A hard disk drive (often shortened to HDD) is a non-volatile storage device that stores digitally encoded data on rapidly rotating hard platters with magnetic surfaces. Having a hard disk failure can be devastating. Whether it is a laptop or a desktop computer, when you realize what has happened, you will definitely panic, especially if you do not have a backup. In times like these, you are compelled to think about a reliable data recovery software solution.

It is always better to go for prevention than actually taking the pain of data loss. There are certain effective measures which be taken to minimize chances of data loss due to hard drive failure. These include:

• Basic Hard Drive care, such as protecting it from excessively high temperature, moisture and dust

• Regularly performing scandisk/chkdisk operations to minimize chances of data being written to bad sectors

• Regularly backing up data using backup utilities onto separate hard drives or storage units

• Closely monitoring the health of a hard drive using specialized software or system tools

• Ensuring that the drive is not making unusual scratching sounds while operating. If the drive is making noises, stop using it immediately, because chances are that the disk head is coming into direct contact with the disk surface. This could cause permanent damage.

The need to safeguard data becomes all the more critical when an array of hard disks is being used. Corporate data is usually stored on data servers, which require close monitoring to ensure that data remains secure. Where such large amounts of data needs to be safeguarded, specialized software is used to monitor a number of factors such as hard disk temperature, status of bad sectors etc.

An efficient hard drive monitoring software that works as an early warning system for computer hardware is Stellar Smart. It determines the current values of hard disk parameters, compares these values to a standard threshold value, and then informs you about any impending hardware issue. This includes temperature, head flying height, spin-up time, etc. It works on the basis of Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T) and constantly runs in the background to provide current information about your hard drive status.

For system administrators, the software can prove to be a boon, because it can automate many manually selected operations. Naturally, this saves millions of dollars, and also a lot of time and effort for the company.