World Backup Day on March 31 underscores the importance of properly and diligently deploying, testing and validating backup solutions to prevent data loss

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – March 31, 2015 — /BackupReview.info/ — Employing a backup solution does not entirely eliminate data loss. That’s the main takeaway from updated data released today from Kroll Ontrack, the leading provider of data recovery and ediscovery. The 2015 survey¹ of customers who lost valuable computer data confirms that the majority of consumers and businesses are implementing backup solutions, but unintentional gaps in back up protocols are nevertheless proving costly. For the third-year running, well over half (61 percent) of respondents had a backup solution in place at the time of data loss, down slightly from 65 percent in 2014 and 63 percent in 2013.

With 71 percent of respondents backing up their data on a daily (42 percent) or weekly (29 percent) basis, why is data loss still so prominent? Unfortunately, minor oversights or an unknowingly non-functioning backup can render backup procedures ineffective. In fact, this year’s survey data shows that of those who had a backup in place at time of data loss:

  • 21 percent report that their backup was not operating correctly
  • 21 percent simply did not have their device included in their backup procedure
  • 19 percent report their backup was not current, reducing the likelihood of retrieving needed data

“What stands out once again this year is that it is not enough to simply deploy a backup solution and hope for the best,” said Jeff Pederson, senior manager of data recovery operations, Kroll Ontrack. “When nearly three-fourths of respondents confirm they are regularly backing up data yet are still experiencing data loss, the criticality of a complete backup strategy becomes crystal clear. This includes regularly validating that your solution is functioning as expected, and frequent testing and monitoring to ensure the backup is current and complete. In cases where oversight or backup failure leads to data loss, consider enlisting the assistance of a reputable and experienced data recovery provider.”

Backup Methods and Barriers to Use
Once again in 2015, of those respondents utilizing a backup solution, external hard drives prevailed as the most used approach (68 percent) for both business and personal data (compared to 63 percent in 2014 and 59 percent in 2013). Only 16 percent report leveraging cloud backup and 5 percent tape backup.

Of those respondents not utilizing a backup solution, 87 percent (compared to 89 percent in 2014 and 96 percent in 2013) said they are extremely likely or somewhat likely to seek a backup solution, with external hard drives as the preferred method (77 percent). When asked about the primary barriers preventing adoption of a backup solution, time to research and administer a backup solution remained the most common reason, cited by 50 percent in 2015, compared to 49 percent in 2014 and 56 percent in 2013. Expense of backup solution, cited by 31 percent of respondents, was the next most common barrier to leveraging a backup solution.

World Backup Day (March 31, 2015) marks an excellent opportunity for individuals and businesses alike to evaluate their backup technology and protocols. Kroll Ontrack recommends taking the following proactive measures when implementing a backup solution to optimize results:

  • Set up a backup schedule that includes coverage for all identified devices and media
  • Ensure that backups are running regularly and in accordance with the determined schedule
  • Regularly check backup reports for error indications of failure
  • Test backups on a regular basis to validate that data has been accurately captured and files are intact

Are you protected against data loss? Click to see how respondents who have experienced data loss are protecting themselves:
www.krollontrack.com/data-recovery/world-backup-day-2015/index.html

¹Kroll Ontrack surveyed 841 Ontrack Data Recovery customers across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

About Kroll Ontrack Inc.
Kroll Ontrack provides technology-driven services and software to help legal, corporate and government entities as well as consumers manage, recover, search, analyze and produce data efficiently and cost-effectively. In addition to its award-winning suite of software, Kroll Ontrack provides data recovery, data destruction, electronic discovery and document review. For more information about Kroll Ontrack and its offerings please visit: www.krollontrack.com or follow @KrollOntrack on Twitter.

Contact
Kroll Ontrack Inc.
Kristin Husom, 952-516-3781
Khusom@krollontrack.com
www.krollontrack.com

Source: Kroll Ontrack Inc.

 

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