Tips on How to Prevent Data Loss on NAS D-Link DSN-1100-10 and Recover Deleted Files

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS D-Link DSN-1100-10
• How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC
  • Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery
  • How to Safely Recover Data from Disk Images
  • Where Are the User’s Files Actually Stored?
  • RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison

Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID

Conventional hard drives store user data by writing it sequentially across the disk surface, which means an entire file is typically located on a single drive. In contrast, when data is written to a RAID array, each file is split into multiple fragments. These fragments are then distributed and written in sequence across all the drives in the array. Depending on the configuration, fragment sizes can range from 2 KB to 2 MB, so every file is physically stored across several disks at once.

This approach significantly increases read and write performance — after all, writing two halves of a 1 GB file to two drives simultaneously is much faster than writing the full 1 GB to a single disk. However, this same mechanism makes file recovery far more complex.

Different RAID levels use different methods to distribute and protect data. On top of that, manufacturers like D-Link often add their own proprietary structures and variations. As a result, data can be written to disks in many different formats, and each requires a specific approach during recovery.

How can continuous data protection mechanisms help in minimizing potential data loss on NAS D-Link DSN-1100-10 devices?

Continuous data protection (CDP) mechanisms can help minimize potential data loss on NAS D-Link DSN-1100-10 devices in the following ways:

1. Real-time Backup: CDP mechanisms continuously capture and replicate data changes as they occur in real-time. This ensures that even the most recent changes are protected and can be restored in case of a failure or data loss event.
2. Granular Recovery: CDP allows for granular recovery of data at any point in time. This means that if a file or data is corrupted or accidentally deleted, it can be restored to a specific point in time before the issue occurred. This minimizes the amount of data that needs to be recovered and reduces downtime.
3. Reduced Recovery Point Objective (RPO): RPO refers to the maximum tolerable amount of data loss in case of a failure. CDP mechanisms offer a low RPO as they continuously capture every data change, minimizing the potential data loss to almost zero.
4. Improved Disaster Recovery: CDP mechanisms replicate data to remote locations or off-site backups, providing an additional layer of protection against disasters like fires, floods, or theft. This ensures that data can be restored even if the primary NAS device is completely destroyed or inaccessible.
5. Protection against Human Errors: Accidental deletion, overwriting, or modification of data by users can lead to data loss. CDP mechanisms can help in such scenarios by allowing the restoration of data to a previous point in time before the error occurred.
6. Quick Recovery: With CDP, the recovery process is faster as it eliminates the need for lengthy backup restoration processes. Users can quickly restore data to a specific point in time, reducing downtime and minimizing the impact on business operations.

Overall, CDP mechanisms provide a robust and reliable solution for minimizing potential data loss on NAS devices like D-Link DSN-1100-10, ensuring data availability, integrity, and business continuity.

How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC

Although the NAS DSN-1100-10 can be accessed over the network, you still need to remove its hard disks and connect them directly to a Windows PC. Only then can the recovery software properly scan and analyze the drives. Follow these steps:

1. Power off the NAS and disconnect it from the power source.

   WARNING! Before removing any drives, carefully read the device manual. Improper actions may damage both the NAS enclosure and the hard disks in the RAID array.

2. Remove the hard disks one by one, gently sliding each drive out of its slot. Remember that hard disks are highly sensitive: any impact or drop can cause serious physical damage.

3. Label each hard disk according to its position inside the NAS. The order of the drives is crucial for correct RAID reconstruction.

4. Connect the drives to your computer. In this video, we explain which ports you can use to connect hard disks and what to do if your PC does not have enough free connectors.

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   How to Order Remote Data Recovery

Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery

This program restores data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with D-Link DSN-1100-10. Each hard disk in the array contains technical metadata describing how files were written. When launched, Hetman RAID Recovery analyzes this metadata, automatically reconstructs the damaged array, and provides access to its contents. After that, you can browse the recovered disk and save your files. The program can also restore files that were accidentally deleted from the network drive.

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How to recover data from a D-Link

DSN-1100-10 has 5 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• RAID 10;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

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

How to Safely Recover Data from Disk Images

This utility allows you to create a complete copy of a disk and work with the disk image instead of the physical drive. This approach helps protect your data from:

• Overwriting during the recovery process;
• Additional data loss caused by bad sectors;
• User errors.

To create a disk image, follow these steps:

1. Ensure you have enough free space to store the image. Its size will typically match the size of the original disk.

2. In the main window, select the target disk and choose Tools - Save Disk. You can also select multiple disks if needed.

3. When the Image Creation Wizard opens, select whether you want to save the entire disk or only a specific region. Adjust the settings and click Next.

   

4. Choose the directory where the image will be saved. You may select any available disk connected to your PC or upload the image via FTP.

   

Where Are the User’s Files Actually Stored?

The D-Link DSN-1100-10 network-attached storage keeps OS Linux 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.

RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison