Data
We encounter data hundreds of times everyday. Much of that data is simple and non-assuming, but a large chunk of it is digital data employed by companies to increase efficiency, profit or your lifestyle. As data becomes more and more valuable, the tools and skills used to store and analyze data increase in value as well. Most companies using data have databases that are the heart of their company data. Most of their valuable data is stored there, and it takes diligence and skill to keep them running well. As I enter the professional world of data and code, I look out for stories that expose me to how companies handle their data and handle the people that handle their data. Recently, I ran across this one that scared/brought to my attention the importance of handling data:
As I was listening to the online class, someone brought up the danger of deleting data from a database when you delete a table, and it reminded me of this story.
I felt like this story is totally relatable to my deepest fears as I prepare to go on coop for my first time next fall. In many of my coding classes, we have conversations about the gravity of what we are doing. Lives can be harmed due to faulty code, millions of dollars can be lost due to one bug. The awesome power that code has is neither good or bad, and it can cause dramatic consequences if it is used accidentally.
In this case, many of the responses reassured the poster that the company is mainly at fault for not doing its due diligence in storing its data or creating a safe on boarding process for new employees. It highlights the importance of backing up a data base so that a simple mistake like this does not have the grave effect on the data as it did here. It also shows the fragility of a working data base, and how it should not be used without intent or for testing sake. These two things being compounded on each other meant that unintentional access to the data base was able to wipe out the only record of the data. The necessary redundancies that would have nipped this in the bud were not there.
The response of the company shows the value of the lost data. From the ensuing panic to the threat of bringing the legal team into this, it serves as a reminder to how vital data is to many businesses.
The next story is about a company that accidentally deleted its data base, but acted appropriately and with the right measures to restore it.
DigitalOcean realized the problem and acted in a professional, calm and decisive manner in order to get the data base restored in the shortest amount of time. Their timeline of events showed their protocol, and it got the data base up and running in about 4 hours. The line that I appreciate the most is when they take full responsibility for the failure, and understand that it is unacceptable for that to happen out of respect for the people that depend on them. Now, this may not be how it went down internally, but from the outside, this looked like the proper way to handle this situation.
