How Many Types of Backup are There?

There are mainly three types of backup: full, differential, and incremental.

Let’s dive in to know more about the types of backup, the difference between them and
which one would be the best fit for your business.

Full Backup

A full backup is the most complete type of backup where you clone all the selected data.
This includes files, folders, SaaS applications, hard drives and more. The highlight of a
full backup is the minimal time it requires to restore data. However, since as everything
is backed up in one go, it takes longer to backup compared to other types of backup.
The other common issue with running full backups is that it overloads storage space.
That’s why most businesses tend to run a full backup and occasionally follow it up with
differential or incremental backup. This reduces the burden on the storage space,
increasing backup speed.

Differential Backup

A differential backup straddles the line between a full and an incremental backup. This
type of backup involves backing up data that was created or changed since the last full
backup. To put it simply, a full backup is done initially, and then subsequent backups
are run to include all the changes made to the files and folders.

It lets you restore data faster than full backup since it requires only two
backup components: an initial full backup and the latest differential backup.

Let’s see how a differential backup works:

Day 1 – Schedule a full backup

Day 2– Schedule a differential backup. It will cover all the changes

that took place between Day 1 and Day 2

Day 3 – Schedule a differential backup. It will make a copy of all the data that has
changed from Day 2 (this includes the full backup on Day 1 + differential backup) and
Day 3.

Incremental Backup

The first backup in an incremental backup is a full backup. The succeeding backups will
only store changes that were made to the previous backup. Businesses have more
flexibility in spinning these types of backups as often as they want, with only the most
recent changes stored.

Incremental backup requires space to store only the changes (increments), which allows
for lightning-fast backups.

Difference Between Full, Differential and Incremental Backups

 Full Differential Incremental

Storage Space High Medium to High Low

Backup Speed Slowest Fast Fastest

Restoration Speed Fastest Fast Slowest

Most recent full backup

Most recent full backup
Media Required for & all incremental
Most recent backup only & most recent
Recovery backups since full
differential backup
backup

Stores a lot of duplicate

Duplication Stores duplicate files No duplicate files
files

The Right Backup Strategy With the Right Type of Backup

Let’s celebrate World Backup Day by choosing the right type of backup, which often
depends on the amount of data you need to backup.

For instance, if you have a high volume of data, you need a backup strategy that uses
the combined power of a full and an incremental backup.

These insights offer clarity for your SaaS backup buying process and can help you
narrow down your search for the right backup solution that meets your backup needs.
After all, you want a reliable solution that will store your business information, like
Google Workspace, Office 365 and Salesforce data, and help you recover it when you
need it.

Spanning, a Kaseya company, is the leader in SaaS Cloud-to-Cloud Backup, proven and
trusted by more than 10,000 organizations to provide enterprise-class data protection
for Office 365, Google Workspace and Salesforce. It enables end users as well as
administrators to easily backup and restore data in just a few clicks.

How many types of Backup?

There are mainly three types of backups: Full backup, differential backup, and
incremental backup. Let’s take a look at each type of backup, their impact on data
security, and their respective pros and cons.
 Full backup
I am quite sure everybody who’s reading this blog has heard of full backups. They are
the simplest form of backup and the easiest to understand. Full backup essentially
makes a backup of everything you wish to protect every time. So, all files, objects,
bytes however you wish to measure your data – every one of them is copied over to a
secondary storage target each time. If you perform a full backup once a day – then
everything is copied over once a day.

Let’s take an example – say you have 4 files A, B, C, and D. And let’s say each of them
is about 1GB each and each of them takes 10 mins to backup.
 On Day 1 – you’ll backup 4GB and it’ll take you 40 mins
 On Day 2, let’s say File B changes to B1, and a new File called E is added. A-C & D
remain the same.
 hen you run the backup on Day 2, it’ll backup all 5 files and it’ll take you 50mins
 One Day 3, let’s say File B changes again and becomes B2. File C also changes to C1,
and File D gets deleted.
 When you run the backup on Day 3, it’ll backup 4 files again (D is removed –
remember?) and it’ll take you 40 mins.

When you restore, you will most likely get data from the latest backup and it’ll take you
40 mins to restore.
 Simple enough?
Differential backup
Full backups, as you can see take time. 40 minutes – 50 minutes each day as in our
example. The next optimization the industry made was a differential backup. Differential
backup makes a copy of files that have changed since the full backup.

Let’s take the same example – say you have 4 files A, B, C, and D. And let’s say each
of them is about 1GB each and each of them takes 10 mins to backup
 On Day 1 – you’ll backup 4GB and it’ll take you 40 mins
 On Day 2, let’s say File B changes to B1, and a new File called E is added. Files A, C
& D stay the same.
 When you run the backup on Day 2, it’ll backup just the 2 changed files and the backup
will take you 20mins
 One Day 3, let’s say File B changes again and becomes B2. File C also changes to C1
and File D gets deleted.
 When you run the backup on Day 3, it’ll backup 3 files (B2, C1, and E) and it’ll take you
30 mins. Why did we backup E? Remember a differential backup picks up everything
that changed since the full backup.

Let’s see what happens when you restore. When you restore data, just like in the
previous case – you’ll need to restore the Full backup first – and then layer in each
incremental backup on top of that – in order.

If you wish to get back the latest copy of data, it’ll take us 80 mins to restore – that 40
+ 20 + 20. So, not great from a restore standpoint.
 So, while we have been able to improve backup speeds progressively, we have traded
off restore times in each of the above cases.

It is for this reason that traditional types of backup strategies recommend doing a full
backup at frequent points in time – weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, etc. The idea is
to ensure that you’re able to keep restore times in check. If you’re able to start the
restore from a recent full backup, then the number of subsequent backups to restore
and overlay on top of it are limited – thus saving time.

But modern, enterprise-class backup technology has progressed further than this – and
will allow you to have the best of both worlds. Fast incremental backups and fast
restores. The secret is something called cataloging.

Incremental backup
But if you think about it, differential backup has the potential to keep getting bigger and
take longer and longer each day. After all, they’re backing up all changes since the full
backup. So, there could come a point where a daily differential backup is taking as
much time as a full backup (or perhaps more).

Enter the next innovation – incremental backup. Incremental backup only backup what
was changed since the last backup. Sounds efficient from a data
protection perspective right?
Let’s look at this with the same example:
So, you have 4 files A, B, C, and D. And let’s say each of them is about 1GB each and
each of them takes 10 mins to backup
 On Day 1 – you’ll backup 4GB and it’ll take you 40 mins
 On Day 2, let’s say File B changes to B1, and a new File called E is added.
 When you run the backup on Day 2, it’ll backup just the 2 changed files – and it’ll take
you 20 mins
 One Day 3, let’s say File B changes again to B2. File C also changes to C1 and File D
gets deleted.
 When you run the backup on Day 3, it’ll backup just the 2 files again (B2 and C1) (D is
removed – remember?) and it’ll take you 20 mins
So, definitely an improvement over differential backup.
Let’s see what happens when you restore. When you restore data, just like in the
previous case – you’ll need to restore the Full backup first – and then layer in each
incremental backup on top of that – in order.

If you wish to get back the latest copy of data, it’ll take us 80 mins to restore – that 40
+ 20 + 20. So, not great from a restore standpoint.

So, while we have been able to improve backup speeds progressively, we have traded
off restore times in each of the above cases.

It is for this reason that traditional types of backup strategies recommend doing a full
backup at frequent points in time – weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, etc. The idea is
to ensure that you’re able to keep restore times in check. If you’re able to start the
restore from a recent full backup, then the number of subsequent backups to restore
and overlay on top of it are limited – thus saving time.

But modern, enterprise-class backup technology has progressed further than this – and
will allow you to have the best of both worlds. Fast incremental backups and fast
restores. The secret is something called cataloging.

The purpose of backup is to solve three things for businesses and organizations during
their daily operations: any computer or its operating system can crash; anyone can
make errors; and disasters seem to happen when you least expect it or are least
prepared for them. Hence, the backup and recovery of data is an essential part of
running a successful business.

It’s important for businesses to plan ahead and put data backup systems into place in
case the worst happens, well before it happens. Successful data backup systems are
accomplished by using an offsite server or separate drives to store your massive
amounts of information. Without putting these systems in place, data recovery becomes
difficult resulting in loss of information when the worst happens.

What is the Backup and Recovery of Data?

The backup and recovery of data is the process of backing up your data in the event of
a loss and setting up secure systems that allow you to recover your data as a result.
Data backup requires the copying and archiving of computer data to make it accessible
in case of data corruption or deletion. You can only recover data from an earlier time if
you have backed it up with a reliable backup device.

Data backup is one form of disaster recovery making it an essential part of any sensible
disaster recovery plan.

Backing up data cannot always restore all of your business operating systems data and
settings. For instance, computer clusters, database servers, or active directory servers
may need additional types of disaster recovery since a backup and recovery may not
entirely reconstitute them.

Today, you can back up a significant deal of data using cloud storage; therefore,
archiving your data on a local system’s hard drive or external storage is not necessary.
What’s more, you can set up your mobile devices using cloud technologies to allow
automatic data recovery.

Offsite Servers vs. Independent Drives

Offsite servers are suitable for data recovery since they provide massive amounts of
data storage at nominal prices especially when you compare this expenditure to the
hassle it saves in case of an information disaster. Having a safe and secure place to
store information off of your main business server is important in the long run.
Data recovery is usually painless. Moreover, in the rare case where offsite servers crash,
they (offsite servers) have backed up the data further onto their own drives. This makes
using an offsite server for the backup and recovery of your data an effective method of
keeping your information safe.

Another effective method of backing up your business data is to invest in independent

drives. Today, terabyte drives are relatively inexpensive if you purchase them from
discount stores or high-volume stores. Since these drives are basically plug and play,
data storage and recovery becomes easy. Also, there are multiple storage volumes
available in the market.

Depending on the kinds of data you need to keep your business running, you may
choose to backup your data on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis, though most
businesses opt for either of the first two. However, for financial data, a daily backup is
almost a certainty. External drives become invaluable in the process of protecting your
business data.

As you can see, both external drive storage and offsite storage options are potential
necessities. Which one is better for you is entirely dependent on your type of business.
Since the backup and recoverry of data works basically the same way, the real
consideration you must make is whether you need a short term or long-term solution
and whether the short-term option costs more than the long term one.

Offsite storage provides more storage but at a recurring cost (payments) while external
drive storage is often a one-time charge (purchase cost) unless the drive crashes.

Cloud Backup and Recovery

Cloud backup, or online backup, refers to a data backup strategy that involves sending
a copy of your primary data over a public or proprietary network to an off-site server.
The server is typically hosted by a third-party service provider (CSP) that charges you a
fee based on bandwidth, capacity, or number of users.

Implementing cloud data backup may help you bolster your organization’s data
protection strategy without adding more workload on your IT staff.
The cloud backup process copies data and then stores it on different media or a separate
storage system that allows easy access in case of a recovery situation. Some options
include:

 Backing up your data directly to the public cloud. This entails writing the data
directly to a cloud infrastructure provider such as Amazon Web Services
(AWS), Google Cloud, IBM Cloud and Microsoft Azure.
 Backing up your data to a service provider. Here, you write data to a CSP offering
backup services in its managed data center.
 Cloud-to-cloud backup option is for data that lives in the cloud in SaaS (software
as a service) applications. This method copies your data to another cloud.

When you begin using cloud backup services, the initial backup can take days to finish
uploading over the network because of the volume of data. Thus, a technique called
cloud seeding is used, which allows a cloud backup vendor to send you a storage device,
such as a tape cartridge or disk drive, on which to backup your data locally before
sending the device back to the CSP. Once the initial seeding is completed, the provider
only backs up your data over the network.

Online data backup systems are often built around client software applications that run
on a schedule determined by the level of service purchased. If, for instance, you have
contracted a CSP for daily backups, the application will collect, compress, encrypt, and
transfer your data to the CSP’s server every 24 hours. To reduce the time taken to
complete transfers as well as the bandwidth used, the CSP may only provide you with
incremental backups after your first full backup.

Many cloud subscriptions run on a yearly or monthly basis. Also, cloud backup services
are now popularly used by SMBs (small and medium-sized businesses) as well as large
enterprises. For large companies and organizations, cloud data backup services are used
as a supplementary option.

Learn more about Cloud Backup.

Backup vs. Recovery

In a nutshell, the primary difference between backup and recovery is that the former is
a copy of original data that can be used in case of a database failure while recovery
refers to the process of restoring your database to its correct (original) state when a
failure occurs.

As stated earlier, backup refers to a representative copy of data and includes essential
elements of a database such as data files and control files. Since unexpected database
failures are inevitable, a backup of the entire database is required. There are two major
backup types:

1. Physical Backup: This is a copy of physical database files such as data, control
files, log files, and archived redo logs. It is a copy of the files that store database
information in another location and forms the foundation of the database
recovery mechanism.
2. Logical Backup: It contains the logical data that is extracted from a database,
and it consists of tables, procedures, views, functions, etc. However, logical
backups alone are not recommended or useful since it only provides structural
information..

Recovery, on the other hand, helps you to restore your database to its correct state in
the event a failure occurs. It improves the reliability of your database since it allows the
database to recover to a consistent state after sudden failure.

It is entirely possible to recover your database using log-based recovery. A log is a

record sequence containing transaction records. The log of all your transactions when
stored in a stable storage helps you to recover your database after failure. It contains
information about transactions to execute, transaction states, and modified values.
These pieces of information are all stored in their order of execution.

Types of Data Backup

While the idea of data backup may be simple, implementing an effective and efficient
strategy can be difficult. Backup software applications are developed to reduce the
complexity associated with performing backup and recovery operations.

Remember that backup is not the goal. It is merely a means to accomplish your goal,
which is protecting you and your business from the ramifications of lost data. The most
common backup types used are as follows:
 1. Full Backup: This is a basic and complete backup operation that makes a copy of
all your data to another media set such as a disk, tape or CD. A complete copy
of all your data is thus made available on a single media set. It takes longer to
perform and requires a lot of storage space, so it is typically used in combination
with either a differential or incremental backup.
2. Incremental Backup: This operation results in the copying of only that data that
has changed since your last backup operation. A backup application will record
and keep track of the time and date on which all backup operations occur. This
operation is faster and requires less storage media than a full backup solution
would.
3. Differential Backup: Similar to the incremental type, differential backups will copy
all changed data from a previous episode but every time they run, they continue
to copy all the data changed since the stated previous full backup.

Importance of the Backup and Recovery of Data

A backup’s purpose is to create copies of data that you can recover when your primary
data fails. Primary data failures can result from several issues including software or
hardware failure, a human-caused event, data corruption, malicious ransomware
attacks, malware, and accidental deletion of data. Ergo, backup copies allow you to
restore your data from an earlier point in time to aid your business in quickly recovering
from an unplanned event.

Storing a copy of your data on a separate medium is necessary to prevent corruption or

loss. The additional backup device could be as simple as a USB stick or external hard
drive, or more substantial, like a tape drive, disk storage medium, or cloud storage
container. You could either put the alternate medium in the same location as your
primary data or store it remotely. If you are situated in an area with a high possibility
of weather-related events, using a remote location is justified.

For best results, make your backup copies on a regular and consistent basis to minimize
the amount of data lost between backups. This means that the more time that passes
between your backup copies, the more potential for data loss you face when recovering
from a failure. So do not wait months to make your backup copies. Also, retaining
multiple copies of your data provides you with the flexibility and insurance to restore
your systems to a point in time that was not affected by malicious attacks, hardware
failure, or data corruption.

What is Disaster Recovery Backup?

In IT, disaster recovery (DR) is part of security planning, and it is developed together
with a business continuity plan. It refers to policies and procedures that focus on
protecting an organization or business from any significant effects in the event of a
negative event, which may include device or building failures, cyberattacks, or natural
disasters.

Disaster recovery is essential in designing strategies that can help your business to
quickly restore its hardware, application, and data for business continuity. It is
sometimes considered a subset of business continuity. Designing a proper disaster
recovery plan requires the preparation of an in-depth business impact and risk
assessment analysis. These steps aid in the identification of the specific IT services that
can support the crucial business activities of your organization. They also help to set
out the recovery time objectives and recovery point objectives.

Disaster recovery measures can fall into three classifications as follows:

 Preventive Measures: Aim at preventing the occurrence of an event.

 Corrective Measures: Are put in place to correct a system in the event of a
disaster or negative event.
 Detective Measures: These focus on discovering and detecting negative events.

Any sensible disaster recovery plan helps you to achieve business continuity even in the
worst-case scenarios. It is also prudent to put regular checks and exercises in place to
ensure you have effective disaster recovery measures that are followed by all your
individual departments as well as the organization as a whole.

The Importance of Disaster Recovery (DR)

Disaster recovery allows your organization to quickly maintain or resume mission-critical

functions following the occurrence of a disaster. Today’s businesses have become more
reliant and accustomed to high availability while the tolerance for downtime has
significantly decreased. Ergo, a disaster can have devastating effects on your business
especially in today’s highly competitive markets. Since it is a high possibility for
businesses to fail after experiencing significant data loss, disaster recovery has become
an essential part of operations.

Recovery time objective (RTO) and recovery point objective (RPO) are two
measurements used in DR and downtime.

 RTO: Refers to the maximum amount of time after a disaster for your
organization to recover its files from backup storage and return to normal
operations. In other words, RTO is the maximum downtime amount that your
organization can handle. If your organization’s RTO is two hours, it cannot afford
to be down for longer than that.
 RPO: Refers to the maximum file age that your organization must recover from
its backup storage to resume normal operations after a disaster. RPO will
determine your minimum backup frequency. For instance, if your organization’s
RPO is five hours, your system must back up data at least every five hours.

Therefore, RTO and RPO are instrumental in helping you to choose the optimal disaster
recovery procedures, strategies, and technologies for your organization. Meeting tighter
RTO windows will require you to position your secondary data in a manner that makes
it easily accessible when needed.

Recovery-in-place is one effective method of restoring data quickly. It involves using

technology that can allow you to move your backup data files to a live state on your
backup appliance, which eliminates the need to move the data across a network. This
protects against server and storage system failure.

Preparation for a disaster requires you to take a comprehensive approach that

encompasses software and hardware, power, networking equipment, connectivity, and
testing to ensure DR can be achieved within your RTO and RPO targets. Though
implementing a thorough disaster recovery plan is no small task, its potential benefits
are significant.

Why Do You Need a Data Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan?

Without a sound data backup and DR plan, your business risks suffering permanent lost
data, unnecessary expenses, and massive downtime. Here are five convincing reasons
for a data backup and DR plan:

1. All Data is a Target: Whether you are an attorney, a dentist, running a pet shop,
or a Fortune 500 company, your data always remains vulnerable to threats.
Accidents, ransomware attacks, viruses, malware, and hackers are not picky.
They will attack your business for any number of reasons such as fulfilling a
vendetta, acquiring sensitive data, or simply because they can.
2. It is Easy to Lose Data: A lot of data loss occurs as a result of hardware
malfunctions or human error as opposed to natural disasters. This means that
your data is very easy to lose.
3. Some Data is Invaluable: Some of your business data cannot be recovered once
it is lost.
4. Downtime is Not Fun: Losing data results in downtime because without it, it
becomes incredibly hard for your employees to work. It is difficult to handle
clients without their account status and contact information or to work without
any of your mission-critical business applications. Without a sound recovery
solution in place, your restoration efforts automatically become rebuilding efforts.
5. Your Reputation is Essential: Downtime and losing your data will definitely affect
how other stakeholders view your business as well as their relationship with you.
A tarnished reputation can significantly hamper your business especially when
stakeholders cannot trust you with their data.

Backup and Recovery Software

Database Management System (DBMS) refers to a software package that helps you
manage databases easily and effectively, which allows you to organize your data
properly. DBMS has many advantages, for example, it allows you to store, manipulate,
and retrieve data from databases. It also enables you to perform transactions and
provides protection to your data. You may also need a sound backup and recovery
software such as Veritas NetBackup.

The Bottom Line

Disaster recovery and backup and recovery are not mutually exclusive. Actually, best
practices will include both approaches. You need to put a regular and consistent data
backup solution and recovery plan in place to protect your business and its data from
unplanned losses. Remember that data backup is one form of a disaster recovery plan
while the latter is part of an overall security plan. Preparing for worst-case scenarios
allows you to ensure business continuity and quick recovery times for your critical
business data.

Backup VS Recovery

Backup and Recovery Definition

Firstly, you need to know what backup is and what recovery is. Let’s get started with
the definition.

What Is Backup
Backup comes along with data protection and it refers to a copy of original data. One
of the methods of data protection is a backup. A backup is used to restore the original
file in the event of a disaster event. Usually, the primary data failures include data
corruption, malicious attacks, accidental data deletion, software or hardware failure,
and more.

It is critical to separately store the copy of original data on storage devices to protect
against data loss or corruption. The storage medium can be a USB stick or external hard
drive, a cloud storage device, and more.

To get the best results, backups should be created on a consistent and regular basis.
The frequency of backup can be different depending on the data priority, for example,
if the data is very valuable, it should be backed up every day.

Backup types are various, including full backup, incremental backup, differential backup,
local backup, remote backup, cloud backup, mirror backup, local backup, online backup,
offsite backup, and more.

What Is Recovery
 In computing, data recovery is a process of restoring lost, corrupted, damaged,
inaccessible, or formatted data from removable devices, hard drives, etc. (when the
data stored in them cannot be accessed in a usual way) to a laptop, desktop, or a server.

The reasons for data loss can be system breakdown, hard drive failure, viruses, software
crashes, logical errors, natural disasters, equipment malfunctions, physical damage, etc.

The process of data recovery may vary and this depends on the situations of data loss,
or the backup target media. Data recovery services can retrieve files that are not backed
up and accidentally deleted from a computer but remain on the hard drive in fragments.

There are multiple strategies used for recovery, for example, image-based backup,
continuous replication or snapshot, and more.

To know more information on data recovery, see this related article – A brief
Introduction of Data Recovery

Backup VS Recovery: What Is Difference

To quickly know the difference between backup and recovery, let’s see the following

Backup Recovery

Refers to storing a copy of original data Refers to restoring the data in case of various
separately. So, backup is a copy of data that failures or computer accidents. Thus, recovery is a
is used to restore original data after data process of retrieving damaged, corrupted, lost, or
loss/damage. deleted data to its original state.

Recovery helps to improve the reliability of the

Backup helps improve data protection.
database.

The cost of backup is affordable. Data recovery is expensive.

Backup makes the recovery process easier. Recovery has no role in data backup.

Its production usage is very common. The product usage is very rare.

table.
 Create a Complete Data Backup and Recovery Plan

After reading the part of backup vs recovery, you know much information about data
backup and recovery. Data backup offers the ability to recover and it can be the first
step in a complete data recovery plan.

To prepare fully for a computer accident, you should not only back up data to a certain
location but also do the following things.

Make Sure All Important Data Is Backed up

You may not back up all the content on your computer but ensure you have backed up
all the important and relevant data. If there is enough storage space on your device and
worry about the data that you may need, a full backup is a good option.

Protect Your Data Backup

The second step is to secure your data backup and make sure none of your data is
damaged. If data is damaged or there are data quality errors, backed-up data is no
good. Besides, data backup can be the target of hackers and other threats. Due to these
two reasons, protecting your data backup is vital.

Decide Backup Frequency

You should also decide how frequently backups should be performed. It is ideal to run
continuous real-time backups of all the data but it is usually not realistic. So, decide
when and how often backups should be created.

Have a Procedure for Recovering Data

Data backup is a thing and restoring data is another thing. And you should be ready for
different situations:

 Data is lost but infrastructure remains intact: recover data from backups to your
original system.
 Data and infrastructure is lost: build a new system and recover data to it.
The data recovery plan should be as much automation as possible so that you can get
data back to normal more quickly. And you also build safeguards to make sure to not
overlook important data or file corruption.

Ensure the Quality of Data Backups and Recovered Files

The data you back up and recover is useful only when there is no error. That is, you
should make sure of the quality of data backups and recovered files. Backing up data
that has errors will ultimately make data recovery more difficult.

After knowing so much information about data backup and recovery, now it is time to
create data backups for your computer. If it is needed, perform a data recovery task.
How can you back up data and retrieve data? Use MiniTool software and proceed to the
next part to know more.

Run MiniTool ShadowMaker for PC Data Backup

MiniTool ShadowMaker, an excellent computer backup software, is compatible with

Windows 10, 8, 8.1, and 7. With it, you can back up files, folders, disks, partitions, and
systems to an image file within few clicks. Once there is something wrong with the
computer, you can restore your files or the system to its original state.

This backup software allows you to create various backups, including full backups,
incremental backups, and differential backups. To protect your PC well, you can create
automatic backups by configuring a specific time. You can save the backups to an
external hard drive, USB flash drive, SSD, HDD, and more.

As for file backup, you can also use MiniTool ShadowMaker to sync files to other
locations for data protection. Besides, this software allows cloning a hard drive to
another one for disk upgrade or replacement.

Now, download MiniTool ShadowMaker Trial Edition and install it on your computer to
start a backup for data backup.
What Is Data Backup?

Types of data backup based on the data

 The first is a physical backup, which represents a copy of physical database files.
This can be control files, data files, log files, and archived logs files. All of this
data is the foundation of the recovery mechanism within a database.
 The second type of data backup is a logical backup, and these backups contain
all the logical data which is extracted from a database. This type of data provides
structural information and it consists of things such as procedures, functions,
views, and tables.

Types of data backup based on the amount

Another way you can look at types of data backup is based on how much data you’re
backing up, and in this sense, there are three different types:

 Full backup. Copying all of the data you have to a different media such as a
CD, disk, tape, or even better, backing it up to cloud backup services. Since it’s
a complete copy of all of the data in your systems, full backups usually take a
long time to complete, sometimes even multiple days.
 Incremental backup. Saving and copying the new data that was created and
generated since the last time you performed a full backup. Incremental backups
are performed to “fill in the gaps” and if they’re done regularly, they take much
less time than full backups.
 Differential backup. Differential and incremental backups are very similar. The
main difference is that in a differential backup, you copy the changes made to
data and continue to do so every time a new change is made.

What Is Data Recovery?

Data recovery is the process of restoring (recovering) all of the data that was lost
because of any sort of issue. After a failure occurs, thanks to recovery, you can restore
your database to the state it was in before the accident or disaster that caused it to be
lost or deleted.

Data backup and recovery go hand in hand, and without backups, recoveries would be
extremely hard. While it would still be possible to get your data back, it would take a lot
of complicated methods. But even then, it would be a headache and it isn’t guaranteed
that you’d be able to perform recovery.

Data recovery is performed on demand and if things are running as they should, there
is no reason to do it in the first place. However, keep in mind that while you might never
have to do a data recovery if you’re lucky, it’s still important to know what it is and how
to perform one.

Your backup server will be there for you in case you need to set up a recovery process
and it will work the same way regardless of whether you’re recovering a single file or
large amounts of data. As long as you have a good recovery method and a solid disaster
recovery plan, you have nothing to worry about.

Key Differences Between Backup and Recovery of Data

Image source

Just because backup and data recovery work so well together, that doesn’t mean that
they’re the same thing. In fact, there are many differences between the two.

Just like it’s important to understand the difference between data archiving and data
backup, it’s important to understand backup vs recovery. So what is the difference
between recovery and backup?

Starting off with the definitions again, backup is the process of creating a copy of the
original data and storing it in a safe place, while recovery is the process of restoring
that same data.

Still, there’s a lot more to it than just the basics, so let’s get into the key differences
between them:

 A backup is nothing more than the replication of data, while recovery is the
process of retrieving that data.
 The main goal of a backup is to keep an additional copy in case the original data
is lost or damaged, while the goal of recovery is to retrieve that data in case
something happens.
 Backup makes the process of data recovery go more smoothly and more easily,
while recovery doesn’t have a role in data backup.
  Backups are usually affordable while data recoveries can be expensive.
 Data backups are very common and data restores aren’t as they only occur in
case of an unplanned and unexpected data loss.
 Backups are never created automatically, but you can set up an automated
recovery.
 You need to have extra storage space for a backup, but you don’t need it for
recovery as it’s done on your system.
 Depending on what type of backup you’re performing, it can take hours or even
days, but recovery times are usually much quicker. If you use good recovery
software, you can even get instant recovery.

As you can probably tell, the differences between data backup and recovery pair well
together and are even required so both processes can work as intended.

Main similarities between backup and recovery

The main similarity between the two is the fact that both backup and data recovery
keep your data safe. However, another similarity comes into play if you use a cloud
backup and recovery system.

In that case, the system itself will handle both processes for you. It will perform
whatever types of backups you need and, if you require it, it will also perform a full data
restore. While there are other ways to approach backing up and restoring your data,
doing it via the cloud is one of the most efficient ones.

The cloud can serve as a backup device and recovery solution at the same time, and if
you want to use external storage, this is the best option.

When you store data on the cloud, it’s kept safe in a remote location, which means you
don’t have to worry about buying your own external storage while still having a large
storage capacity.

Additionally, recovery technologies that are built into some cloud services are very
advanced. So not only will you have a great storage device that can perform both a
daily and monthly backup, but you’ll also have access to faster recovery.

Conclusion
It doesn’t matter if you’re a business looking to protect its most valuable data or just an
individual who doesn’t want to lose important files. Either way, you’re most probably
producing a lot of data and you probably depend on it, which is why you need to be
well-versed in the subject of backup and data recovery.

A reliable backup will give you peace of mind and knowing you can always fall back on
a recovery plan is just the thing you need. You might lose your data to a ransomware
attack, human error, faulty physical servers, or just about anything else. After all, data
loss is all too frequent.

Luckily for all of us in this digital world, backup solutions are very common and readily
available, so starting a backup process is easier than ever before. As long as you perform
daily backups and come up with good recovery techniques, you don’t have anything to
worry about.

Run MiniTool Power Data Recovery for PC Data Recovery

In the above part of backup vs recovery, you know a backup can be a method of
recovery. But, if your data gets lost accidentally due to some reason and there is no
backup, what should you do? You need to retrieve your device and try getting lost data
back.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery is such a program. It can help you recover lost/deleted
data from an inaccessible drive, damaged disk, formatted drive, or other situations.
Through a deep scan for hard drives, memory cards, SSDs, etc., you can easily retrieve
your data. It is available for Windows 7/8/8.1 and 10.

Data recovery is expensive but fortunately, its free edition allows you to recover 1GB of
data for free. Just download and install it on your PC for a try.

Backup

 It refers to storing a copy of the original data in a separate memory location.

 It is basically a copy of data that is used to restore the original data in case of a
data loss/damage.
 It is the replication of data.
 It just keeps one extra copy to ensure data is not lost forever.
 It helps in giving data protection.
  It makes the process of data recovery hassle free and easy.
 It is an affordable process.
 It is used in production environments.

Example - SnapManager helps create a backup of data and everything else in the
database.

Recovery

 It refers to restoring the lost data when there is failure.

 It is a process of retrieving lost or corrupted or damaged data to its original form.
 It is the process of storing the data back to the database.
 Backup is used to recover the data.
 It improves the reliability of the database.
 Recovery is an expensive process.
 It is not used frequently in production environments.
 The cost of recovery is expensive.
data recovery

Data recovery is the process of restoring data that has been lost, accidentally deleted,
corrupted or made inaccessible.

In enterprise IT, data recovery typically refers to the restoration of data to a desktop,
laptop, server or external storage system from a backup.

Causes of data loss

Most data loss is caused by human error, rather than malicious attacks, according to
U.K. statistics released in 2016. In fact, human error accounted for almost two-thirds of
the incidents reported to the U.K. Information Commissioner's Office. The most common
type of breach occurred when someone sent data to the wrong person.

Other common causes of data loss include power outages, natural disasters, equipment
failures or malfunctions, accidental deletion of data, unintentionally formatting a hard
drive, damaged hard drive read/write heads, software crashes, logical
errors, firmware corruption, continued use of a computer after signs of failure, physical
damage to hard drives, laptop theft, and spilling coffee or water on a computer.

How data recovery works

The data recovery process varies, depending on the circumstances of the data loss, the
data recovery software used to create the backup and the backup target media. For
example, many desktop and laptop backup software platforms allow users to restore
lost files themselves, while restoration of a corrupted database from a tape backup is a
more complicated process that requires IT intervention. Data recovery services can also
be used to retrieve files that were not backed up and accidentally deleted from a
computer's file system, but still remain on the hard disk in fragments.

Data recovery is possible because a file and the information about that file are stored in
different places. For example, the Windows operating system uses a file allocation
table to track which files are on the hard drive and where they are stored. The allocation
table is like a book's table of contents, while the actual files on the hard drive are like
the pages in the book.

When data needs to be recovered, it's usually only the file allocation table that's not
working properly. The actual file to be recovered may still be on the hard drive in
flawless condition. If the file still exists -- and it is not damaged or encrypted -- it can
be recovered. If the file is damaged, missing or encrypted, there are other ways of
recovering it. If the file is physically damaged, it can still be reconstructed. Many
applications, such as Microsoft Office, put uniform headers at the beginning of files to
designate that they belong to that application. Some utilities can be used to reconstruct
the file headers manually, so at least some of the file can be recovered.

Most data recovery processes combine technologies, so organizations aren't solely

recovering data by tape. Recovering core applications and data from tape takes time,
and you may need to access your data immediately after a disaster. There are also risks
involved with transporting tapes.

In addition, not all production data at a remote location may be needed to resume
operations. Therefore, it's wise to identify what can be left behind and what data must
be recovered.

Data recovery techniques

instant recovery, also known as recovery in place, tries to eliminate the recovery window
by redirecting user workloads to the backup server. A snapshot is created so the backup
remains in a pristine state and all user write operations are redirected to that snapshot;
users then work off the backup virtual machine (VM) and the recovery process begins
in the background. Users have no idea the recovery is taking place, and once the
recovery is complete, the user workload is redirected back to the original VM.

One way to avoid the time-consuming and costly process of data recovery is to prevent
the data loss from ever taking place. Data loss prevention (DLP) products help
companies identify and stop data leaks, and come in two versions: stand-alone and
integrated.

 Stand-alone DLP products can reside on specialized appliances or be sold as

software.

 Integrated DLP products are usually found on perimeter security gateways and are
useful for detecting sensitive data at rest and in motion.

Unlike stand-alone data loss prevention products, integrated DLP products usually do
not share the same management consoles, policy management engines and data
storage.

Integrating data recovery into a DR plan

An organization's disaster recovery plan should identify the people in the organization
responsible for recovering data, provide a strategy for how data will be recovered, and
document acceptable recovery point and recovery time objectives. It should also include
the steps to take in recovering data.

For example, if a building is inoperable, affected business units must be advised to

prepare to relocate to an alternate location. If hardware systems have been damaged
or destroyed, processes must be activated to recover damaged hardware. Processes to
recover damaged software should also be part of the DR plan.

Some resources worth reviewing are the National Institute for Standards and
Technology SP 800-34 standard, as well as ISO 24762 and 27031 standards.

A business impact analysis can help an organization understand its data requirements
and identify the minimum amount of time needed to recover data to its previous state.
One challenge to data loss and data recovery is getting a handle on the unstructured
data stored on various devices.
 But there are steps that can mitigate the damage. Start by classifying data based on its
sensitivity and determine which classifications must be secured. Then, determine how
much data would have to be compromised to affect the organization. Undertake a risk
assessment to determine what controls are needed to protect sensitive data. Finally,
put systems in place to store and protect that content.

 Data recovery is defined as the act of (and the software used to) getting
back access to files lost due to storage corruption, user negligence, or
unexpected outage by putting together the remaining fragments, rebuilding
from what’s left, or using backups.
 This article explains the meaning of data recovery, its types, the steps of
the process, and the top software to consider.
Table of Contents

 What Is Data Recovery?

 Process of Data Recovery
 Data Recovery Software

What Is Data Recovery?

Data recovery is the act of (and the software used to) getting back access to files lost
due to storage corruption, user negligence, or unexpected outage by putting together
the remaining fragments, rebuilding from what’s left, or using backups.

Essentially, it is the process of recovering lost, damaged, inadvertently erased, or

otherwise inaccessible data to servers, computers, smartphones, or storage devices (or
onto a new device in case the original device is inoperable).

Generally, the data is recovered from an off-site backup copy. The more current the
backup version is, the better the data’s recoverability in the case of loss or corruption.

Data recovery also encompasses the process of “undeleting” files that a user may have
erased unintentionally by restoring their system formatting. It also provides specialist
data recovery services for damaged drives.

Data recovery is needed in case of any data loss scenario arising from:

 Natural calamities, including fires, floods, earthquakes, and power outages

 Mistakes in application software, like logical errors in database access
 Users’ negligence or accidental deletion of data or folders
 Deterioration or deliberate tampering of data (through pernicious or
infected software and files)
 Legacy software with absent security patches
 Incompatible third-party plugins or apps

When considering the consequences of data loss, data recovery techniques and software
solutions are essential to mitigate risk and preserve business continuity.

Types of data recovery

Data recovery may be of various kinds:

 Logical data recovery: Logical data recovery is performed when the

issue with data recovery does not impact the hard disc itself but the
computer. This occurs when a disc is still functional but some data has been
lost.
 Physical data recovery: This occurs when your hard disc is physically
damaged. If physically affected, there are currently organizations
 specializing in data recovery that can help. They can assist in reconstructing
faulty firmware so you can read and transfer the data.
 Hard drive recovery: Data recovery from hard drives is perhaps the most
prevalent data recovery technique, yet it is also the most complicated.
Users should seek a hard disc recovery provider and regularly back up
essential data.
 Optical recovery: CDs, DVDs, and other laser-written media are called
optical storage. Utilizing data recovery solutions specializing in optical
storage presents the best possibility of recovering lost data from optical
media.
 Instant data recovery: In this method of data recovery, when data is
lost, the user is promptly directed to a backup server. They have near-
immediate accessibility to a glimpse of their workload, and IT manages the
complete restoration in the background.

See More: 5-Step Guide to Business Continuity Planning (BCP) in 2021

Process of Data Recovery

If you have witnessed a file loss or intend to prepare for a future emergency, here are
the steps to follow:
Data Recovery Process

1. Stay calm

First, users should maintain their composure and avoid rushing or aggravating the issue.
The first step is to guarantee that no more modifications are applied to the storage
media where the missing data was stored. Additionally, avoid storing data on the
damaged drive. If the system (boot) disc, which is where the operating system boots,
is corrupted, it is preferable just to turn off the computer. All further preparations for
data recovery software should occur on a separate machine.

2. Do your research

The next step is to acquire additional knowledge about data recovery. Several internet
tools are available to assist you in understanding how data recovery happens and what
to anticipate in your specific circumstances. You may also assess the likelihood of
successful file recovery in numerous situations.

3. Temporarily decommission the affected device

Once you know about a data loss situation, cease using any impacted devices. In certain
situations, retrieving corrupted or lost files from the hard drive before everything is
overwritten is feasible. But the chance of overwriting is higher if users keep working
with the disc. If the data loss was caused by an event such as a fire or flood, users must
stop using the affected equipment until it has been examined and is declared safe.

4. Look for symptoms

When data loss happens, there are several external indicators that something is wrong.
Signals of data loss from the hard drive may be as follows:

 If your system no longer identifies the hard drive or if it appears with an

unusual name, the hard drive may be experiencing difficulties.
 The hard disc produces strange noises, clicks, or begins operations too
slowly.
 On your hard disc, bad blocks appear frequently.
5. Document what’s happening

Knowing precisely what caused the data loss is vital to selecting the most appropriate
recovery strategy. Collecting as many details as feasible will also simplify the process
and help avoid a similar situation in the future. Have you made recent modifications to
the IT infrastructure? Is a new employee gaining access to your information? What
indicators did you just notice? This information can help you or the data recovery
professional later.

6. Choose your data recovery method

Once you’ve determined the reasons for the data loss, it’s time to begin recovering it.
If you have been regularly generating backups, the simplest option is to restore all data
from all these backups. Users must consider disc recovery as an alternative if they do
not have a backup system. One may try disk recovery manually by downloading
specialized software or seeking professional assistance.

7. Contact an expert

After determining the source of the data loss and the most effective recovery method,
one may request assistance from a data recovery professional. If you have dedicated
software installed, the software provider will be able to be of assistance. Although you
might try data recovery by yourself, it is always better to seek assistance from an expert,
especially if you’ve lost a significant quantity of important data. A botched effort at
recuperation might inflict more significant damage, culminating in further expenses.

8. Make room for the recovered data

Working with image files (a representation of the storage system and the material it
contains) is preferable over working with physical discs for retrieving data. This
safeguards the data against accidental corruption. This stage entails preparing sufficient
storage space for recovered data and images. It is strictly forbidden to attempt to save
recovered data on the original discs.

9. Take preventive measures against future incidents

After recovering as much data as possible, it is essential to reflect on the lessons learned.
Consider the causes of the loss and implement measures to avoid it from happening
again.

If there is a security flaw in the network, one may want the help of security
professionals. If environmental causes compromise storage equipment, it may be wise
to back up the data remotely. Consider looking at managed IT services if you have
difficulty protecting massive volumes of data and intricate and diverse file formats.

See More: 10 Best Practices for Disaster Recovery Planning (DRP)

Data Recovery Software

Data recovery software is a category of application software that assists in recovering

lost, damaged, or unavailable data from a storage device. Its objective is to examine,
scan, locate, recover, and back up the data from deleted, damaged, or formatted
sections or from a user-defined place on the storage device.

In 2021, the data recovery and backup market, comprising data recovery software, was
estimated at $10.61 billion globally. Research from the Data Backup and Recovery
Market: Global Overview and Forecast (2022-2029) report by Maximize Market Research
shows that this segment’s revenues would increase by 10.3% between 2022 and 2029,
reaching approximately $ 23.24 billion.

What is data recovery software?

Typically, data recovery software has access to the disk’s basic architecture. It may
extract data from damaged storage devices or destroyed files/folders by examining the
file architecture records/entries. In addition to having control and access over file types
and structures, it can reformat and repair hard disk partitions.

It may be used to restore data, files, and directories produced by the user and the
system. It can recover data from almost every storage device, such as hard drives, flash
storage units, external memory cards, and tape drives. Usually, data recovery software
is capable of recovering data from standard file systems.

Most data recovery software users are IT support personnel, managed service providers,
and individual power users.

Why is data recovery software necessary?

Today, organizations store nearly all of their critical data in the cloud. Additionally, you
may automatically save anything to a USB stick or an external hard disk. However, in
the case of a hard disk failure or a damaged drive, you will require specialized data
recovery software to retrieve the lost files and folders. Therefore, a solid data recovery
strategy for the organization is highly advantageous.

Fortunately, organizations have access to a variety of high-quality data recovery tools.

In the case of a total or partial data crash, these software tools allow users to recover
a significant portion of the data while minimizing the adverse effects.

Even if you employ a data backup provider, you ought to keep a recovery tool readily
accessible in case the very worst should happen. The ideal data recovery software
makes recovering lost folders and files on any desktop, smartphone, or storage media
simple, fast, and straightforward.

See More: What Is Disaster Recovery? Definition, Cloud and On-premise, Benefits and
Best Practices

Top 7 data recovery software

In today’s multi-billion-dollar market, you have many options when selecting the right
data recovery software. Here are the best ones, arranged in alphabetical order:
1. AnyRecover

AnyRecover is one of the most effective data recovery applications for Outlook files. It
can recover PST, DBX, and EMLX files (it supports over 1,000 file variants). In addition,
it has file repair, email recovery, as well as lost partition recovery capabilities. Users
should be aware that the Mac software version is priced somewhat more than its
Windows version. Paid subscriptions provide near-limitless data recovery, while the free
plan restricts retrieval to only three files.

2. Disk Drill Data Recovery

Even if your device is malfunctioning, inaccessible, or has lost a partition, Disk Drill Data
Recovery will recover corrupted information. It enables users to recover lost images,
movies, audio files, or files from internal or external devices, flash drives, and SD cards.
Additionally, it offers two crucial additional data loss protection features: the Recovery
Vault, which introduces another layer to your Recycle Bin, and Guaranteed Recovery,
which retains a duplicate of any file transferred to a predefined folder.

3. EaseUS

The EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is simple to use. The wizard directs the user through
each stage of the recovery procedure. If the program is executed rapidly enough, it can
recover almost anything, from accidentally lost disks to virus-hit data. It is compatible
with internal and external hard disks, USB flash sticks, memory cards, and numerous
partition configurations.

4. Recuva

Recuva by Piriform ranks among the finest accessible free data recovery programs. It’s
extremely user-friendly and offers several optional advanced features. It can recover
data from hard disks, external devices (such as USB drives), BD/DVD/CDs, or memory
cards. It seeks to make restoring deleted files as simple as deleting them. Piriform offers
installable and portable software versions but no software as a service (SaaS) app.

5. R-Studio

R-Studio is mainly designed for experts already familiar with data recovery. It supports
all frequently utilized file formats, partition layout schemes, and corrupted or deleted
partitions. R-Studio allows users to initiate numerous data recovery processes
simultaneously in independent tabs. It is possible to arrange recovered files per their
extensions, origin date, modification date, and access timeframe, among other factors.

You may also examine supported file formats or inspect files using the integrated hex
editor to verify their integrity or attempt partial recovery.

6. Stellar Data Recovery

This data recovery system features multiple scan options, allowing you to customize the
scan according to the extent of the data loss. This saves much time if you have removed
a critical file by mistake and realize it immediately since a complete system scan is
unnecessary. It is a flexible service capable of recovering data from internal and external
hard drives, storage devices, memory sticks, and optical media.

Additionally, the platform has powerful search features, making locating and retrieving
the most valuable data simple.

7. PhotoRec

This program can recover over 480 file formats across storage devices such as hard
disks, memory cards, CD-ROMs, flash drives with USB ports, and other storage devices.
PhotoRec’s text-only user interface is well-suited for IT professionals.

PhotoRec’s performance is comparable to other commercial data recovery software

solutions. It employs a non-destructive data retrieval mechanism, preventing it from
writing to the storage media from which the user is attempting to recover. In rare
instances, it may effectively restore fragmented data scattered across systems.

How to choose data recovery software?

When deciding on the best data recovery software, one should consider the following
selection parameters:

 Compatibility: First, disk recovery software must be compatible with your

operating system. Users should also seek a service that receives regular
updates to accommodate different operating system variants and feature
sets. Additionally, the program must be able to recover lost data from file
systems designed for both internal and external storage media, like NTFS,
FAT, FAT32, exFAT, HFS+, APFS, ext2/3/4, and many others.
  Prompt support: You must have access to technical assistance if you
experience problems while using the program. Whether the communication
is established via phones, emails, or a problem ticket, there has to be a
mechanism to receive prompt assistance if you have problems retrieving
lost data. This can make a big difference when using the software in an
emergency scenario.
 Credibility and reliability: Malicious actors can install malware into
recovery software to obtain access to a user’s computer during a
problematic situation. Downloading software directly from the developer’s
website is often safer and preferable over utilizing the websites of third-
party distributors.
 Performance: The best solutions for recovering lost data should be able
to successfully retrieve all deleted files and deliver the outcomes they
promise. Unfortunately, developers often overpromise and underdeliver;
therefore, checking the evaluations published by genuine users and expert
reviewers should always be an integral part of the selection process.

The probability of successfully recovering deleted files using software via a disk-led
storage device is directly correlated with the device’s usage since the data was lost.

Ideally, users should discontinue utilizing devices immediately after discovering data
loss. However, this might not be practical. This information must be considered while
evaluating the efficacy of a data recovery tool.

In addition, there aren’t any commercially available software programs that can recover
data that has been overwritten. A file is said to have been overwritten if:

 The file consuming a certain amount of storage space is tagged as

“deleted.”
 Its storage space is listed as “available” to store additional files.
 Fresh data is written in the same location as the file.

Therefore, it is strongly advised that users perform frequent backups of a computer and
all its vital data and use data recovery software only for emergencies as a last resort.

See More: Top 8 Disaster Recovery Software Companies in 2021

Takeaway
Data recovery software is a multi-billion dollar market for good reason. As enterprise
data generation increases and its value to the business grows, you need a way to get
back files, folders, and partitions that may have been deleted by mistake or lost due to
events outside your control. Data recovery software performs this essential function
and, apart from exceptional cases, ensures that lost data can be retrieved after all.

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Four phases of data recovery[edit]

Usually, there are four phases when it comes to successful data recovery, though that
can vary depending on the type of data corruption and recovery required. [20]

Phase 1
Repair the hard disk drive
The hard drive is repaired in order to get it running in some form, or at least in
a state suitable for reading the data from it. For example, if heads are bad they
need to be changed; if the PCB is faulty then it needs to be fixed or replaced; if
the spindle motor is bad the platters and heads should be moved to a new drive.
Phase 2
Image the drive to a new drive or a disk image file
When a hard disk drive fails, the importance of getting the data off the drive is
the top priority. The longer a faulty drive is used, the more likely further data
loss is to occur. Creating an image of the drive will ensure that there is a
secondary copy of the data on another device, on which it is safe to perform
testing and recovery procedures without harming the source.
Phase 3
Logical recovery of files, partition, MBR and filesystem structures
After the drive has been cloned to a new drive, it is suitable to attempt the
retrieval of lost data. If the drive has failed logically, there are a number of
reasons for that. Using the clone it may be possible to repair the partition table
or master boot record (MBR) in order to read the file system's data structure and
retrieve stored data.
Phase 4
Repair damaged files that were retrieved
Data damage can be caused when, for example, a file is written to a sector on
the drive that has been damaged. This is the most common cause in a failing
drive, meaning that data needs to be reconstructed to become readable.
Corrupted documents can be recovered by several software methods or by
manually reconstructing the document using a hex editor.