News
Survey: Most people back up their data, but data loss challenges still prevail according to Kroll Ontrack
March 2015 by Kroll Ontrack
Employing a backup solution does not entirely eliminate data loss. That’s the main takeaway from updated data released today from Kroll Ontrack, the leading provider of data recovery and ediscovery. The 2015 survey [1] of customers who lost valuable computer data confirms that the majority of consumers and businesses are implementing backup solutions, but unintentional gaps in back up protocols are nevertheless proving costly. For the third-year running, well over half (61 per cent) of respondents had a backup solution in place at the time of data loss, down slightly from 65 per cent in 2014 and 63 per cent in 2013.
With 71 per cent of respondents backing up their data on a daily (42 per cent) or weekly (29 per cent) basis, why is data loss still so prominent? Unfortunately, minor oversights or an unknowingly non-functioning backup can render backup procedures ineffective. In fact, this year’s survey data shows that of those who had a backup in place at time of data loss:
• 21 per cent report that their backup was not operating correctly
• 21 per cent simply did not have their device included in their backup procedure
• 19 per cent report their backup was not current, reducing the likelihood of retrieving needed data
“What stands out once again this year is that it is not enough to simply deploy a backup solution and hope for the best,” said Paul Le Messurier, Programme and Operations Manager at Kroll Ontrack. “When nearly three-fourths of respondents confirm they are regularly backing up data yet are still experiencing data loss, the criticality of a complete backup strategy becomes crystal clear. This includes regularly validating that your solution is functioning as expected, and frequent testing and monitoring to ensure the backup is current and complete. In cases where oversight or backup failure leads to data loss, consider enlisting the assistance of a reputable and experienced data recovery provider.”
Backup Methods and Barriers to Use
Once again in 2015, of those respondents utilising a backup solution, external hard drives prevailed as the most used approach (68 per cent) for both business and personal data (compared to 63 per cent in 2014 and 59 per cent in 2013). Only 16 per cent report leveraging cloud backup and five per cent tape backup.
Of those respondents not utilising a backup solution, 87 per cent (compared to 89 per cent in 2014 and 96 per cent in 2013) said they are extremely likely or somewhat likely to seek a backup solution, with external hard drives as the preferred method (77 per cent). When asked about the primary barriers preventing adoption of a backup solution, time to research and administer a backup solution remained the most common reason, cited by 50 per cent in 2015, compared to 49 per cent in 2014 and 56 per cent in 2013. Expense of backup solution, cited by 31 per cent of respondents, was the next most common barrier to leveraging a backup solution.
World Backup Day (31st March, 2015) marks an excellent opportunity for individuals and businesses alike to evaluate their backup technology and protocols. Kroll Ontrack recommends taking the following proactive measures when implementing a backup solution to optimise results:
• Set up a backup schedule that includes coverage for all identified devices and media
• Ensure that backups are running regularly and in accordance with the determined schedule
• Regularly check backup reports for error indications of failure
• Test backups on a regular basis to validate that data has been accurately captured and files are intact
[1] Kroll Ontrack surveyed 841 Ontrack Data Recovery customers across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
