| This is part two of the article. In part one, we looked | | | | about the wide prevalence of data loss and the |
| at the critical role of data in enabling continued | | | | business-critical importance of recovering the lost |
| business operations, the ease with which data on | | | | data. The demand for data recovery and data |
| computers can get lost and how lost data is | | | | protection services is increasing at a fast pace, as |
| recovered. In this concluding part, we look at how to | | | | quantified at the beginning of the first part of this |
| protect data so that it does not get lost, and can be | | | | article. If you can organize a data recovery and |
| easily recovered if it does get lost. We also take a | | | | protection services business, you will be tapping into |
| brief look at the requirements for starting a data | | | | a profitable market. |
| recovery services business. | | | | As in any business, successful marketing will be key |
| Protecting Your Data | | | | for success in this business. In the case of |
| Data can be protected in various ways. | | | | data-related services, the client will be entrusting |
| - Install security software and procedures that | | | | sensitive data to your care. That means the client |
| restrict data access only to authorized persons. The | | | | needs to be convinced about your integrity and data |
| security system will also keep an audit trail of who | | | | safety measures in addition to your competence. |
| accessed a piece of data and what the person did | | | | That said, you need: |
| with it | | | | - Technical Know-How: Data storage devices can |
| - Install antivirus and firewall software, and maintain | | | | vary from old fashioned floppy disks to modern |
| them up-to-date. These types of security walls can | | | | RAID arrays under which many disks work together |
| make it extremely difficult for malicious external | | | | appearing as a single logical disk. Data can be written |
| software to reach your data | | | | to these devices by varied operating systems such |
| - Backup all data in a systematic manner. A | | | | as UNIX, Windows, Linux and more. Under each of |
| systematic approach can reduce the pain (and | | | | these systems, data can be created by varied |
| system downtimes) of backing up while ensuring that | | | | applications such as office suites, ERP packages and |
| all data is in a recoverable backup media. It will also | | | | e-mail programs. Will you be able to organize the |
| ensure that relevant backups can be located | | | | technical skills needed to cater to such a varied |
| comparatively easily | | | | scenario? |
| - Keep the data and applications with specialist third | | | | - Marketing Plan: How are you going to locate |
| party agencies that focus on providing application and | | | | potential clients and persuade them to let you handle |
| data storage services. Good providers will typically | | | | their data recovery assignments? Business data is |
| attend to data protection measures in a way that is | | | | sensitive by nature and there have been reported |
| more effective than in-house efforts | | | | cases of data security breaches occurring at data |
| If a backup is available, lost data can be recovered | | | | recovery firms. Can you organize a strong marketing |
| through data restore programs. If the backups are | | | | plan to gain the trust of clients in your integrity as |
| maintained in remote locations, such recovery is | | | | well as your technical competence? |
| possible even in the case of natural disasters or a | | | | - Financial Resources: Data recovery business needs |
| serious fire incident at the main office. | | | | specialized equipment such as a Class 100 Clean |
| A major data-related threat that is emerging is | | | | Room, tools such as disk imaging and data recovery |
| identity theft. This does not involve destruction of | | | | software tailored to different platforms, staff |
| data. Instead, the identity thieves use various means | | | | experienced in data recovery jobs (who tend to be |
| to get sensitive data like your credit card and bank | | | | expensive) and rigorous data safety procedures that |
| account numbers, and the passwords you use. With | | | | will satisfy prospective clients. You will also need to |
| this information, they can drain your funds. The | | | | stay in the business till cash inflows begin to cover |
| firewall mentioned above can help you with this issue. | | | | cash outflows. Can you make realistic estimates of |
| So can anti-spyware and data encryption. However, | | | | these requirements and then organize any financing |
| the major protection measure is the care you use | | | | that you will need? |
| when entering your credit card numbers etc into the | | | | We have looked at the growing market for |
| computer. Enter them only into secure HTTPS Web | | | | data-related services in part one and the basic |
| pages that transmit the data in an encrypted form | | | | requirements for setting up a data recovery business |
| that can be decrypted only by the authorized | | | | in this part. If you have what it takes to organize all |
| recipient. | | | | the requirements, you can consider tapping the high |
| Organizing a Data Recovery Service Business | | | | potential of data recovery services business. |
| The discussion so far would have given you an idea | | | | |