A computer system may crash due to software or hardware related issues. Hard Drive Recovery can take care of logical plus physical data loss as it can be implemented to extract your lost and deleted data. Software caused data loss might occur due to file system corruption, virus infection, human errors, software malfunction and more. Hardware caused data loss might occur due to hard drive internals failure as read/write head, actuator arm, spindle motor etc.
Today's viruses could be fatal for computers. The possibilities of getting back your data from a virus affected computer is about the similar as any other data loss reason. The chances could be elevated, depending upon the time and money you are ready to spend.
After taking into consideration all the important factors as cost, time, effort and more; you need to find out a proper Hard Drive Recovery solution. In such situations, the Data Recovery can easily be performed using third party applications known as Hard Drive Recovery Software.
Such recovery tools can recover all sorts of files, no matter what the format is. The recovery software are suitable tools to salvage data from to all types of storage media such as hard drive, CDs (through images), DVDs (through images), USB and FireWire drives, Zip Drives, USB flash drives and more.
If you are not much tech savvy or do not have experience of using recovery software, there is no need to worry at all. Most of the recovery tools come equipped with interactive user interface and thus enable you to have easy and quick 'Do It Yourself' recovery.
Data Recovery Software thoroughly scan the affected storage media, locate the lost data and then recover it. These software recover data in most of the logical data loss situations and offer quick, easy, absolute and smooth recovery.
The most significant step of the recovery process is to find out a quality Hard Drive Recovery tool. You should make sure that you do not reuse the affected disk to avoid overwriting the inaccessible data.
Opting for reputed and time-tested software would always be the best bet for efficient recovery. Various recovery companies offer free demo versions of their products.
Stellar Information Systems Limited is the most trustworthy and leading provider of quality data recovery software tools. Stellar's solutions are available to address and resolve data loss on Windows, Mac OS, Linux, UNIX and Novell Netware platforms. Being the foremost Data Recovery Company, Stellar offers free demo versions of all its Data Recovery products.
Vineet Kumar is a student of Mass Communication doing research on data recovery software . He is also a File recovery software Specialist.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vineet_Kumar_Rajput
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Off-Site Backups - Important Or Not?
Whenever I speak with business owners (whether medium-sized local firms or large national corporations) I ask them if they employ any data backup solutions. Their automatic response is [i]always[/i] 'yes'. They are telling the truth. They do backup their system. They often have a perfectly adequate hard drive, hard drive array or even a tape drive storage unit. Fine in most situations of course.
I then ask what they plan on doing when they lose all of their sensitive business and customer data in an office fire, in the middle of the night. Or a severe flood. Or even in an office raid by thieves for information gathering or simply for the value of the equipment. It is about now that they realise their current system only secures them against a local system failure. Let's face it, system failures are not nearly as common as they used to be - and even in the event of such a failure, recovering data is not too difficult regardless of how robust the local backup solution in place may be.
So the true answer to my question, in most cases, should be 'no'. A solution should be in place to prevent problems. A [i]real[/i] solution should prevent [i]all[/i] possible problems.
So off-site backups. What are they, and are they really that important?
Well I think the question of importance can be answered almost immediately. Yes they are, very important in fact. As a business, keeping your customers happy ranks highly in the upper echelon of factors central to ultimate success. Is it likely that customers will be happy hearing that your business, in the event of an office fire or such event, will lose all of your information; and be entirely unable to recover it? I'm guessing not. This will cause inconvenience for both the customer and the business. Not what you want on top of dealing with a major crisis like those mentioned.
Peace of mind is also important in running a smooth business. Knowing your data is safe off-site, regardless of local issues, is essential in your ability to relax as a business owner. Being safe in the knowledge that your back is covered should the unlikely happen is very reassuring.
And what are off-site backups? Well, I'm sure you are able to gather what they are from the name, or by deciphering the meaning through the above passages. In a nutshell, off-site backups are identical to backups - except of course that they are not stored locally. And if you don't know what backups are, they are simply copies of all system data that allow the system to be recovered back to its last healthy state in the event of an emergency.
Now back in the infancy of IT in the workplace, off-site backups used to require a man in a van driving to your office and picking up your tape drives to be stored in a large warehouse somewhere. Handy, but expensive, and not entirely effective. Pick-up intervals varied, meaning the last backup could be weeks or even months old. Not massively helpful then. But it worked, and when you don't know any better, you can complain.
Then the internet got fast. Not overnight, no, but it did. This revolutionized the backing up of data. Well, it revolutionized almost everything on Earth, but that's for another lifetime of writing. Backups could suddenly be completed remotely, with highly compressed packets of data sent over the net to the designated off-site backup site. This could happen at the end of every day, or even every hour if it is felt absolutely necessary. This data can then be recovered remotely should it be required. Simple.
Yes, backing up your critical business data is very important. All businesses should practice this technique, and with so many hosting firms offering cheap, scalable solutions to this problem, there is no excuse. Secure your business data today, before it's too late.
Richard D French (2009) - London, UK
Helpful information gathered from Netwise Hosting (Matt Seaton), 2009 - London, UK - http://www.netwisehosting.co.uk
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_D_French
I then ask what they plan on doing when they lose all of their sensitive business and customer data in an office fire, in the middle of the night. Or a severe flood. Or even in an office raid by thieves for information gathering or simply for the value of the equipment. It is about now that they realise their current system only secures them against a local system failure. Let's face it, system failures are not nearly as common as they used to be - and even in the event of such a failure, recovering data is not too difficult regardless of how robust the local backup solution in place may be.
So the true answer to my question, in most cases, should be 'no'. A solution should be in place to prevent problems. A [i]real[/i] solution should prevent [i]all[/i] possible problems.
So off-site backups. What are they, and are they really that important?
Well I think the question of importance can be answered almost immediately. Yes they are, very important in fact. As a business, keeping your customers happy ranks highly in the upper echelon of factors central to ultimate success. Is it likely that customers will be happy hearing that your business, in the event of an office fire or such event, will lose all of your information; and be entirely unable to recover it? I'm guessing not. This will cause inconvenience for both the customer and the business. Not what you want on top of dealing with a major crisis like those mentioned.
Peace of mind is also important in running a smooth business. Knowing your data is safe off-site, regardless of local issues, is essential in your ability to relax as a business owner. Being safe in the knowledge that your back is covered should the unlikely happen is very reassuring.
And what are off-site backups? Well, I'm sure you are able to gather what they are from the name, or by deciphering the meaning through the above passages. In a nutshell, off-site backups are identical to backups - except of course that they are not stored locally. And if you don't know what backups are, they are simply copies of all system data that allow the system to be recovered back to its last healthy state in the event of an emergency.
Now back in the infancy of IT in the workplace, off-site backups used to require a man in a van driving to your office and picking up your tape drives to be stored in a large warehouse somewhere. Handy, but expensive, and not entirely effective. Pick-up intervals varied, meaning the last backup could be weeks or even months old. Not massively helpful then. But it worked, and when you don't know any better, you can complain.
Then the internet got fast. Not overnight, no, but it did. This revolutionized the backing up of data. Well, it revolutionized almost everything on Earth, but that's for another lifetime of writing. Backups could suddenly be completed remotely, with highly compressed packets of data sent over the net to the designated off-site backup site. This could happen at the end of every day, or even every hour if it is felt absolutely necessary. This data can then be recovered remotely should it be required. Simple.
Yes, backing up your critical business data is very important. All businesses should practice this technique, and with so many hosting firms offering cheap, scalable solutions to this problem, there is no excuse. Secure your business data today, before it's too late.
Richard D French (2009) - London, UK
Helpful information gathered from Netwise Hosting (Matt Seaton), 2009 - London, UK - http://www.netwisehosting.co.uk
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_D_French
What Type of History Does Your Computer Keep?
Windows is the most common applications used to provide dialogs for opening or saving operations. The "Common Dialog control" provides the standard dialog boxes for certain operations like saving and opening files, select fonts and colors and setting print options. The "ComDlg32 control" that is used in several applications, saves its set of information in the history apart from the other 'Windows history'.
Both your browser and Windows keep tracks of your Internet and computer activity in order to provide a more user-friendly and pleasant computer and surfing experience. However these history tracks can compromise your privacy and provide a way for others to view what you have been searching or downloading. You can erase history tracks by using special software.
Using "Clear All History" you can erase browser history, erase search history, erase AutoComplete forms, address bar history, delete Temporary Internet Files (cache), stored passwords, Supports Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Firefox, and Netscape. "Clear All History" also empties Windows Temporary Folders, clears clipboard, Recycle Bin content and recent documents history, clear Windows Run History, search history, Start Menu open programs history and more.
To protect your privacy, additionally these are what" Tracks Eraser Pro" are able to do ;
• Delete Address bar history of IE, Netscape, AOL , Opera
• Delete Cookies of IE , Netscape, AOL, Opera
• Delete Internet cache (temporary Internet files)
• Delete Internet history files
• Delete Internet search history
• Delete history of auto complete
• Delete IE plug-ins (selectable)
• Delete index.dat file
• Delete history of start menu run box
• Delete history of start menu search box
• Delete windows temp files
• Delete history of open/save dialog box
• Empty recycle bin
Other than that, Tracks Eraser Pro's other great features includes Secure Erasing overwrites the files a specified times with blank character, gives you the confidence that once erased by Tracks Eraser Pro, the files will be gone and no one can recover or un-delete them, Free up valuable hard-drive space it can free up a lot of disk space used by the cache and temp files and clean Free Space Clean the free space of hard disk by overwriting every bytes of the free space with blank characters. This makes the deleted files unrecoverable forever.
For more information about computer forensics certificate program and computer forensics schools, visit ComputerForensicsBasics.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elaine_Lee
Both your browser and Windows keep tracks of your Internet and computer activity in order to provide a more user-friendly and pleasant computer and surfing experience. However these history tracks can compromise your privacy and provide a way for others to view what you have been searching or downloading. You can erase history tracks by using special software.
Using "Clear All History" you can erase browser history, erase search history, erase AutoComplete forms, address bar history, delete Temporary Internet Files (cache), stored passwords, Supports Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Firefox, and Netscape. "Clear All History" also empties Windows Temporary Folders, clears clipboard, Recycle Bin content and recent documents history, clear Windows Run History, search history, Start Menu open programs history and more.
To protect your privacy, additionally these are what" Tracks Eraser Pro" are able to do ;
• Delete Address bar history of IE, Netscape, AOL , Opera
• Delete Cookies of IE , Netscape, AOL, Opera
• Delete Internet cache (temporary Internet files)
• Delete Internet history files
• Delete Internet search history
• Delete history of auto complete
• Delete IE plug-ins (selectable)
• Delete index.dat file
• Delete history of start menu run box
• Delete history of start menu search box
• Delete windows temp files
• Delete history of open/save dialog box
• Empty recycle bin
Other than that, Tracks Eraser Pro's other great features includes Secure Erasing overwrites the files a specified times with blank character, gives you the confidence that once erased by Tracks Eraser Pro, the files will be gone and no one can recover or un-delete them, Free up valuable hard-drive space it can free up a lot of disk space used by the cache and temp files and clean Free Space Clean the free space of hard disk by overwriting every bytes of the free space with blank characters. This makes the deleted files unrecoverable forever.
For more information about computer forensics certificate program and computer forensics schools, visit ComputerForensicsBasics.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elaine_Lee
Laptop Backup For Smart Travelers
Planning a Trip? Taking your laptop? Have you thought about ways to backup your laptop while on the road? What will you do if your laptop is damaged or your hard drive fails and you're far from home? To be safe, you're travel plans should include a laptop backup plan.
I spend a lot of time traveling. I'm not talking about short two-week vacations. I'm talking about extended travels that take months. Over the years I've traveled over most of the continents and I've sailed on most of the seas. During the past nine months, I've been traveling throughout Southeast Asia, most of the time in Thailand. During these travels I've learned about laptop backup the hard way, by losing valuable computer data and struggling to find some type of data recovery system that works well on the road.
You'd be surprised how many people you meet on the road carrying laptops. Just go into any guesthouse and you'll see backpackers, expats, and travelers from around the world checking email, writing articles, and carrying on business while they're on the move. The smart travelers I've met all have some kind of laptop backup plan. I can tell you from experience that laptop backup and recovery is essential when you're on an extended journey away from home.
The time to think about how you're going to backup a laptop on the road is during the initial planning of your trip. That way you'll have plenty of time to take advantage of the easiest and best way to backup your laptop, which in my opinion is online backup. One thing you have to consider when using online backup is the time it takes to complete the initial data storage. It can take up to a week to complete the initial online backup, so you'll want to do that prior to your departure.
After that, your online backup service will only be backing up files that have changed since the previous backup. So, subsequent laptop backups are practically instantaneous. Since online laptop backup is automatic, your laptop will continually be backed up every time you're logged onto the internet. While you're at the local internet café checking your email, your backup software will be working in the background doing your data storage in real time. What could be easier than that?
When you travel as much as I do, sooner or later you're going to lose your data. Whether your laptop takes a dive into the Mekong River or it gets trampled by a buffalo, as long as you have your data recovery plan in place, you won't have to worry. Just log onto any available internet connection and restoring your laptop files will be a breeze.
You can get a free trial of online computer backup when you visit my website at http://www.backupacomputer.com (NO credit card is required) You'll find discounts and coupons on all the types of backup as well as tutorials on how to backup your files. Compare methods and prices and read reviews. You'll be able to find out about many more computer backup options that you can use while traveling.
Mike Schaaf is a world traveler and proponent of the 4 hour work week. He has carried his trusty laptop all over the globe. Computer backup is an important and essential part of his travel routine. Mike has lived in remote areas of South America including a 7 year stint in the jungles of Colombia. He's a sailor and has cruised extensively throughout the Caribbean as well as the Aegean Sea. He's currently traveling around Southeast Asia in Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Schaaf
I spend a lot of time traveling. I'm not talking about short two-week vacations. I'm talking about extended travels that take months. Over the years I've traveled over most of the continents and I've sailed on most of the seas. During the past nine months, I've been traveling throughout Southeast Asia, most of the time in Thailand. During these travels I've learned about laptop backup the hard way, by losing valuable computer data and struggling to find some type of data recovery system that works well on the road.
You'd be surprised how many people you meet on the road carrying laptops. Just go into any guesthouse and you'll see backpackers, expats, and travelers from around the world checking email, writing articles, and carrying on business while they're on the move. The smart travelers I've met all have some kind of laptop backup plan. I can tell you from experience that laptop backup and recovery is essential when you're on an extended journey away from home.
The time to think about how you're going to backup a laptop on the road is during the initial planning of your trip. That way you'll have plenty of time to take advantage of the easiest and best way to backup your laptop, which in my opinion is online backup. One thing you have to consider when using online backup is the time it takes to complete the initial data storage. It can take up to a week to complete the initial online backup, so you'll want to do that prior to your departure.
After that, your online backup service will only be backing up files that have changed since the previous backup. So, subsequent laptop backups are practically instantaneous. Since online laptop backup is automatic, your laptop will continually be backed up every time you're logged onto the internet. While you're at the local internet café checking your email, your backup software will be working in the background doing your data storage in real time. What could be easier than that?
When you travel as much as I do, sooner or later you're going to lose your data. Whether your laptop takes a dive into the Mekong River or it gets trampled by a buffalo, as long as you have your data recovery plan in place, you won't have to worry. Just log onto any available internet connection and restoring your laptop files will be a breeze.
You can get a free trial of online computer backup when you visit my website at http://www.backupacomputer.com (NO credit card is required) You'll find discounts and coupons on all the types of backup as well as tutorials on how to backup your files. Compare methods and prices and read reviews. You'll be able to find out about many more computer backup options that you can use while traveling.
Mike Schaaf is a world traveler and proponent of the 4 hour work week. He has carried his trusty laptop all over the globe. Computer backup is an important and essential part of his travel routine. Mike has lived in remote areas of South America including a 7 year stint in the jungles of Colombia. He's a sailor and has cruised extensively throughout the Caribbean as well as the Aegean Sea. He's currently traveling around Southeast Asia in Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Schaaf
Data Recovery Doesn't Have to Cost and Arm and a Leg
It even happened to me, just two years ago. I went to grab some files off of my external HD, and got an error message. I thought it might have been just the external case, however it was actually a physical hardware problem. My wife still won't talk about it, but we lost all of our pictures pre 2007. The only copies of the pictures of our wedding. The pictures of our "dating" etc.
As we go increasingly digital, you have to take even further precautions to take care of all of your data. Our music collections, our digital pictures, and documents of all sorts are all saved electronically, and every effort should be made to keep backups of your data. Barring that however, there are other alternatives.
There are basically two types of data recovery services that you can get.
The first is Tier 1 data recovery, that's when the drives aren't actually physically damaged. The drives still work physically but you're having problems getting you data off. Even recovery after an accidental format is still possible. Tier 1 is the type of data recovery you hope you have to use, as it's much, much cheaper. Typically Tier 1 data recovery is available through many different sources and usually runs around $200-1,000.
Tier 2 data recovery is a different ballgame altogether, and is usually only necessary when you have physical damage to the drive. These services entail the use of specialized "safe rooms", that are specifically designed for the reconstruction of your hard drives platter by platter. This is a pretty exhaustive way to get your data back. However the costs can be astronomical. They can be in the $3,000 - $20,000 range.
I would say that 80% of data recovery calls we get fall into the Tier 1 range. So, make sure you know what type of service you need so that you don't end up getting charged too much money for work you really don't need. Most Tier 1 services will charge you a $100 or less for a diagnostic fee to make sure that they are able to get the data off, which is much cheaper than springing for a complete $10,000 data recovery that you don't really need.
Joe works for Nerds Next Door and offers expert level Atlanta Data Recovery services. If you're looking for advice on data recovery services in Atlanta, you can't go wrong with Nerds Next Door.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Jamerson
As we go increasingly digital, you have to take even further precautions to take care of all of your data. Our music collections, our digital pictures, and documents of all sorts are all saved electronically, and every effort should be made to keep backups of your data. Barring that however, there are other alternatives.
There are basically two types of data recovery services that you can get.
The first is Tier 1 data recovery, that's when the drives aren't actually physically damaged. The drives still work physically but you're having problems getting you data off. Even recovery after an accidental format is still possible. Tier 1 is the type of data recovery you hope you have to use, as it's much, much cheaper. Typically Tier 1 data recovery is available through many different sources and usually runs around $200-1,000.
Tier 2 data recovery is a different ballgame altogether, and is usually only necessary when you have physical damage to the drive. These services entail the use of specialized "safe rooms", that are specifically designed for the reconstruction of your hard drives platter by platter. This is a pretty exhaustive way to get your data back. However the costs can be astronomical. They can be in the $3,000 - $20,000 range.
I would say that 80% of data recovery calls we get fall into the Tier 1 range. So, make sure you know what type of service you need so that you don't end up getting charged too much money for work you really don't need. Most Tier 1 services will charge you a $100 or less for a diagnostic fee to make sure that they are able to get the data off, which is much cheaper than springing for a complete $10,000 data recovery that you don't really need.
Joe works for Nerds Next Door and offers expert level Atlanta Data Recovery services. If you're looking for advice on data recovery services in Atlanta, you can't go wrong with Nerds Next Door.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Jamerson
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Mac Data Recovery.
Most of the application and system software provide periodic updates to benefit the user by added features and functionalities of the software. You can easily install these updates by downloading them from the Internet. Although, updates are helpful, but at times installing them may make the software inaccessible and unusable.
When you install Mac OS X 10.5 updates, the system may not boot and the hard drive can not be mounted. This behavior makes all your precious data inaccessible and can cause serious data loss. Mac Data Recovery is required to resolve such issues.
When you attempt to download and install the Mac OS X 10.5.7 updates, you might come across the following situations:
When you attempt to download updates with Firefox, it stops with grey screen and asks to reboot.
When you use Safari, you discover the same behavior.
When you try again with Safari, it downloads successfully but fails to install.
After incomplete installation of updates, when you try to boot the system, the bootup process gets halted with grey screen and spinning wheel. If you try to access this drive by attaching it as a slave to a working Mac system, the drive can not be mounted and the data stored on it can not be accessed.
Cause
Such behavior of Mac OS X might occur due to incomplete installation of updates. Due to the same, some of the system files and operating system files become faulty and do not work properly.
Resolution
To sort out this problem and gain access of your mission critical data, you need to format the hard drive and reinstall the operating system. By formatting the Mac volume, you will be able to install new system files and metadata structures like file system and boot loader, reinstalling the operating system will fix the damaged operating system files.
This solution is capable of resolving most of the hard drive and operating system related issues, but it also has a downside. It erases all your data files and more from the hard drive which causes serious data loss situations that require Data Recovery Mac.
You can perform this operation with the help of powerful and advanced third party Mac Recovery software. These software capable of methodically scanning your hard drive and achieve absolute Mac Data Recovery.
Stellar Phoenix Macintosh Data Recovery provides finest Mac Recovery. The software offers boot DVD to recover data from unbootable Macs. It supports HFS, HFS+, HFSX, HFS Wrapper and FAT file systems based Mac volumes. The software is compatible with Mac OS X 10.5.x Leopard, 10.4.x Tiger and 10.3.9 Panther.
Allen a student of Mass Communication doing research on mac data recovery
More Details for Mac Data Recovery Services: http://www.macintosh-data-recovery.com/mac-recovery-services.php
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Allen_Sood
When you install Mac OS X 10.5 updates, the system may not boot and the hard drive can not be mounted. This behavior makes all your precious data inaccessible and can cause serious data loss. Mac Data Recovery is required to resolve such issues.
When you attempt to download and install the Mac OS X 10.5.7 updates, you might come across the following situations:
When you attempt to download updates with Firefox, it stops with grey screen and asks to reboot.
When you use Safari, you discover the same behavior.
When you try again with Safari, it downloads successfully but fails to install.
After incomplete installation of updates, when you try to boot the system, the bootup process gets halted with grey screen and spinning wheel. If you try to access this drive by attaching it as a slave to a working Mac system, the drive can not be mounted and the data stored on it can not be accessed.
Cause
Such behavior of Mac OS X might occur due to incomplete installation of updates. Due to the same, some of the system files and operating system files become faulty and do not work properly.
Resolution
To sort out this problem and gain access of your mission critical data, you need to format the hard drive and reinstall the operating system. By formatting the Mac volume, you will be able to install new system files and metadata structures like file system and boot loader, reinstalling the operating system will fix the damaged operating system files.
This solution is capable of resolving most of the hard drive and operating system related issues, but it also has a downside. It erases all your data files and more from the hard drive which causes serious data loss situations that require Data Recovery Mac.
You can perform this operation with the help of powerful and advanced third party Mac Recovery software. These software capable of methodically scanning your hard drive and achieve absolute Mac Data Recovery.
Stellar Phoenix Macintosh Data Recovery provides finest Mac Recovery. The software offers boot DVD to recover data from unbootable Macs. It supports HFS, HFS+, HFSX, HFS Wrapper and FAT file systems based Mac volumes. The software is compatible with Mac OS X 10.5.x Leopard, 10.4.x Tiger and 10.3.9 Panther.
Allen a student of Mass Communication doing research on mac data recovery
More Details for Mac Data Recovery Services: http://www.macintosh-data-recovery.com/mac-recovery-services.php
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Allen_Sood
Why computer backup is a must.
Backups - Backing up your data to an external disc or other medium is a basic backup method that provides you a copy of your data. Using either a hard drive, CD, DVD, Tape or DLT along with backup software will allow you to retrieve data in the event of systems failure or accidental deletion.
Off site Backups - I recommend performing off site backups in addition to your on site backups. Off site backups allow you to backup your crucial data at an offside location. This provides additional protection in the event of damage to the location of your systems and backups. For basic home or small office backups DropBox Offers free and low priced automated backups. For Business backups, including database and application data, I recommend using onlinebackupvault. Use coupon code "OBVOOLF" for a 5% discount on their services.
Anti Virus - I recommend that All Microsoft Operating Systems (Windows) be protected with an Anti-Virus platform. Be sure to keep the anti-virus signature files up to date, and schedule regular full system scans.
Anti Spyware - In addition to Anti-Virus package, I recommend downloading Microsoft Defender, free on the Microsoft Website. Defender will schedule update and scans in its default setup. I usually complement it with occasional scans using Adaware or Spybot Search and Destroy
Network Firewalls - Most consumer routers (wired and wireless) are equipped with a firewall. A firewall allows you to allow and disallow different types of data from entering or leaving your network. By default, most firewalls will allow no traffic into your network, while allowing all traffic out of your network. By limiting the types of traffic allowed out of your network, you are proving additional protection to your data and systems. If for example your machine was infected with a virus or spyware and an open connection out to the internet, the virus could travel freely out to other computers on the internet. This could lead to your IP address being "Blacklisted" for services like outbound email.
System Firewalls - Many operating systems (MAC, Windows XP and VIsta) offer a software firewall included in the operating system. Enable these to provide additional security to your system.
Passwords - Be sure to set up passwords on your accounts and resources. Use a combination of uppercase, lowercase, numerals and special characters to strengthen the password.
RAID - Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks are often used in business systems and protect against disk failure. By combining multiple disks in an Array, you reduce the risk of losing your data with a single hard drive loss. As hard drives have gone down in price, RAID is now more accessible for personal and small business use. Whereas backups are generally a snapshot in time, RAID is a real time copy of your data.
Wireless Security - If you have any important data on your wireless network, be sure to implement wireless encryption on your router and computers. You can further secure your wireless environment by hiding the SSID and setting up MAC address restrictions, to prevent unauthorized use of your network.
UPDATE! - Be sure to keep your operating system, applications and Anti-Virus updated. New viruses and vulnerabilities are released daily. By keeping current, you reduce your risk of being exploited.
I hope you enjoyed these tips. Have a security tip to share? Pplease comment on the blog.
Jonah Wolf
Digital Consultant and Media Conversion
http://www.voolf.com
jonah@voolf.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonah_Wolf
Off site Backups - I recommend performing off site backups in addition to your on site backups. Off site backups allow you to backup your crucial data at an offside location. This provides additional protection in the event of damage to the location of your systems and backups. For basic home or small office backups DropBox Offers free and low priced automated backups. For Business backups, including database and application data, I recommend using onlinebackupvault. Use coupon code "OBVOOLF" for a 5% discount on their services.
Anti Virus - I recommend that All Microsoft Operating Systems (Windows) be protected with an Anti-Virus platform. Be sure to keep the anti-virus signature files up to date, and schedule regular full system scans.
Anti Spyware - In addition to Anti-Virus package, I recommend downloading Microsoft Defender, free on the Microsoft Website. Defender will schedule update and scans in its default setup. I usually complement it with occasional scans using Adaware or Spybot Search and Destroy
Network Firewalls - Most consumer routers (wired and wireless) are equipped with a firewall. A firewall allows you to allow and disallow different types of data from entering or leaving your network. By default, most firewalls will allow no traffic into your network, while allowing all traffic out of your network. By limiting the types of traffic allowed out of your network, you are proving additional protection to your data and systems. If for example your machine was infected with a virus or spyware and an open connection out to the internet, the virus could travel freely out to other computers on the internet. This could lead to your IP address being "Blacklisted" for services like outbound email.
System Firewalls - Many operating systems (MAC, Windows XP and VIsta) offer a software firewall included in the operating system. Enable these to provide additional security to your system.
Passwords - Be sure to set up passwords on your accounts and resources. Use a combination of uppercase, lowercase, numerals and special characters to strengthen the password.
RAID - Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks are often used in business systems and protect against disk failure. By combining multiple disks in an Array, you reduce the risk of losing your data with a single hard drive loss. As hard drives have gone down in price, RAID is now more accessible for personal and small business use. Whereas backups are generally a snapshot in time, RAID is a real time copy of your data.
Wireless Security - If you have any important data on your wireless network, be sure to implement wireless encryption on your router and computers. You can further secure your wireless environment by hiding the SSID and setting up MAC address restrictions, to prevent unauthorized use of your network.
UPDATE! - Be sure to keep your operating system, applications and Anti-Virus updated. New viruses and vulnerabilities are released daily. By keeping current, you reduce your risk of being exploited.
I hope you enjoyed these tips. Have a security tip to share? Pplease comment on the blog.
Jonah Wolf
Digital Consultant and Media Conversion
http://www.voolf.com
jonah@voolf.com
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