Title : Data loss
Audience : S.M.E. principals and managers. Non technical staff with an interest in data loss scenario.
User I.T. Knowledge 3/10
Source : Http://www.backupanytime.com/whitepaper.htm
Posted : May 07
Reviewed n/a
Updated n/a
Copyright : backupanytime original content.
Redistribution as is : No permission required (with credits)
Modification : With written permission from backupanytime.

“Data loss” can be used to describe minor temporary misplacement of small quantities of data or permanent loss of vast quantities of data from any media type. From the point of view of online backup they are treated equally as the small quantity of data could be far more important than the bulk loss.

A good way to gain an understanding of data loss it to examine the causes of same. For the purposes of comparison we will look at two backupanytime surveys. Both queried commercial data loss. One in summer 2005 and the other in 2007. The numbers interviewed were too small for the results to be considered a scientific mean but they do collate well with larger studies from the U.S. to offer a peek at Ireland's data loss demographics.

Aug 2005 data loss survey

Human error                        47 %
Hardware                            21 %
File corruption                     13 %
File infection                        12 %
Theft                                    4 %
Weather                               3 %

Aug 2007 data loss survey

Hardware                            38 %
Human error                        29 %
File infection                        18 %
Weather                                7 %
File corruption                        5 %
Theft                                     3 %

Straight off we can see a vast change with hardware related data loss increasing and human error data loss decreasing by 17 and 18 points respectively. What is going on here? Is hardware becoming terribly unreliable while human become super efficient. Yes and no. With the ongoing need for cheaper, larger and faster hard drives the quality is definitely coming down. If you owned a computer in the 80s you would know that back then the hard drive alone cost more than several computers today. It didn't spin very fast and didn't offer much storage space. It did however stay running for beyond the computers intended use. Hardware failure has increased dramatically in recent years and along with is associated hard drive data loss. It is not just because of quality following price. In times gone by we didn't carry hard drives around in the car or briefcase. They weren't and aren't made for that type of knocking around. Also, with the advent of miniature USB on the move drives many people use them for backup. They were never intended for backup and are totally unsuited to same. This explains much of the increase in hardware failure blame for data loss.

It also accounts for the sudden reduction in human error. If you buy an unsuitable product to do a critical job and it fails, well yes you see, if you incorrectly blame the product you are out of the firing line. The proximate causeof the data loss was human but the most recent perpetrator is the failed drive.

Another surprise is the reduction in file corruption. We had expected an increase in data loss due to file corruption. After all, many more people were in the Outlook PST time bomb trap. What is the PST time bomb? Their PSP file had reached 2 gigs and they were using a version of outlook which could not handle same. It is possible that since this data is generally retrievable that the respondents did not consider temporary data loss to be actual data loss. However, anyone who has not been able to run their business effectively while sorting temporary data loss knows well that it is actual data loss.

Infection was unsurprisingly up. The availability of spamseal has helped but availability and uptake are two different things.
Good to see theft down even if the change is moderate. Please note however that this does not mean a reduction in reportable crimes. It just means that there was less data loss as a consequence. It is possible the hardware theft such as laptop theft was up.

And finally the weather is in trouble again. Data loss in Ireland as a consequence of weather generally relates to lighting or flood. Lightening can destroy computers. Data loss as a consequence however will only happen if you don't have online backup. Flood also only brings down companies who do not have on line backup.Give our mid climate and high availability of online backup, the weather is a poor excuse for data loss in Ireland.

In summary
The causes of data loss in both surveys can happen to any company or individual. The difference however is that those with online backup have full protection in all scenarios listed.

If you found this document helpful you may like to visit www.backupanytime.com/whitepaper.htm or our website proper at www.backupanytime.com

If you are a system administrator and would like technical details please register your interest on our contact page www.backupanytime.com/contact.htm requesting membership of our private white paper area for I.T. Professionals.

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