NAS Digiever DA-4000E Data Recovery: Streamlined RAID Array Tips

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 Digiever 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 RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) configurations impact data loss in NAS Digiever DA-4000E devices?

RAID configurations can significantly impact data loss in NAS Digiever DA-4000E devices by providing data redundancy and improved data availability. Here are some ways RAID configurations can impact data loss:

1. Data Redundancy: RAID configurations, such as RAID 1 (mirroring) or RAID 5 (striping with parity), create duplicate copies of data across multiple disks. In the event of a disk failure, the redundant data ensures that the system can still access and retrieve the data from the remaining disks, minimizing the risk of data loss.
2. Fault Tolerance: RAID configurations offer fault tolerance by distributing data across multiple disks. If a disk fails, the system can continue to operate without interruption, as the data can be reconstructed from the remaining disks using parity information. This reduces the risk of data loss due to hardware failures.
3. Hot Spare: Some RAID configurations, like RAID 5 with a hot spare, allow for automatic disk replacement. When a disk fails, the hot spare is automatically activated and takes over the failed disk's role, ensuring that data is continuously available and reducing the time window for potential data loss.
4. Rebuild Capability: RAID configurations support disk rebuilding, which involves replacing a failed disk with a new one and reconstructing the data from the remaining disks. This process helps restore the redundancy and data integrity of the RAID array, minimizing the risk of data loss during disk replacement.
5. Data Protection: RAID configurations can provide protection against data loss caused by accidental deletion or file corruption. Some RAID levels, like RAID 1 or RAID 10, create exact copies of data on multiple disks, ensuring that if one copy is compromised, the other remains intact.

It's important to note that while RAID configurations can greatly reduce the risk of data loss, they are not foolproof. They primarily protect against hardware failures and certain types of data corruption, but they may not safeguard against other factors like natural disasters, human errors, or malware attacks. Therefore, it's still crucial to implement regular backups and other data protection measures in conjunction with RAID configurations to ensure comprehensive data loss prevention.

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

Although NAS DA-4000E 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 Digiever DA-4000E. 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 Digiever

DA-4000E 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 Digiever DA-4000E 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.

Comparison of software for RAID recovery