Reality: If the price seems too good to be true, be wary and make sure you fully understand what is included in that price as it may be the starting price.  The actual price for data recovery is dependent on a variety of factors, including:

• The amount of data that needs to be recovered
• The difficulty of recovering the data
• The condition of the data
• If spare parts are needed

Too often, consumers fall prey to the low cost offers due to budget constraints, but when faced with data loss, keep yourself (and your pocket) safe by reading the fine print and being your own advocate.

The Kroll Ontrack Answer: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is; don’t get stuck paying for something you don’t receive.

To determine the right recovery method for you and your budget make sure you choose a transparent recovery provider that offers a free data consultation and lets you speak directly with a data recovery engineer.[ Kroll Ontrack does this for every case.]

Also, providers that truly value their customers will ensure their satisfaction by offering post-recovery support, such as:

• Assistance when migrating recovered data back into your environment and 24/7 service [We do this]
• Support in your native language [We offer support in 15+ languages]
• Data security [We are SAS 70 Type II Certified]

Reality: Not necessarily.  Once you give your damaged drives or other equipment to a recovery provider, if they don’t perform data recoveries appropriately there is a risk that they could lose data that could have otherwise been recovered. With that said, make sure to do your homework before you hand over valuable devices.

The Kroll Ontrack Answer: Thoroughly research your data recovery provider. Everyone prefers free services, but in the case of data recovery, this should raise a red flag. A proper and efficient data analysis requires time and careful consideration to determine what data is recoverable and what is not. Improper treatment of drives may actually destroy your chance for a recovery, so vendors who advertise free evaluations are often bundling a diagnostic fee into the end price.

Be wary of handing over valuable devices and information to a provider that doesn’t properly analyse your data or puts consideration into determining what data is recoverable. [Kroll Ontrack has a SAS 70 Type II Certification for data recovery services that ensure security protocols and processes are in place to protect your data while it is at our locations.]

Reality: Yes, there are a variety of low cost providers who simply throw up a website and claim to be world leaders in data recovery, making it easy to take advantage of the emotions at play when data loss happens. Often there is only one chance to recover data, so it pays to have the job done correctly the first time, and going with the cheapest option might eliminate your chances of recovery.

To ensure your recovery is done correctly, choose a provider with:

• Extensive experience and expertise
• A vast array of proprietary software, tools and processes
• Transparent pricing and processes
• Post-recovery support, so you don’t get stuck in a bind
• Formal security and process protocols so your data stays safe before, during and after the recovery

The Kroll Ontrack Answer: Low cost doesn’t equal quality, and with the amount of data more than doubling each year 1, and subsequently the number of data loss cases, it is critical to ensure the recoverability of your data with a provider before signing an order. [Kroll Ontrack has performed over 500,000 jobs and is the data recovery provider that other data recovery companies turn to. We also give you a list of recoverable files before you make a purchase decision so you can see what data is recoverable, and are available 24/7 with support in 15+ languages.]

Reality: Due to the complexity of storage media and data loss incidences, sensitive personal information, music and photos can be lost forever. The causes of data loss vary from simple to catastrophic, and include1:

• Hardware failure (56%)
• Human error (26%)
• Software error (9%)
• Viruses (4%)
• Natural disasters (2%)

The variety of data loss causes make recovery even more difficult as no two cases are the same. When choosing a data recovery provider, it is imperative to select one that possesses:

• Experience recovering data from all causes of data loss and from various types of sources
• A high success rate
• Industry-leading capabilities

While some data recovery providers may tout cheap prices, you can’t put a value on sensitive or critical information.

The Kroll Ontrack Answer: In an ideal world, 100% of data would be easily recovered no matter how or where it was lost. Unfortunately, the complexities of storage media and data loss incidences create situations where data cannot be recovered all of the time. And while some data recovery providers may tout cheap prices, you can’t put a value on sensitive or critical information. [Kroll Ontrack recovered over 99% of mission-critical data from a melted, crashed and burned drive from the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia as well as data from Desert Storm in Kuwait, the famous Michelangelo virus and after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, among others]

Reality: Regardless of the scope of your recovery, you must ensure your chosen data recovery provider meets the highest industry and government standards. Very few data recovery providers have SAS 70 Type II Certification, ISO-5/Class 100 cleanroom environments, highly experienced engineers, and proprietary tools to address specific or complex recovery needs.

SAS 70 Type II Certification minimally should cover data/network/physical security, data handling, engineering processes, and staffing standards.  A number of key attributes include:

• The completion of pre-employment background checks and signed confidentiality agreements for all employees
• Regular maintenance of a comprehensive Information/Data Security Policy
• Restriction of access to the data recovery facility, network and data centre via strict control, prevention and monitoring mechanisms
• Maintaining full-time, in-house security staff and 24/7 real-time monitoring
• The return of all recovered data in an encrypted format

Additionally, it is important that providers are authorized to handle highly sensitive data and adhere to US government protocols to ensure that your data never falls into the wrong hands.

The Kroll Ontrack Answer Before choosing a data recovery provider, consider if you want to take the risk of losing data that could’ve otherwise been restored or risk your data falling into the wrong hands. Ensure your provider takes the necessary precautionary measures to properly protect your data. [Kroll Ontrack performs all data recoveries in an ISO-5/Class 100 cleanroom environment and maintains an annual SAS 70 Type II Certification that ensures strict standards for security, processes and staffing. Moreover, a comprehensive Information Security Policy is in place that covers all access control, data handling and data security protocols/standards.]

Reality: Surprise! Most data recovery providers won’t let you talk to their data recovery engineers - in fact, many providers won’t give you insight into what data is recoverable, so you end up purchasing a service method without having any control of what you’re actually getting back. Moreover, most providers force you to sort through any recovered data without post-recovery support, causing unforeseen headaches and the inability to ask valuable questions.

When choosing a data recovery provider, it is critical to ensure:

• You are able to speak with a data recovery engineer
• They will work with you step-by-step, keeping you appraised of every phase of the recovery process
• They offer transparent pricing to give you more control over your spend

The Kroll Ontrack Answer: If your data recovery provider won’t give you access to the actual engineer working on your data loss, run – don’t walk, and find one that will. In most cases, you only have one shot at getting your data recovered before it’s permanently lost; be your own advocate and insist on getting appraised of the data loss process and how to migrate recovered data back into your environment when the recovery is complete. [Kroll Ontrack customers speak to our data recovery engineers and we keep customers apprised of their recovery via a secure, online portal where they are able view the status of their recovery in real time.]

Reality: Not every provider gives potential customers the resources to make an informed decision about data recovery. A lot of information tends to be vague, so you often struggle with gaining clarity on what data you will actually get back, the quality of that data and the most cost-effective method of recovery.

Make sure your recovery provider offers:

• A free consultation to assess the data loss incident
• A diagnostic report with a listing of your recoverable files
• Access to the status of your recovery through a secure portal

The Kroll Ontrack Answer: Choose a provider that offers transparency across every level of the recovery process, from the initial consultation to the status of your data during the recovery. [We offer customers a free consultation and diagnostic report of their recoverable files, in addition the status of their recovery in real-time via Ontrack® Online™.] Why create more headaches with vague information or pay for a recovery when you don’t know what you’re getting back?

Reality: The ability to successfully recover data from applications, such as e-mail, are similar (and sometimes greater) when compared to hard drive recovery. As more of your data is being stored on new storage technologies (such as tablets, cloud environments, mobile devices, etc.), it is critical to choose a provider with proprietary recovery technologies to increase the likelihood of getting your personal data back.

Additionally, since more consumers are using encryption to protect sensitive or personal information, it can increase the complexity of the process.

When choosing a provider, ensure:

• They have the capability of repairing and recovering data from within damaged files such as e-mail, word processing, databases, presentations  and spreadsheets
• They‘ve developed specific tool sets for encrypted data recovery. It’s essential they can recover encrypted data and return it in an encrypted form
• They provide a variety of secure data recovery methods

The Kroll Ontrack Answer: Often times, the likelihood of a successful recovery from encrypted platforms is greater than from traditional hard drives. However, it is important to choose a provider that has continuously invested in research and development to create proprietary tool sets and processes for new storage technologies. [Kroll Ontrack has been investing in proprietary encryption recovery tools for over seven years, and always returns data in an encrypted format. Additionally, we offer do-it-yourself (DIY) software and in-lab services, among others, to provide you with the right solution for your specific data loss situation.]

Reality: The reality is not everyone backs-up their data, and if they do, it’s only the data that’s housed on their personal computers – forgetting about mobile and music devices or SSD/flash drives. Moreover, backup devices are often not kept current or become corrupt over time; therefore leaving you with data loss that otherwise couldn’t be recovered unless given to a trusted data recovery provider.

Make sure to properly prepare by partnering with a trusted data recovery provider, it will save time and headaches in the long run.

The Kroll Ontrack Answer: Don’t make the mistake of believing that accessing backup files, if possible, will solve your data recovery needs. Many times it is much more timely and cost-effective for a data recovery provider to access these files and evaluate what data can be recovered.

When choosing a provider, you should ensure they can efficiently recover data with a variety of service levels and methods (including do-it-yourself (DIY) and in-lab solutions) to minimise the overall loss [Kroll Ontrack offers these methods].

Reality: A good data recovery provider employs dedicated engineering resources to complete jobs of all sizes, and offers multiple service options for recovering lost or inaccessible data from laptops, desktops, mobile devices and SSD/flash drives.

Data recovery is available for any operating system, including:

• Any make, model or brand
• Generation of drive
• All causes of data loss - from simple to the most complex situations

The Kroll Ontrack Answer: Providers that offer unique solutions to fit the needs of its customers, both large and small, will ensure they receive the personalised care they deserve [Kroll Ontrack offers a variety of service options, including do-it-yourself (DIY) software for the greatest flexibility and support of its customers].

Reality: You’d like to think so, but do your homework before assuming that every recovery provider has your best interests in mind. Damaged data is bad enough, but losing it forever can be heartbreaking.  Make sure the provider you choose is trustworthy, authorised to handle highly sensitive information and adheres to UK government protocols.

The Kroll Ontrack Answer: Many data recovery providers claim to have a strong commitment to trustworthy service and sound security, but do your homework ahead of time to protect yourself and your most valuable assets. [Kroll Ontrack is authorised to handle highly sensitive information and adheres to UK government protocols. SAS 70 Type II Certification also ensures the security of your data while at our locations.]

Reality: Consider your bank statements, credit card bills, tax and medical information falling into the wrong hands. Unfortunately, no technology is completely safe from compromise and lost data can usually be recovered immediately regardless of whether the hard drive has crashed or been damaged. It’s dangerous to assume that because you hid or deleted your personal information, it can’t be compromised – it can.

Ensure you choose a recovery provider with a long history of success and skilled engineers who will protect your recovered data. Verify that your provider has formal protocols and procedures in place to ensure the security of your personal information, including the following:

• SAS 70 Type II Certification that ensures strict standards for data security, handling, processes and staffing 
• All employees complete pre-employment background checks and sign confidentiality agreements
• Comprehensive Information/Data Security Policy
• Full-time, in-house security staff and 24/7 real-time monitoring
• All recovered data is returned encrypted

The Kroll Ontrack Answer: Don’t assume that your data is safe just because you have a password installed. Choose a data recovery provider that can ensure the safety of your sensitive information, and always returns it in an encrypted format. [In just the past year, Kroll Ontrack has returned over 5 Petabytes of file data in an encrypted format. Additionally, we maintain an annual SAS 70 Type II Certification that ensures the strictest standards for data security, processes and staffing. Moreover, we employ a comprehensive Information Security Policy that covers all data handling and data security protocols/standards.]  

Reality:  Your data is invaluable, especially photos and other memories that aren’t easy to recapture. Any recovery provider that truly values you as a customer will give you transparency into the status and quality of the recoverable files. Expert providers have the necessary expertise in working with you to protect your data and rapidly respond to data loss incidences.

When choosing a provider, it’s critical they can show you where your data is 100% of the time.

The Kroll Ontrack Answer: After the headaches of data loss, the last thing you need to worry about is where your data is going and if you’ll get it back. An expert data recovery provider understands the urgency of rapidly responding to all data loss incidences and gives you a deep understanding of where your data is and where it’s going.  [Kroll Ontrack offers secure software and in-lab services, among others, to provide you with the right solution for your specific data loss situation. We also give you access to the status of your recovery in real-time via a secure, online portal.]