28 April 2011

Bank holiday heat wave results in higher instances of data loss, reports Kroll Ontrack

The Easter bank holiday heat wave meant all over the country we were dusting off our BBQs and getting our summer wardrobes out of hibernation early. However, the heat can be bad news for data. Kroll Ontrack, the leading provider of data recovery, information management and legal technology products and services, saw a surge in demand for data recovery services for data loss caused by a combination of the unusual heat and a shortage of IT resources due to staff taking holidays. The warmest Easter since 1960* meant increased data loss incidents for organisations and consumers alike.

Robert Winter, chief engineer, Kroll Ontrack UK, explains that data loss during heat waves can be attributed to a variety of factors:

• With millions of Brits taking advantage of the double bank holiday, understaffedand stretched ITresources increases the likelihood of data loss from all types of systems, including portable devices, servers and cloud storage, due to human error
• Compounding this is the shortage of skilled IT staff at work who can assist when data is lost.  Often attempts at recovering data cause substantial additional damage, sometimes leaving it irrecoverable
• Leaving your laptop, tablet or mobile in direct sunlight for long periods of time can compromise performance as elevated temperatures can contribute to hard drive failures
• Here in the UK, the use of air conditioning is also not as prevalent as in the US, making it more challenging to maintain the cool environment required for electronic equipment

 

“While data loss can happen at any time, the types of recoveries we see in hot weather and holidays is often reflective of these circumstances” said Phil Bridge, managing director, Kroll Ontrack UK. He continued, “However, regardless of the cause of data loss, as always we recommend you don’t touch the damaged system and discuss the problem with an expert. We regularly see additional damage to the data caused by ill-fated attempts at recovery.”

*Source Daily Telegraph