If users store their email and other important data in PST files, there is always a chance that some data may be lost permanently unless they have a proper backup and recovery system in place. The first step is to make users aware of this risk and the second is to inform them of ways in which they can avoid any data loss from locally stored PST files.
PST files offer such flexibility in archiving and Outlook makes it so easy to work with PST files that it is not surprising to find many users, including those who have email accounts on Exchange Servers storing all their data in PST files. The concern is, so long as the data is being stored in the mailbox on the server, it is the responsibility of the administrator to centrally manage and monitor this data. There will be a solid back up and recovery system in place so that even if there is any corruption in the data, it is not difficult to recover Outlook data that has been stored in previous back ups.
One solution is of course to move all the PST data from the local hard drive to the information store located on the Exchange Server. Many users might find this a little hard to swallow considering that they prefer to use PST files for archiving purposes by doing the exact opposite – moving data from the information store into PST files. This is why it is important to first educate users on how by moving PST file data onto the Exchange Server, they are not only making it easier for the administrator to manage all the email data but they are also ensuring that there are better mechanisms available to protect data or to recover Outlook data.
Users need to be made aware that so long as they are storing all their data in PST files, only on their local hard drives, they are leaving their data vulnerable to permanent data loss. The PST files that are being stored locally are not being backed up and any damage or corruption in the PST files could result in permanent loss of data. The responsibility of backing up the PST files is that of the users. However, when they move the data to the Exchange Server, they are allowing all the data to reside in one central location from where it can be backed up regularly.
Users also need to be assured that the process of moving the data from their PST files to the Exchange Server mailboxes is very easy, if they do desire to migrate the PST file data. In fact, many hoping for better protection and easy ways to recover Outlook data might opt for this solution.
On the other hand, there will be many users who prefer to continue using PST files stored on their local workstations even if there is no central tool that helps in management or protection of these PST files. One tool, which these users might find very useful in case of any corruption or damage to PST files, is DataNumen Outlook Repair from DataNumen. This sophisticated software has an impressive recovery rate and can restore data from very large PST files. Not only can it restore email messages of any format – RTF, HTML, text, etc. – it can also recover attachments sent with those messages such as images or documents. With DataNumen Outlook Repair, users do not have to worry about any kind of data loss despite any damage to their PST files.