Advanced Techniques for RAID Array Recovery in NAS Digiever DS-4132-RM

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 continuous data protection mechanisms help in minimizing potential data loss on NAS Digiever DS-4132-RM devices?

Continuous data protection (CDP) mechanisms can help minimize potential data loss on NAS Digiever DS-4132-RM devices in the following ways:

1. Real-time Backup: CDP continuously captures and stores every change made to the data on the NAS device. This ensures that even the most recent changes are backed up, minimizing the risk of data loss in case of hardware failure or other issues.
2. Point-in-Time Recovery: CDP allows for point-in-time recovery, meaning you can recover data from any specific moment in time. This is particularly useful in case of accidental deletion, data corruption, or ransomware attacks. You can restore the data to a specific point before the incident occurred, minimizing the impact and potential loss.
3. Reduced Recovery Time Objective (RTO): CDP enables faster recovery times compared to traditional backup methods. Since the data is continuously backed up, the recovery process can be initiated immediately, minimizing downtime and reducing the impact on business operations.
4. Granular Recovery: CDP allows for granular recovery of individual files, folders, or even specific versions of files. This flexibility enables users to recover only the necessary data, rather than restoring the entire backup set. It saves time and storage space while minimizing potential data loss.
5. Automatic and Transparent Backup: CDP mechanisms are typically automated and transparent to users. They continuously monitor and capture changes without user intervention, ensuring that no data is missed. This eliminates the risk of human error or forgetting to perform regular backups, further minimizing potential data loss.
6. Off-site Replication: Many CDP solutions offer the ability to replicate data to an off-site location, providing an additional layer of protection against disasters like fires, floods, or theft. This ensures that even if the primary NAS device is damaged or inaccessible, the data remains safe and can be recovered from the replicated copy.

By implementing continuous data protection mechanisms on NAS Digiever DS-4132-RM devices, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of data loss, improve recovery times, and ensure business continuity in case of any unforeseen events.

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

Although NAS DS-4132-RM 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 DS-4132-RM. 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

DS-4132-RM 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 DS-4132-RM 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