Many people, including self-employed professionals such as photographers and videographers, are content to store the only copies of their critical data files on laptops or mobile devices. However, the threat of laptop theft is a growing concern in the United States. According to statistics cited by the Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security, 81 percent of companies reported losing at least one device that contained sensitive information. In addition, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said that 97 percent of stolen laptops and desktops are never recovered by their owners.

Photographer Melanie Willhide was one of the few victims of laptop theft who actually recovered her stolen device from the local police department. However, when Willhide booted up her machine, she found that the thief had completely erased all of her stored data, PetaPixel reported. She attempted to run the system’s recovery software, but the images she recovered suffered from data corruption and were significantly altered.

For professionals whose livelihoods depend on the availability and reliability of stored data, relying on laptops or system recovery software to handle those duties is untenable. To ensure that critical data files are always available, professionals should consider a storage workflow consisting of multiple backups in multiple locations as well as a permanent archive using Blu-ray recordable discs.