NAS Buffalo TeraStation WS5400RN0804S2 Data Recovery: Step-by-Step RAID Array Tutorial

Contents

• Why can’t ordinary software tools restore files from RAID?
• How to take hard disks out of the NAS and connect them to a PC?
  • Restoring data with Hetman RAID Recovery
  • Safe recovery from disk images
  • Where are user’s files stored?
  • Comparison of software for RAID recovery

Why can’t ordinary software tools restore files from RAID?

Conventional hard disks keep user’s data by writing it to their surface in a consecutive way, and this is how an entire file is stored on a single hard disk. However, when data is written to a RAID system, a file is divided into several parts. Then these parts are written consecutively to all hard disks within such array. The size of such parts may range from 2 KB to 2 MB, so each file is stored on several hard disks at the same time.

Such approach helps to speed up read and write operations, and it is evident that saving two parts of a file having the size of 1 GB to two hard disks simultaneously is much faster than saving the same 1 GB of data to one hard disk. However, this peculiarity makes file recovery more complicated.

Various RAID levels store information in different ways. Additionally, manufacturers like Buffalo also introduce some modifications to this process, and that is why data can be written to hard disk in a wide variety of ways.

How can storage tiering or caching strategies impact data availability and potential loss on NAS Buffalo TeraStation WS5400RN0804S2 devices?

Storage tiering and caching strategies can have a significant impact on data availability and potential loss on NAS Buffalo TeraStation WS5400RN0804S2 devices. Here's how:

1. Improved Data Availability: Storage tiering allows the NAS device to intelligently distribute data across different storage tiers based on its importance and usage patterns. Frequently accessed or critical data can be stored on faster and more reliable storage tiers, ensuring faster access and higher availability. This reduces the chances of data unavailability or downtime.
2. Enhanced Performance: Caching strategies, such as read and write caching, can improve the performance of the NAS device. By temporarily storing frequently accessed data in high-speed cache, the device can serve read requests faster, reducing latency and improving overall performance. This ensures that data is readily available when needed, minimizing potential loss due to delays or unavailability.
3. Reduced Risk of Data Loss: Storage tiering can also help mitigate the risk of data loss. By implementing redundancy across different tiers, such as using RAID configurations, the NAS device can protect against drive failures and data loss. In case of a drive failure, the redundant data stored across multiple tiers can be used to reconstruct the lost data, ensuring data availability and minimizing potential loss.
4. Data Protection and Recovery: Caching strategies, particularly write caching, can impact data availability during power outages or unexpected system failures. If write caching is enabled, data may be temporarily stored in the cache before being written to the underlying storage. In such scenarios, it is crucial to have mechanisms in place, such as battery-backed cache or UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply), to ensure that data in the cache is not lost and can be written to the storage upon recovery.
5. Proper Configuration and Monitoring: It is important to configure and monitor storage tiering and caching strategies appropriately to ensure optimal performance and data availability. Regular monitoring of the NAS device, including the health of drives, cache utilization, and tiering efficiency, can help identify any potential issues or bottlenecks that may impact data availability or increase the risk of data loss.

Overall, implementing storage tiering and caching strategies effectively on NAS Buffalo TeraStation WS5400RN0804S2 devices can significantly enhance data availability, reduce potential loss, and improve overall system performance.

How to take hard disks out of the NAS and connect them to a PC?

Although NAS TeraStation WS5400RN0804S2 can be accessed over the network, you still need to take the hard disks out of the storage device and connect them to a Windows computer. Only in this case will the software be able to scan them properly. Here is what you should do:

1. Turn off the storage and disconnect it from the power supply.

   WARNING! Before you start taking hard disks out of your NAS device, read the manual carefully. Incorrect actions may damage your network-attached storage and/or the hard disks within the RAID system.

2. Take the hard disks out of the NAS one by one, carefully removing them from their slots. Remember that the disks are extremely vulnerable: hitting or dropping them may result in serious physical damage.

3. Make sure to mark each hard disk in accordance with how they were installed inside the NAS.

4. Remove the hard disks and connect them to the computer. In this video, we have explored what ports are used to connect hard disks, and what to do if there are not enough ports or connectors.

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   How to Order Remote Data Recovery

Restoring data with Hetman RAID Recovery

This program recovers data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Buffalo TeraStation WS5400RN0804S2. The hard disks that make up the RAID contain technical information about the algorithm used to save files. When launched, Hetman RAID Recovery reads this information and puts the damaged array together. Then you can open the disk and save your files. Also, you can recover the files accidentally deleted from the network drive.

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How to recover data from a Buffalo

TeraStation WS5400RN0804S2 has 4 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• exFAT, VFAT, FAT 12 / 16 / 32;
• NTFS / ReFS;
• APFS / HFS+;
• Ext2 / 3 / 4 / ReiserFS / XFS / UFS / ZFS / Btrfs;
• VMFS / HikvisionFS;

Safe recovery from disk images

This utility lets you save an entire copy of the disk to file and then work with this image instead of the actual disk. Such feature helps to protect data on the disk from:

• Overwriting during the recovery process;
• Loss resulting from bad sectors;
• User mistakes.

To create an image, do the following:

1. Make sure that you have enough free space to save the image. The image file size usually equals the disk size.

2. Select the disk in the main window, and choose from the menu Tools – Save Disk. You can select multiple disks to be saved.

3. When the image creation wizard starts, you can choose to save the entire disk or select only a part of it. Specify the parameters and click Next.

   

4. At this stage, you need to choose a directory where to save the image. Choose any disk connected to this PC, or save the image by FTP.

   

Where are user’s files stored?

The Buffalo TeraStation WS5400RN0804S2 network-attached storage keeps Windows Storage Server operating system files on a separate RAID 1 (mirrored) array. Usually, all NAS systems create several volumes on every hard disk, and the first of them takes up to 2 Gb of space. This is where operating system files are stored. Other volumes are united into a RAID array where user’s data is written.

Comparison of software for RAID recovery