A 2015 survey of 841 Kroll Ontrack Data Recovery customers across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific revealed that employing a backup solution does not entirely eliminate data loss. Customers who lost valuable computer data confirm that the majority of consumers and businesses are implementing backup solutions, but unintentional gaps in back up protocols are nevertheless proving costly.
 
Well over half (61 percent) of respondents had a backup solution in place at the time of data loss with 71 percent backing up their data on a daily (42 percent) or weekly (29 percent) basis. Despite all these common practices data loss continues to occur. Further investigation reveals minor oversights or an unknowingly non-functioning backup can render backup procedures ineffective.
 
The 2015 survey data shows that of those who had a backup in place at time of data loss:

• 21 percent report that their backup was not operating correctly
• 21 percent simply did not have their device included in their backup procedure
• 19 percent report their backup was not current, reducing the likelihood of retrieving needed data

 
Jeff Pederson, senior manager of data recovery operations, Kroll Ontrack asserts that simply performing backups alone is not in itself a complete backup strategy. The process “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,” he adds.
 
Backup Methods and Barriers to Use
 
Once again in 2015, of those respondents utilizing a backup solution, external hard drives prevailed as the most used approach (68 percent) for both business and personal data (compared to 63 percent in 2014 and 59 percent in 2013). Only 16 percent report leveraging cloud backup and 5 percent tape backup.
 
Of those respondents not utilizing a backup solution, 87 percent (compared to 89 percent in 2014 and 96 percent in 2013) said they are extremely likely or somewhat likely to seek a backup solution, with external hard drives as the preferred method (77 percent). 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 percent in 2015, compared to 49 percent in 2014 and 56 percent in 2013. Expense of backup solution, cited by 31 percent of respondents, was the next most common barrier to leveraging a backup solution.
 
Kroll Ontrack recommends taking the following proactive measures when implementing a backup solution to optimize 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
• Are you protected against data loss? Click to see how respondents who have experienced data loss are protecting themselves.