to be a costly mishap on your part. However, making mistakes actually makes life more exciting as you learn more from the wrong things you’ve done than the ones you got right. These mistakes can be petty or life-changing depending on the circumstance. The same thing can be said to your computer whenever you make errors. Some can easily be thrown into the recycle bin or it can render your device useless leaving you unable to access your PC and important data stored in there. At times it is possible to salvage it through data recovery services but you still have to pay for it and it can be quite costly too.

But you can avoid all the troubles data loss or a malfunctioning device leaves you by being well-versed on the topic of data recovery. Knowing the basics definitely helps and when you are knowledgeable about these things, you won’t get scammed or charged for overpriced services, unlike the rest who are clueless how these things work. You have no choice but to hire an expert to do this since not everyone is handy with computers or have the prior know-how. If you dabble in DIY fixes, you may end up creating a bigger damage than what was previously, so better let the pros deal with the problem in the first place.

Prevention: The Best Medicine

“The single best practice for data recovery is to avoid it entirely,” Zimmerman said. “This means to put in place processes that back up and protect data from loss. Recovery is time consuming and can be expensive, so it’s best avoided at all costs.

“Avoiding this situation means having a proactive plan for data management. This includes a formal written plan that details the responsibilities of everyone in the organization. The document should detail what are the company’s data sources, where they reside, and how they should be stored, accessed, and shared. “

Cloud storage should be an integral part of this plan, because storage is generally inexpensive, secure and reliable, Zimmerman said. “No company should be caught without backups in place, especially for the most important data,” he said.

Despite the best laid plans, there’s still a chance for data loss, Zimmerman said.

(Via: http://www.eweek.com/storage/how-to-select-a-reliable-secure-data-recovery-firm)

While service is your number one priority, money is also an issue to the majority of computer users. Not all the time you have spare cash to pay for an unforeseen crisis like this one. Do your research first on data recovery pricing. This https://www.harddriverecovery.org/pricing.html may be of help to give you an idea about common issues involving data recovery and how you can spare yourself from falling victim to certain disaster recovery service scams.

  1. Go With Reputation

Problems with hard drives or with portable memory cards and devices require expert assistance. Don’t go the DIY route, and avoid using free online software that promises results but may leave you with malware and frustration. A quality recovery firm will have a sterling reputation, be forthcoming with referrals and have many positive online reviews. It will have the right personnel and technology to open devices carefully and extract information safely.

  1. Check Industry Certifications

Industry certifications aren’t a guarantee of competency (that’s why you check referrals), but they do point to overall adherence to processes and best practices. Data-recovery workers should be able to highlight their certifications for secure handling of data and recovery. Certifications add another layer of trustworthiness, which is especially important if the provider is handling personal data, medical information or other sensitive data.

(Via: http://www.datacenterjournal.com/five-tips-picking-data-recovery-service/)

Having a backup plan in place is your best bet but not all the time you have the foresight to prepare for such a disaster since a lot of things can also go on with your life. These things are the reason why many people are caught off guard because it is time-consuming to make copies of your files and storing them in different places. Whether it be an internal error or an external intrusion, your excuses do not matter because in the end you lost your data and you can’t access your computer either. It’s a lose-lose situation for you unless you turn things around by paying for professional data recovery services like https://www.harddriverecovery.org/raid-pricing.html that can save you from your digital misery.

Choose who you work with. Make sure they have a clean and solid reputation aside from skilled staff to do the job the soonest time possible. Moreover, certifications also matter because it means these pros are aware of industry standards and meet them too. They should be able to get down to the root of the problem and not leave you hanging without overcharging you either. The bottom line here is that you get your data back at the minimum price so everyone is happy at the end of the day.

The blog article Data Recovery Makes All The Difference was initially published to Hard Drive Recovery Group Blog



source https://www.harddriverecovery.org/blog/data-recovery-makes-all-the-difference/

Friday 20 April 2018

BTC Mining Servers Gone Missing

Bitcoin mining is not just a passing trend. It is probably the future. It’s true it has been around for quite some time but only in recent years has its popularity exponentially exploded. Suddenly, a large number of people are interested in alternative currencies or digital currencies like Bitcoins. One bitcoin can cost around $8,000-$10,000 today. It is really a luxurious investment if you had the foresight to invest in it early on. However, there is more to bitcoin mining than it being a lucrative means to earn a big amount of money fast. Mining bitcoins require a lot of computing power and strong computers to do the job 24/7. It is especially draining to any device, which is supercomputers are often used or computers with extensive servers because they are constantly required to solve endless mathematical questions to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Hence, the rise of malware attacks that either cripple devices and systems in exchange of payments in the form of bitcoins or the introduction of malwares into various devices in order to tap these devices for power and mine bitcoins without the owner realizing what is going on. Once the owner realizes what is happening, they won’t hesitate in going after services like https://www.harddriverecovery.org/clean_room.html to get their lost data back and also get their computer fixed. This has been going on for quite some time but perhaps the demand for bitcoins and other alternative currencies still can’t be satisfied as recently hundreds of servers used to mine Bitcoin were stolen in Iceland. It is interesting to note that these servers that are already used to mine bitcoins will likely be used for the same reasons too by the thieves.

About 600 computer servers used to mine bitcoin were stolen in Iceland in a series of large-scale robberies in December and January, according to police.

The servers were taken from data centres in Reykjanesbær, near Reykjavik airport, and Borgarnes on Iceland’s west coast.

About 10 people have been brought in for questioning, and two Icelanders in their 20s and 30s are being held on suspicion of involvement in the thefts, a police spokesman for south-west Iceland told AFP on Wednesday.

He suggested the thefts could be linked to organised crime, saying: “Everything points in that direction.”

(Via: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/07/hundreds-of-bitcoin-mining-servers-stolen-in-iceland)

We are talking about servers here not just one computer. It takes a lot of planning in order to pull off this heist since servers are usually bulky and difficult to transport around. Moreover, we are dealing with servers that are already used in mining bitcoins. What are the odds for an ordinary thief to steal these serves if they do not already have prior knowledge about these things? It is one thing to get a server infected because you can easily just have it fixed with https://www.harddriverecovery.org/server-recovery/ but losing the actual device is also one thing.

The stolen equipment is believed by police to be a part of organised crime.

A spokesman said: “Everything points in that direction.”

About 10 people have been brought in for questioning over the missing servers and two Icelanders in their 20s and 30s have been arrested.

Police are now contacting internet service providers as well as electricians and storage units to ask them to contact the police is they experience a sudden spike in energy usage.

Since Bitcoin was first mined in 2009, the virtual money has seen its value surge and it reached an all time high of more than $17,000 (£12,000) in December 2017.

(Via: https://www.express.co.uk/finance/city/928742/bitcoin-latest-news-cryptocurrency-mining-computers-stolen-iceland)

To say that these servers are expensive pieces of equipment is also an understatement because you do not just use ordinary computers and servers in running a bitcoin mining business. And since it is common knowledge that bitcoins can be mined more easily when the servers are placed in cooler places like Iceland, most bitcoin miners have properly relocated to such countries to take advantage of the cool weather that supports optimal bitcoin mining, so everyone’s happy. Iceland, for instance, is the number one choice for alt miners and you can find countless data centers and blockchain technologies located there. People are perhaps taking advantage of the situation while bitcoin is still hot and profitable because this is a volatile currency whose value can suddenly plummet without warning.

BTC Mining Servers Gone Missing is available on www.harddriverecovery.org



source https://www.harddriverecovery.org/blog/btc-mining-servers-gone-missing/

Tuesday 17 April 2018

Mac Users Are No Longer Safe

Not everyone can afford a Mac computer. It is a status symbol that speaks of wealth, class, and affluence. More often than not, only people from the higher echelons of society uses Mac computers since the very first time Apple released their own set of computers. And for the longest time, Mac users have felt secured thinking that their device is almost virtually safe from hackers and other virtual attacks that most Window users have to deal with far often than they want it to be. But it is proving to be such a big lie today as we continue to see one malware attack to the other directed at Apple computers. The premise here is this, hackers saw how big of a market the Windows PCs are and exploited it to their heart’s content. It was easy money for them and they can also target more victims at once.

However, they haven’t forgotten about Macs. It’s just that the Windows market is bigger, more vulnerable, and easier to access. Macs aren’t immune to outside attacks and we are seeing it now. It has actually been going on for years although not as widespread as malwares directed at Windows computers. And now, the statistics have spoken. Cybercriminals are releasing more malwares that target Mac PCs. These attacks won’t just damage the hardware your Mac is built of but even endanger privately stored data into leaking and get in the hands of the wrong people. When such a thing happens, you better come prepared by knowing the basics about data recovery and related services such as https://www.harddriverecovery.org/mac-data-recovery/.

Apple used to boast that its Mac computers were a virus-free utopia, but that was before hackers and criminals decided to focus their efforts on the operating system. Now, your Mac is just as vulnerable to viruses as any Windows PC, and a new report reveals that hackers can get access to your computer through an entryway that you might think would be better protected: the Mac App Store.

According to software developer and privacy expert Felix Krause, third-party apps can spy on everything you’re doing on your Mac, even if they’re running in the background. 

(Via: https://lifehacker.com/how-mac-apps-can-spy-on-your-computer-1822928525)

It is inevitable for you to lose important files or even be unable to access your own computer like in the case of a ransomware attack where your device is encrypted and the hacker gains remote access to your device locking you out. It is no longer just simple phishing or the likes. Last year alone hundred thousands of devices were affected by ransomware even that belonging to hospitals and other public institutions causing global panic and hysteria. These attacks have grown alongside the growth in Mac users as well as if knowing by instinct that they have more people to victimize. We now face the harsh truth that using a Mac isn’t an assurance that you will be safe from such attacks.

Malwarebytes has released figures that show that in the year 2017 alone, Mac threats increased more than 270 per cent, while malware targeting Mac operating systems more than doubled from 2016 to 2017.

In a supporting blogpost, the company highlighted four case studies from 2018 that demonstrated a ‘similar pace of malware development'. The first, OSX.MaMi, changes DNS settings on infected Mac computers, and also installs a new trusted root certificate in the keychain. “By redirecting the computer's DNS lookups to a malicious server, the hackers behind this malware could direct traffic to legitimate sites, such as bank sites, Amazon, and Apple's iCloud/Apple ID services, to malicious phishing sites. The addition of a new certificate could be used to perform a “man-in-the-middle” attack, making these phishing sites appear to be legitimate”, said the researchers.

(Via: https://www.scmagazineuk.com/mac-malware-rockets-270-percent--users-warned-safe-perception-is-wrong/article/750725/)

There is even such a thing as a developer featuring taking advantage of a Mac app being able to take screenshots of your PC without you knowing. It works quietly in the background and you are essentially clueless that your safety has already been sacrificed. Through this, cybercriminals can steal your most precious data and either steal from you or worse, take on your identity. This is just one of the many cybersecurity issues Mac PC users now faces. Apple should take this cue and beef up their security measures to counter these attacks or scare away their loyal Mac fanbase from continuously using their devices.

However, understand that these things happen on a wider scale, so don’t just go and complain to Apple if you happen to fall victim to a Mac malware attack. Even big servers are targeted too and they have to face the music and work on getting their data back with services like this: https://www.harddriverecovery.org/raid-data-recovery.html. Everyone is at risk. That’s the bottom line, so take extra precautions in protecting your device and security when using your Mac computer, for instance. That’s the least you can do if you don’t want to go through all the costly and time-consuming hassles of getting your device fixed and salvaging your lost data back.

Mac Users Are No Longer Safe is courtesy of http://www.harddriverecovery.org



source https://www.harddriverecovery.org/blog/mac-users-are-no-longer-safe/

Data Recovery Expert: How To Celebrate A Holiday In Lockdown

Irvine, CA-based Hard Drive Recovery Group (HDRG) is encouraging their community to avoid being disheartened by the fact that they have had ...