How to Diagnose and Recover a Faulty RAID Array from NAS Digiever DS-2112 UHD

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Digiever DS-2112 UHD
• 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 Digiever 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 Digiever DS-2112 UHD devices?

Continuous data protection (CDP) mechanisms can help minimize potential data loss on NAS Digiever DS-2112 UHD devices in the following ways:

1. Real-time Data Replication: CDP continuously replicates data from the primary DS-2112 UHD device to a secondary device or offsite location. This ensures that any changes made to the primary device are immediately mirrored, reducing the risk of data loss.
2. Point-in-Time Recovery: CDP allows for point-in-time recovery, meaning that you can restore data to a specific moment in time. This is useful in case of accidental deletion, data corruption, or malware attacks. You can roll back to a previous state, minimizing data loss to a specific point.
3. Incremental Backups: CDP performs incremental backups, meaning that only the changes made since the last backup are saved. This reduces the amount of data that needs to be transferred and stored, minimizing the risk of data loss during backup processes.
4. Continuous Monitoring: CDP continuously monitors the DS-2112 UHD device for any changes or updates. It captures and saves these changes in real-time, ensuring that no data is missed and reducing the window for potential data loss.
5. Rapid Recovery: In the event of a data loss incident, CDP enables rapid recovery by allowing you to restore data quickly. This minimizes downtime and ensures business continuity.
6. Granular Recovery: CDP enables granular recovery, meaning you can restore individual files or folders rather than the entire dataset. This reduces the impact of data loss and allows for targeted recovery.

By implementing continuous data protection mechanisms on NAS Digiever DS-2112 UHD devices, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of data loss, enhance data availability, and ensure the integrity of their critical data.

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

Although the NAS DS-2112 UHD 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 Digiever DS-2112 UHD. 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 Digiever

DS-2112 UHD has 2 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• 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 Digiever DS-2112 UHD 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