Data loss can happen to anyone and for a variety of reasons. Whether it’s due to accidental deletion, hardware failure, ransomware, or natural disasters, losing important files and data can be devastating. When disaster strikes, many turn to professional data recovery services like Ontrack for help recovering their lost files.
Ontrack is one of the biggest and most well-known data recovery companies, with over 30 years of experience recovering data for clients around the world. But is Ontrack’s data recovery really as good as they claim? Let’s take an in-depth look at what Ontrack data recovery offers to see if it’s worth it for your needs.
What data recovery services does Ontrack offer?
Ontrack offers data recovery services for a wide variety of storage devices and situations. Some of their main services include:
- Hard drive recovery – Ontrack can recover data from damaged, failed, or inaccessible hard drives of any brand or size.
- SSD recovery – Solid state drives can also have data recovered by Ontrack.
- Raid recovery – For larger storage setups, Ontrack provides RAID recovery services.
- Mobile device recovery – Lost data from phones, tablets, and other mobile devices can be recovered.
- Tape recovery – Ontrack recover data from backup tapes, including LTO, DLT, AIT, and more.
- Deleted file recovery – Accidentally deleted a file? Ontrack can help get it back.
- Email recovery – Recover lost or deleted email messages and attachments.
- Forensic recovery – For legal and investigation purposes, Ontrack offers forensic-level data recovery.
Ontrack handles recovery for all major operating systems like Windows, Mac, Linux, as well as virtual environments and databases. No matter what type of technology you use, the experts at Ontrack have experience recovering data from it.
What capabilities make Ontrack good at recovering data?
There are a few key capabilities that enable Ontrack to provide high success rates for data recovery:
- Proprietary recovery tools – Ontrack has developed advanced proprietary software and tools optimized for data recovery tasks. These help access damaged drives and extract more data than commonly available tools.
- Clean room facilities – Ontrack operates data recovery labs that meet strict clean room standards. This prevents any contamination or damage to sensitive drives.
- Experienced engineers – With over 30 years handling varied data loss cases, Ontrack engineers have deep expertise in many types of recovery.
- R&D capabilities – Ontrack continually researches emerging technologies and develops new methods for data recovery.
Having these specialized capabilities allows Ontrack to take on complex jobs with greater success rates than the average IT department or computer repair shop. The investment Ontrack makes in data recovery R&D pays off in their results.
What types of data can Ontrack recover?
The experts at Ontrack are able to recover just about any type of file you can imagine. Some examples of data they can retrieve include:
- Documents – Word files, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, PDFs, and more.
- Media files – Photos, videos, audio files, graphics, and other multimedia.
- Emails – Outlook .PST files, Exchange databases, inbox messages, attachments, contacts.
- Database files – SQL databases, Oracle, SharePoint, and customized databases.
- Archives – Recovery of ZIP, RAR, and other compressed archives.
- System files – Windows system files like the registry and boot records.
And much more – the list goes on and on. Ontrack has successfully recovered almost every major file type from an array of storage devices over the years.
What types of storage can Ontrack recover data from?
The storage devices that Ontrack can recover data from include:
- Hard disk drives (HDD) – All drive sizes and brands.
- Solid state drives (SSD) – Faster, but more complex SSDs.
- USB flash drives and memory cards – Thumb drives, SD cards, microSD, etc.
- CDs and DVDs – Optical disc recovery.
- Floppy diskettes – Yes, Ontrack can recover even these old-school floppies.
- Tape drives – Recovery from backup tapes.
- RAID arrays – Recovering data from complex RAID setups.
- Smartphones and tablets – iOS or Android mobile data recovery.
- Mac and Windows computers – Recovery from desktops and laptops.
- Servers – Recovering data from servers and network attached storage (NAS).
Essentially if it stores data, there’s a good chance Ontrack has the capabilities to recover data from it once it’s been lost or deleted. This wide scope of devices they cover makes them a great one-stop-shop for data recovery of all kinds.
What types of data loss can Ontrack help with?
Some of the common data loss scenarios that Ontrack can help successfully recover data from include:
- Accidental deletion or formatting – Restores files someone deleted by mistake.
- Hard drive crashes – Retrieves data from drives with physical damage or corruption.
- Ransomware attack – Decrypts data after some ransomware attacks.
- System crashes – Deals with lost data due to OS crashes or boot issues.
- Natural disaster – Restores data lost due to flood, fire, or other disasters.
- Dropped devices – Retrieves data from drives in phones/laptops that were dropped.
- Liquid spills – Dries out and recovers data from devices exposed to liquid.
- Data corruption – Fixes files that have become corrupted on the drive.
This range covers most common cases of data loss individuals and businesses may experience. The versatility to handle so many types of data recovery situations makes Ontrack an ideal provider to turn to in your time of need.
How successful is Ontrack at recovering data?
With over 30 years of experience under their belt, Ontrack has developed an impressive track record of successful data recovery:
- Ontrack reports industry leading recovery rates of over 90% across all types of cases.
- They have recovered data from over 47,000 types of storage devices with varying levels of damage.
- Ontrack engineers average over 10 years of specialized data recovery experience each.
- They have physical data recovery labs located across the USA, as well as in Germany, the UK, and Japan.
Their combination of extensive experience, investment in R&D, and skilled engineers allows Ontrack to provide very high success rates across the wide range of data recovery scenarios. Even in complex cases that stump general IT professionals, Ontrack has the capabilities to get the job done right.
What does the data recovery process look like with Ontrack?
The process of recovering your data through Ontrack generally follows this workflow:
- Get a free initial assessment – Ontrack will diagnose your situation and provide an initial assessment report detailing the recovery plan.
- Approve quote for recovery costs – If you approve moving forward, Ontrack provides a quote for the full recovery costs.
- Send device for recovery – Ship your equipment to one of Ontrack’s data recovery labs.
- Ontrack recovers data – Engineers work to access and recover your lost files.
- Return recovered data – Ontrack sends back the recovered data on new storage media.
- Receive invoice – Finally, Ontrack invoices you for the completed recovery services.
The initial assessment is free, so you can get expert advice even if you end up deciding not to have Ontrack perform the full recovery. This streamlined process makes it simple to engage their services after data loss strikes.
How much does Ontrack data recovery cost?
The cost of data recovery through Ontrack depends on the type of device, complexity of the recovery, and how quickly you need the data returned. Some general price ranges include:
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Hard Drive recovery | $299 – $3000+ |
| RAID recovery | $1000 – $10,000+ |
| Tape recovery | $1000 – $5000+ |
| Mobile device recovery | $300 – $3000+ |
| Email recovery | $500 – $5000+ |
Each data recovery case is unique, so free assessments provide the most accurate pricing. But in general, Ontrack data recovery services start in the hundreds of dollars for simpler cases involving individual storage devices. More complex scenarios like RAID recovery or accelerated turnaround times can cost thousands or more.
Are there any downsides to Ontrack data recovery?
Ontrack is one of the top professional data recovery services available, but there are some potential downsides to consider:
- High costs – Data recovery does not come cheap, especially for complex jobs.
- No guarantee of success – There’s always a chance data may not be recoverable, even for the experts.
- Long turnaround time – Jobs can take days or weeks, depending on complexity.
- Shipping requirements – You must properly pack and ship devices to Ontrack’s labs.
- Clean room handling – Recovered data may not retain original folder structure.
While Ontrack’s capabilities are impressive, data recovery still has limitations. There’s no guarantee they can recover 100% of lost files, and it will cost you a decent sum for their services. However, for mission-critical data, Ontrack remains one of the best options available.
When should you use Ontrack vs. DIY data recovery?
Should you turn to the experts at Ontrack for data recovery, or try DIY recovery methods yourself? Here are some guidelines on when to choose each approach:
When to choose Ontrack:
- Critical business or personal data is lost.
- Damage to devices is present – won’t power on, mechanical issue, etc.
- Large storage devices/arrays like RAID systems are involved.
- Advanced skills needed beyond simple deleted file recovery.
- Willing to pay for significantly higher recovery success rates.
When DIY data recovery may work:
- No physical damage and device still functions.
- Only need to recover deleted files or formatted data.
- Small personal storage devices involved, not mission-critical data.
- Trying to avoid high costs of professional recovery.
- Willing to accept lower success rates for data recovery.
With DIY methods, you risk making mistakes and causing further data loss. But DIY recovery can work for simpler cases. For business-critical data loss or challenging technical cases, Ontrack’s expertise is strongly recommended.
Conclusion – Is Ontrack data recovery worth it?
For most significant data loss events, hiring a professional service like Ontrack greatly improves your chances of successful recovery compared to DIY attempts. Their technical capabilities, expert engineers, and experience with complex cases provide results simply not achievable through do-it-yourself means.
Yes, their services are expensive, and there is still no guarantee of recovering 100% of lost data. But for valuable personal photos, important business files, or mission-critical systems, Ontrack provides the best shot at getting back what you thought was gone forever.
If you have the budget for it in a desperate time of need, Ontrack data recovery is absolutely worth the cost. Just be sure to act quickly after any data loss and contact Ontrack right away for your best chance at a successful recovery.
