Knowing When to Schedule Defrag with Disk Trending

An efficient computer network is vital to many business operations. Issues with your computer networks cost you money when productivity decreases and networks slow and crash. Routine defragmentation of your computer network using a disk trending tool and a defrag scheduling feature can ensure your business continues to run efficiently.

If your computer systems are running slowly and your employees experience regular program crashes, it's likely due to hard drive fragmentation.

 

Hard drive fragmentation occurs when files on the hard drive become disorganized and separated. Imagine a computer hard drive as an empty theater, and the groups of ticket holders as files. As groups of people file into the theater, they sit together in the rows of seats – maybe a group of five in the front, a group of seven in the back. However, as the theater begins to fill, only a few seats remain together. Therefore, groups have to split up, and perhaps one person must sit in the corner of the theater with the rest of the friends in the middle. While this isn't ideal, the alternative is not going into the theater at all—which is why your computer fragments files. The splitting of these groups or files is called fragmentation, and it allows more files to fit on your drive.

Hard drive fragmentation causes the system to work harder when finding files needed to run programs, causing delays and deterioration of the hard drive. Separated files also take up free disk space, limiting the amount of information you can place on your network.

Defragmentation corrects the disorganization and separation of files on your hard drive, increasing continuous free disk space. This file organization improves computer performance, because the hard drive can find what it needs quickly, running programs without hesitation. A defragged hard drive increases a computer's lifespan because it doesn't have to look for all of the pieces of a file it needs to run a particular program. In terms of the theater analogy, imagine if every group in the theater was told to get up and sit one after another in a continuous line. This may free up rows of empty seats in the back, so future groups that come into the theater can sit together.

The best way to ensure your computer network continues to run efficiently is by using a defrag scheduling feature found in defragmentation software for computer networks. However, before you can schedule a defrag, you need to know when to defragment. The best way to know when to schedule computer defragmentation is through trending disk space.

Disk trending is an analysis tool that monitors hard drive fragmentation in order to figure out when you most likely need a disk defragmentation. The disk trending feature analyzes the point at which files began to separate and store in a disorganized fashion. The information collected during the disk trending records itself into a spreadsheet, along with recommendations of when to defragment your computer network. Some available defrag software programs, such as Raxco's PerfectDisk, offer disk trending as a feature to help you schedule a defrag. If you're looking for a network defrag program, many experts recommend purchasing a program that offers this useful feature.

 

This information can help ensure you're using your business' resources in the most efficient way possible, and not defragging your network too often or too infrequently.

As your business evolves, your defrag schedule may need adjusting to ensure the stability of your computer network. Trending disk space is the best way to know of changes in how often you should defragment your computer. Luckily, the disk trending feature automatically monitors your hard drive as your computer network runs, so you can keep up on the efficiency of your hard drive.

Disk trending and the defrag scheduling feature are two simple-to-use features of defragmentation software available from Raxco that can help protect your computer network from a devastating crash. Don't wait until your network is inoperable and you lose productivity and valuable clients. Take steps now to ensure you can continue to run your business efficiently in the future.

 

 

Raxco Software (2009). PerfectDisk solutions for business. Retrieved March 22, 2009, from the PerfectDisk Web site: http://www.perfectdisk.com/business.

 

TransWorldNews, Inc. (2008). Defragment hard drive – Dangers of fragmentation in the business world. Retrieved March 22, 2009, from the Transworld News Blog Web site: http://blogs.transworldnews.com/defragmentation/Post.aspx?postID=19156.

 

Virata, J. (2003). Defrag it: PerfectDisk 6.0. Retrieved March 22, 2009, from the CAD Web site: http://cad.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=18304&afterinter=true.