14
Serving the European Market since 2003. an introduction to ireland’s data recovery experts

CDS Data Recovery

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: CDS Data Recovery

Serving the European Market since 2003.

an introduction to

ireland’s data recovery experts

Page 2: CDS Data Recovery

Ciarán KennedyTechnical Director

[email protected]+353 87 2643487

Critical Data Services

I would like to introduce you to Critical Data Services, Ireland’s leading data recovery service provider. With a customer base spanning home users to corporate and law enforcement organisations at home and abroad, we offer industry-leading service at competitive pricing.

Critical Data Services is a business that has been built on strong technical reputation and with a clear focus on service excellence. Both factors are crucial in maintaining our position as leaders in the area of data recovery and data extraction.

We would be delighted if you could come visit our site at some time convenient to you, as we place great emphasis on operational transparency to all of our clients. Meeting our key staff members and seeing the facilities that we have put in place will allow you to get the best possible insight into our technical operation and customer-centric systems.

Our data recovery systems are always the best available. With hard drive technology constantly becoming more complex, we invest significantly in technology every year to ensure that we remain at the leading edge of data recovery. This means that we continue to maximise success rates as disk technology moves forward.

No matter how much time we spend on your recovery task post-evaluation, there will be no pro-fessional recovery fee if we can’t retrieve the data you need! We offer a no quibble refund of any charges paid if we don’t get your data back and another company, anywhere in the world, success-fully recovers your data from the same device within 6 months.

I look forward to working with you in the future.

|| 1890 237100 | www.criticaldata.ie | [email protected] ||

Critical Data Services :: The Experts in Data Recovery

719 Northwest Business ParkKilshane WayBallycoolin Dublin 15

Page 3: CDS Data Recovery

World-Class Facilities The key technical attributes of a professional data recovery business are technically compe-tent engineers using the best available tools and systems in the correct environment.

As storage technology moves forward, so too must the tools and systems required to enable recovery. Coupled with this technology element is the absolute necessity for a controlled envi-ronment for performing work on the internal components of a hard drive. CDS has invested heavily in laboratory facilities in Dublin while the technology investment is always ongoing.

This combination of specialist skills, operational transparency, technology and recognised lab facil-ities is what makes CDS truly unique globally

We always welcome client visits, and encourage all potential clients to ask other companies about their facilities and the possibility of a visit.

Security of your data is a priority for us. Our Data Recovery Lab is equipped with HD CCTV as well as multi-point biometric access. Externally, there are also several layers of physical security to prevent unauthorised access to the lab.

Page 4: CDS Data Recovery

World-Class Engineering

We place great emphasis on a high level of personalised and friendly customer service. We’re happy to tell you everything you need to know about your data loss situation in detail.

At CDS, you will always get to speak with a friendly technical member of staff who will take time to give an accurate and honest assessment of your data loss situation.

We employ only the most experienced Data Recovery Engineers so you can be assured that your drive is handled with the best care possible.

Our team treats every drive as if it were their own. We welcome you to visit our lab and to speak to our engineers.

We recognise that finding the right service provider can be a challenge. We place great emphasis on trust and we endeavour to build long-term relationships with our customers.

No other company in the world operates the transparent model that we do and we guaran-tee dedication to your data at all times.

Page 5: CDS Data Recovery

Why Choose CDS?

Expert Service Guaranteed

You may only get one chance at recovery of your valuable data so you should ensure that the most qualified people evaluate the condition of your damaged data storage device.

Critical Data employs only the most capable data recovery engineers. No matter how much time we spend on your recovery task post-evaluation, there will be no professional recovery fee if we can’t retrieve the data you need.

Industry-Leading Recovery Technology

You can be assured that our data recovery sys-tems are the best available. With hard drive and solid-state technology constantly becoming more complex, we invest significantly in our hardware and software tools to ensure that we remain at the leading edge of data recovery. This means that we continue to maximise success rates as disk technology moves forward.

Deductible Evaluation Fee

Our evaluation fee is always deductible from your recovery fee. Our single drive evaluation fee is €50 incl VAT, while multi-disk system evaluation is charged at €195 per disk ex VAT.

Personalised Technical Service

We place great emphasis on a high level of per-sonalised and friendly customer service. We will tell you everything you need to know about your data loss situation in detail.

At CDS, you will always get to speak with a friendly technical member of staff who will take time to give an accurate and honest assessment of your data loss situation.

Local Presence – Rapid Turnaround

We are the ONLY dedicated data recovery service provider in Ireland, delivering savings of up to 60% on the cost of recovering data. We do not outsource any work, nor are we a sister-company or partner lab to anyone else.

We hold a large inventory of parts and drives to ensure that your data is recovered as quickly as possible. When time is critical, we offer same-day courier service and online data availability.

Page 6: CDS Data Recovery

Global Experience

Virtual Tour of our Cleanroom Laboratory Facilities

Hard drive recovery frequently requires partial or total disassembly of the affected hard drive. This requires specific cleanroom laboratory facilities, which we have at our Dublin office.

Why not visit our website and check out our lab on our Google Street View!

Unique Money Back Guarantee

We offer a no quibble refund of all charges paid if we don’t get your data back and another company, anywhere in the world, successfully recovers your data from the same device within 6 months. How’s that for peace of mind?

Through our involvement in the formation of the GDRA, the Global Data Recovery Alliance, we have access to almost 200 years of data recovery experience online – every day. If we haven’t yet encountered a similar problem to yours, we can very quickly speak with someone else who has. This gives you the maximum possible chance of full data recovery. No other company in Ireland has access to this technical resource base.

Page 7: CDS Data Recovery

Shared Expertise - Superior Results

Critical Data Services :: The Experts in Data Recovery

Founded in 2005, the Global Data Recovery Alliance is the world’s first professional association of inde-pendent commercial data recovery experts.

With international members in 17 countries, GDRA’s primary role is to provide a focus on the expertise and skills of our members, while promoting the de-velopment of our individual businesses in an open, constructive and co-operative environment.

We believe that in doing this, we can provide our customers with a superior and more customer-fo-cused alternative to large multinational data re-covery organisations that seek to monopolise the international data recovery marketplace.

If we haven’t yet encountered a similar problem to yours, we can very quickly speak with someone else who has. This gives you the maximum possible chance of full data recovery.

Sharing common equipment platforms for data recovery enables members to maximise probability of a full recovery of customer’s data.

In other words, when you send a hard drive or other device for recovery to one of our members, you may ultimately avail of the expertise and therefore a combination of many years of intensive research and development of all of our members.

Membership of GDRA is granted on the basis of ge-ography, specialist expertise, hardware and software facilities, training and customer focus.

Since only one data recovery specialist per country/territory may avail of GDRA membership, by engag-ing a GDRA member company, you are assured that you are dealing with your local experts.

Page 8: CDS Data Recovery

Critical Data Services :: The Experts in Data Recovery

From your initial enquiry to dispatch and re-instatement of your data, we are here to guide you through the process step-by-step. Our focus on customer service and technical excellence ensure that you stay informed as we recover your important data.

Launching in Q2 2015, our improved Job Tracking System will allow you to view the status of your recovery job as it is being recovered. If you prefer to speak with the engineer working on your job, he will always be happy to take your call and update you by phone.

So, how does it work?

Page 9: CDS Data Recovery

Ciaran KennedyPosition: Technical DirectorEmail: [email protected]: +353 87 2643487

Ciaran is responsible for overseeing the technical operation at CDS. He also manages all eDiscovery projects and new process development. A graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology, Ciaran holds a degree in Business & Law.

Ronan Kennedy Position: Managing DirectorEmail: [email protected]: +353 87 9177941

Ronan is a Mechanical Engineer by training, but has regained a sense of humour since leaving University College Dublin in 1993! Aside from his duties as M.D., Ronan is actively involved in data recovery case management.

Gerry KavanaghPosition: Logistics & Customer SupportEmail: [email protected]: +353 1 8612280

Gerry keeps us all on our toes to meet customer requirements and is responsible for managing all workflow in our lab from evaluation to completion. Gerry studied Computer Science at Dublin City University and brings vast experience to CDS.

Our Technical Team

Critical Data Services :: The Experts in Data Recovery

|| +353 1 861 2280 | www.criticaldata.ie | [email protected] ||

Page 10: CDS Data Recovery

Pal Fodor Position: Senior EngineerEmail: [email protected]: +353 1 8612280 x103

Pal is the binary guru and senior hard drive engineer in our lab. There’s rarely a problem that he won’t solve. His troubleshooting and engineering skills are second-to-none and he isn’t far from living in our lab full-time!

Pawel JankowskiPosition: Senior EngineerEmail: [email protected]: +353 1 8612280 x105

Pawel is a native of Wroclaw, Poland, and is our all-around-tech-guru with a passion for gadgets! Pawel has automated many processes at CDS and brings vast data recovery and hardware experience to our team.

Attila Fekete Position: Recovery EngineerEmail: [email protected]: +353 1 8612280

Critical Data Services :: The Experts in Data Recovery

|| +353 1 861 2280 | www.criticaldata.ie | [email protected] ||

Attila is the latest recruit to the CDS recovery team. Hailing fromHungary, he is a graduate of Computer Science at the University ofDebrecen. In his spare time, Attila is a keen and talented photographer.

Page 11: CDS Data Recovery

Data Recovery Do’s and Don’ts

Over the past decade, we have handled thousands of failed devices. We have seen lots of DIY attempts which have gone badly wrong, so here is our advice for dealing with your data loss situation...

If you suspect something is wrong, call us! Our expert advice is always free and early inter-vention can help to minimise costs and maximise recoverability.

If your hard drive is making clicking, grinding or whirring sounds, shut down the drive or your computer immediately. These sounds could be the read/write heads hitting or scraping the hard disk platters. Severe or complete data loss could result.

Do not disassemble or attempt to open the hard drive that has been damaged – improper handling can make recovery operations more difficult and can lead to valuable information being lost. We operate a Class 100 Cleanroom for this exact reason!

Avoid DIY remedies you may have seen on YouTube, such as placing a non-spinning hard drive in a freezer or hitting a drive on its side. Much of this information is inaccurate and while some may claim success, these suggestions may actually harm the device and could lead to permanent data loss.  

Don’t run SpinRite or any other “regeneration” programs on a failing drive. These programs merely scan the surface and reallocate bad sectors. This causes intensive wear on the drive and will accelerate drive failure, leading to more expensive recovery costs or an unrecover-able drive.

Do not swap PCB’s between hard drives. Modern circuit boards contain unique “adaptive” data and although the drive will spin, the drive will never initialise and may cause further damage

Do not use data recovery software if the hard drive makes scraping, tapping, clicking or humming sounds and never install any recovery software on the drive, you run the risk of overwriting data!

If your hard drive is encrypted with Full Disk Encryption (FDE), don’t reformat or initialise the disk. Don’t run any data recovery tools or attempt a FIXMBR command. This will overwrite crucial data at the beginning of the drive. Finally, don’t attempt to force decrypt a failing disk.

Page 12: CDS Data Recovery

RAID & NAS Systems

If you are unsure of the damage, do not try to reboot as this may cause further damage to the array.

If a drive is making unusual mechanical sounds, shut it down immediately.

Log the failure and events/observations that preceded system failure.

Before removing drives from an array, label the drives position in the array making note of any drives that have fallen offline. (Drives will be numbered starting with 0 Example: If you have a 5 drive array they will be numbered 0-4)

Do not run repair or defrag utilities on suspected bad drives.

Do not swap or re-arrange the order of the drives in a multiple drive array as this may cause overwriting.

Do not replace the failed drive with a drive that was part of a previous RAID system.

RAID Array Failure? Emergency Service available 24/7On-Call engineers available on 087 2643487 / 087 9177941

If your RAID array has failed, call us for advice before you attempt any repairs. We are always here to offer advice about your data loss.

CDS specialises in RAID recovery – restoring mission-critical data from all manufacturers of NAS and RAID arrays.

We understand the critical nature of these types of system failures and offer unbeatable turnaround, with data returned in many cases within 24 hours depending on system configu-ration and complexity.

Depending on their configuration, RAID arrays can usually tolerate a single drive failure without im-pact on the server’s availability on your network.

However, if more than one drive fails, the server usually will no longer boot. You can try to recover the data yourself, though we have frequently seen this type of intervention result in permanent data loss.

Page 13: CDS Data Recovery

Hard Disk Failure Types

Magnetic Head FailureA magnetic head is approximately the size of a grain of sugar and can be found at the end of an arm that traverses backwards and forwards inside the hard drive chassis to read and write magnetic information to all locations on the rotating disk surface. MHA Failure requires Cleanroom intervention to replace the failed component.

Spindle Motor SeizureMotor seizure arises due to a sharp momentary increase in friction in the motor/bearing mechanism in the hard drive. In most cases, the platters, heads, magnets and controller card must be transplanted to a new hard drive housing which provides a new motor, spindle and bearing. Such a transplant consti-tutes a full disassembly of two hard drives (patient and the donor), as well as a rebuild of the hybrid drive.

Electronic Circuit Board (PCB)The printed circuit board (also known as ‘the PCB’ or ‘the controller’) provides power to the hard drive motor and provides all of the functionality that al-lows the hard drive to effectively manage the magnetic-electronic translation process. Any over-voltage to the hard drive controller will usually result in the controller failing immediately. Depending on the design of the circuit and the severity of the over-voltage, different on-board components may be affected.

Service Area FailureThe Service Area is a restricted area on a drive that is used for storage of code modules and other data structures whose function is to manage the initialisa-tion and operation of the drive. A service area corruption can result from a bad sector list overflow, and also from other similar errors in the drive’s self-man-agement functionality while the drive is attempting to initialise. If such a mod-ule is corrupt, the drive will not initialise correctly, and therefore will never report in a ‘ready’ state.

File System Damage This occurs when data has encountered corruption in very specific locations on the device. This corruption usually results in the system not booting, or in the file system not reporting file content as expected. Data recovery in this type of case is a manual process and is labour intensive. It involves analysis of specific recognisable data structures at byte-level and manipulation/correction of specif-ic binary values to correct the defect(s).

As specialists in Data Recovery, we see a vast range of failures from all type of storage media. Whether a de-vice is 1 week old or 10 years old, it is prone to failure! The most common types of failures that we see are:

Page 14: CDS Data Recovery

Unit 719 Northwest Business Park Kilshane WayBallycoolinDublin 15Ireland

IRL: + 353 (1) 8612280

w: www.criticaldata.iee: [email protected]: @critical_data