Case Studies
Explore real-world case studies of TDM’s global success in data recovery, restoration, and secure data disposal.
Proven Strategies for High-Risk Data Scenarios
Total Data Migration (TDM) has earned the trust of organizations worldwide by solving the most complex, high-risk data challenges with precision and professionalism. Our use cases showcase the impact of our work across industries—each one highlighting our unmatched technical capability, global reach, and calm, confident guidance when the stakes are highest.
From ransomware recovery and forensic analysis to seamless migrations and secure restorations, our casework proves our commitment to excellence at every turn.
Proving Recoverability Before Decommissioning Legacy Backup Infrastructure
As part of a broader infrastructure modernization initiative, a financial services organization was preparing to retire a decades-old tape backup environment. The legacy system had become costly to maintain, difficult to support, and increasingly incompatible with modern platforms.
Before decommissioning could move forward, compliance and risk leadership raised a non-negotiable requirement: the organization had to conclusively demonstrate that historical data could still be recovered if needed.
This was not a theoretical concern. Regulatory and audit obligations required verifiable proof that legacy data remained accessible, intact, and recoverable—even after the underlying hardware and software platforms were retired.
The Problem
The organization’s backup environment introduced multiple layers of complexity and risk:
- Encrypted NDMP tape backups
- Tight dependencies on legacy NetApp storage and outdated NetBackup versions
- Obsolete hardware no longer supported by vendors
- No appetite for full dataset restores or reactivating production systems
- Strict requirements for data handling, auditability, and documentation
Like many organizations with long-lived backup environments, the client faced a familiar but serious risk: retiring infrastructure without truly knowing whether recovery was still viable.
Relying on untested backup catalogs or assuming recoverability was not acceptable to compliance or audit teams. The organization needed evidence—not assumptions.
The Solution
Total Data Migration designed and executed a targeted recovery validation process purpose-built for the constraints of the legacy environment.
Rather than attempting a full restoration, the approach focused on certainty, control, and defensibility:
- Reconstructed a safe environment capable of supporting legacy NDMP and NetBackup dependencies
- Implemented secure handling of encrypted tape media and associated encryption keys
- Performed selective restores of representative files (documents, spreadsheets, PDFs)
- Validated data integrity to confirm files were complete, readable, and usable
- Produced clear, audit-ready documentation detailing methods, results, and limitations
The objective was not speed or scale—it was proof.
The Results
The engagement delivered the assurance the organization needed to move forward with confidence:
- Successful restoration and validation of representative files
- Confirmation that encrypted legacy backups remained recoverable
- Compliance and risk teams satisfied with documented, defensible evidence
- Confidence to decommission aging backup hardware and software
- A defined, repeatable recovery path if historical data is ever required
Most importantly, the organization avoided the long-term risk of maintaining unsupported infrastructure “just in case.”
The Problem
The ransomware event introduced significant technical and operational complexity:
- Partially encrypted base disks with dependent snapshot chains
- Incomplete or corrupted metadata caused by multiple decryptor attempts
- Business teams requiring recent, usable data—not just raw file recovery
- Legal and operational oversight on how recovery decisions were made and documented
The core risk wasn’t just data loss—it was delivering unreliable or unverified data back into production, which could create downstream operational, legal, or compliance issues.
What mattered most to the organization:
- Recovering the right data, not just what happened to survive
- Validating integrity before data was returned to the business
- Maintaining a clear chain of custody throughout recovery
- Communicating transparently when recovery paths were constrained
The Solution
Total Data Migration executed a controlled, integrity-first recovery strategy designed to balance urgency with defensibility.
Key elements included:
- Careful reconstruction of damaged virtual disk and snapshot dependencies
- Targeted recovery of business-critical datasets rather than indiscriminate restores
- Integrity validation to confirm recovered data was complete, usable, and trustworthy
- Detailed file inventories to support auditability and operational handoff
- Clear, ongoing communication with stakeholders when limitations or tradeoffs existed
The objective was not maximum recovery at any cost—it was trusted recovery.
The Results
The engagement delivered strong outcomes under difficult conditions:
- Recovery of 98% of critical business data
- Controlled delivery supported by validated file inventories
- Minimal disruption to downstream operations and business teams
But the most important outcome came after recovery was complete.
The client asked a question we hear more frequently following major incidents:
“How do we make sure we’re never in this position again?”
From Ransomware Recovery to Long-Term Resilience
A global organization engaged Total Data Migration to support a high-stakes ransomware recovery involving encrypted virtual infrastructure, damaged snapshots, and business-critical data spread across multiple systems.
The challenge extended far beyond simply “getting data back.” Under active operational, legal, and executive scrutiny, the organization needed to restore confidence in the data itself—quickly, transparently, and defensibly.
This was recovery under pressure, with no margin for guesswork.
Critical VM Infrastructure Crashed by Ransomware
A high-impact ransomware attack locked a client out of their data, essentially leading to corrupted Veeam backups, virtual machines becoming completely inaccessible, and a halt to the client’s operations. Facing the loss of both structured and unstructured data, they turned to Total Data Migration for urgent, expert recovery, confident in our ability to navigate complex, multi-layered infrastructure failures and deliver results under pressure.
The Problem
Ransomware encrypted critical VM data, corrupted Veeam backups, and broke RAID configurations, cutting the client off from their structured business data.
The Solution
We rebuilt the RAID array, recovered deleted files, and used proprietary tools to extract VHDX files—restoring vital systems and verifying data usability.
The Results
More than 90% of the client’s virtual machine data was restored, tested, and delivered securely, with end-to-end encryption and compliance oversight.
The Problem
The client’s backups had been encrypted into unusable .lynx files, leaving more than 350GB of virtual disk data inaccessible. Remote transfer attempts repeatedly failed due to system instability, and several business-critical folders were completely unreachable. With operations impacted, there was an urgent need for a fast and reliable recovery solution.
The Solution
To keep the project moving despite the instability, we deployed a multi-path intake strategy that included a secure upload portal, physical shipment of the backup drive, and a Remote Recovery Device on standby. Once the data arrived, our team fully reconstructed the VHDX directory structure, validated file accessibility and integrity, confirmed there were no indicators of permanent data loss, and successfully recovered all priority datasets—without requiring decryption.
The Results
Total Data Migration achieved 100% recovery of the priority dataset and fully rebuilt the directory structure, including critical user shares. The restored data was delivered securely on a BitLocker-encrypted USB drive, allowing the client to resume business operations quickly and with confidence.
Lynx-Encrypted VHDX Brought Back to Life
When a U.S.-based distribution and logistics business was hit with a Lynx ransomware attack, their critical Windows backups and VHDX files were completely encrypted, taking down access to user folders, shared drives, and core business data.
Rapid Ransomware Data Recovery for a Multi-Site Organization
A regional organization with multiple offices experienced a ransomware incident that encrypted their primary file server and all connected backups. With operations halted and no clean replicas available, the IT team needed a fast, secure, and fully contained recovery solution, one that avoided further risk, ensured forensic integrity, and restored business-critical data with zero cloud exposure. Total Data Migration was engaged to assess, recover, and securely validate the impacted data.
The Problem
The attack encrypted both the primary system and the backup volumes, and the ransomware variant spread through online backups, making them unusable. Strict compliance and legal requirements further complicated the situation, as regulations prevented any data from leaving the customer’s controlled environment. The incident also caused damage to several data structures, leaving multiple volumes in inconsistent or partially corrupted states that made extraction significantly more complex. In addition, operational downtime affected several locations at once, disrupting finance, scheduling, and customer data functions.
The Solution
Total Data Migration implemented a secure, fully offline recovery workflow tailored to the client’s environment, beginning with an incident-aligned assessment that scoped all affected systems—including file servers, OneDrive syncs, and external drives—while gathering metadata, volume signatures, and encryption indicators to determine the best recovery paths such as volume reconstruction or salvaging unencrypted remnants. To meet strict legal and cyber-forensic requirements, TDM deployed an attested, air-gapped Remote Recovery Device directly onsite, ensuring that all assessment and extraction activities occurred entirely within the customer’s custody and without any network connectivity. TDM engineers then executed the recovery process, performing file-system reconstruction, volume repair, data salvage, and header restoration, with every action logged, signed, and time-stamped to maintain a defensible chain-of-custody. After recovery, the restored data was validated through integrity checks, organized into clearly labeled directories, packaged onto encrypted portable media, and returned securely to the customer or their incident response firm.
The Results
The engagement resulted in a 92–99% data recovery rate with no data transmitted externally, ensuring full regulatory compliance. Operations were brought back online within 24 to 72 hours, and all actions maintained a defensible forensic chain-of-custody for legal review. The organization avoided the need to rehost, reupload, or rebuild any cloud storage systems.
The Problem
Spyware had infiltrated engineering systems, posing a threat to trade secrets and leaving the organization exposed to regulatory and competitive risk.
The Solution
TDM conducted forensic scans, removed malicious code, hardened network access, and generated evidence-grade documentation for legal and compliance use.
The Results
All infected systems were remediated, operations continued without delay, and the client’s legal team received the forensic data needed for resolution.
Spyware Threat at a Manufacturing Firm
When a manufacturing firm uncovered spyware exfiltrating sensitive IP, they needed more than malware removal—they required full containment, digital forensics, and expert-led assurance. With regulatory pressure looming and internal systems compromised, the client turned to Total Data Migration for a controlled, secure, and documented response that could stand up to legal scrutiny.
Zero-Downtime ERP Migration for E-Commerce
An e-commerce leader needed to upgrade its ERP system without disrupting the continuous flow of transactions. Knowing that even minor downtime could damage customer trust and revenue, they partnered with Total Data Migration to orchestrate a zero-interruption migration, seamlessly shifting platforms with no operational fallout.
The Problem
A client needed to migrate a high-volume transactional system without downtime. Any interruption to operations risked orders, customer trust, and revenue.
The Solution
TDM implemented a phased migration using off-peak transfer windows and real-time hybrid sync to maintain system continuity during the transition.
The Results
The client achieved a full ERP transition with no customer disruption. Operations continued seamlessly, and platform performance improved post-migration.
The Problem
With the future of their business at stake, the client reached out to the TDM to protect their client’s sensitive data.
The Solution
Our team identified the ransomware varient and eradicated it from the entwork. We also validated and restored data from secure backups, ensuring no data was lost.
The Results
The institution resumed full operations within 48 hours, retaining customer trust and avoiding ransom payments.
Ransomware Attack on a Financial Institution
A mid-sized financial institution fell victim to a ransomware attack that encrypted sensitive customer data. The attackers demanded a hefty ransom, threatening to release the data if unpaid. Instead of yielding, the institution engaged Total Data Migration.
Data Loss for Automotive Manufacturer
Data loss can disrupt operations, especially when critical files become inaccessible due to unexpected system failures. Recently, one of the world’s largest automotive manufacturers faced such a challenge after their RAID 5 system failed, leading to the corruption of essential legal documents and operational data.
The Problem
A major automotive manufacturer lost access to critical data when a RAID 5 array failed. Internal recovery efforts made the situation worse, risking permanent loss of legal documents, training videos, and voicemail recordings essential to daily operations.
The Solution
The client hired Total Data Migration to handle the recovery. TDM cloned the drives, identified data that could be fully or partially recovered, and prioritized key files. Secure delivery was ensured through encryption, and a hosted platform was provided to help the client manage raw-recovered files. We was also established as a recurring vendor for future needs.
The Results
Critical data was successfully recovered and securely delivered. The client restored key operations, improved data resilience, and now has a trusted partner in place for handling future recovery challenges.
The Problem
Facing a serious security breach, the manufacturing firm reached out to the TDM team.
The Solution
We conducted a thorough forensic analysis, removing all instances of spyware. Our experts also strengthened the firm’s network security, including multi-factor authentication and enhanced firewall rules.
The Results
By ensuring all data was secure, we allowed the to resume operations without disruption.
A Manufacturing Firm’s Spyware Breach
A manufacturing firm discovered spyware stealing sensitive intellectual property. The malware had infiltrated multiple systems, threatening the company’s competitive edge.
Large-Scale Recovery for Healthcare Laundry Provider
After a ransomware attack disrupted operations for a regional healthcare laundry provider, they turned to Total Data Migration to help recover massive volumes of data across critical systems. With healthcare clients depending on their uptime, every minute mattered—and TDM delivered.
The Problem
Tens of thousands of critical files were locked or damaged. The client needed immediate recovery to resume services and avoid extended downtime.
The Solution
We recovered 45,326 files across systems, delivered results via encrypted USB and portal access, and maintained transparency at every step.
The Results
The client quickly resumed full operations. Our 99.8% recovery rate and clear communication restored trust and ensured regulatory compliance.
The Problem
Overwrite damage to critical metadata on an 8 TB VHDX collapsed directory structures and threatened operational continuity and compliance deadlines across Office files, PST mail archives, contracts, and financial records.
The Solution
TDM performed evidence-grade intake and worked from cloned sources, using proprietary tooling to map intact blocks, rebuild directory context, and extract clean content; the workflow was re-sequenced to prioritize records from July 2024 forward, with continuous updates and sample validations for executives and counsel.
The Results
Over 5 TB of validated data was recovered from the 8 TB VHDX (≈96%+), delivered on encrypted external media with separate passcodes and overnight shipment to the client’s Texas office—returning mission-critical information to service quickly and defensibly.
Overwrite-Damaged VHDX at a Texas Energy Services Company
When overwrite damage corrupted two VHDX volumes holding millions of active documents, emails, and financial records, the client engaged Total Data Migration (TDM) to execute a fast, defensible recovery. TDM combined forensic intake, proprietary reconstruction, and tight stakeholder coordination to restore more than 5 TB of business-critical data with an estimated 96%+ recovery rate.
Remote Data Recovery for Military Hospital in El Salvador
A Latin American IT services provider engaged Total Data Migration (TDM) to support their client after a critical data loss incident at the Military Hospital of El Salvador. The lost data consisted primarily of medical imaging files (DICOM format) stored on a 14TB virtualized disk.
The Problem
The issue originated when the client mistakenly used the wrong storage ID during a VMware DataStore setup. The new disk began overwriting existing data before the error was discovered. Attempts by local and third-party teams using generic recovery tools partially retrieved folder structures, but many files—especially radiology images—remained inaccessible. Later, additional manipulations by other vendors degraded data integrity further, leaving the system unmountable and the files invisible to most recovery utilities. Complicating matters, the client had no reliable internet access, limiting the feasibility of direct remote recovery and requiring alternative methods for data transfer and analysis.
The Solution
TDM proposed a secure recovery plan centered on deploying a Remote Recovery Device (RRD)—a specialized appliance configured for encrypted, read-only remote access to perform diagnostics and data recovery. To ensure reliable connectivity in remote areas, TDM also recommended using Starlink satellite internet, allowing recovery to proceed without physical transport delays. During the remote testing phase, tools such as Wireshark were used to validate network connections and confirm that the RRD remained fully isolated from local systems, maintaining forensic integrity throughout the process.
The Results
Through in-depth sector analysis and close collaboration with the client, TDM identified over 4.6 million DICOM file headers, confirming that a substantial portion of imaging data remained partially recoverable. The recovered data spanned several terabytes, though some file sizes could not be verified due to header corruption and overwrite inconsistencies. Ultimately, TDM achieved successful data restoration by identifying millions of medical image headers for structured export. Using metadata-based file renaming, the team extracted embedded patient and study identifiers to rebuild logical filenames (e.g., ID_DATE.dcm) to support reintegration with the hospital’s PACS systems. To ensure compliance, TDM issued a formal certification of read-only access in alignment with NIST SP 800-61 and related federal data-handling standards, maintaining full chain-of-custody and data integrity assurance.
Our Data Solutions
Explore the core services that support these outcomes. TDM delivers comprehensive, high-performance data recovery, restoration, and disposal worldwide.
Data Recovery
Find rapid response for ransomware, overwrites, deletions, and corruption.
Modernization
Extend the life of your legacy data and reclaim control over aging assets.
Data Conversion
Transform restored files into accessible, usable formats with precision formatting.
Data Migration
Move critical data to new systems or environments with minimal risk.
Data Disposal
Eliminate liabilities with compliant disposal of digital and physical assets.
