How to Overcome Faulty RAID Array Issues in NAS Huawei OceanStor 5600

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Huawei OceanStor 5600
• 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 Huawei 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 file system corruption impact data integrity on NAS Huawei OceanStor 5600 devices?

File system corruption on NAS Huawei OceanStor 5600 devices can have a significant impact on data integrity. Here are some ways it can affect the integrity of the data:

1. Data loss: File system corruption can lead to the loss of data stored on the NAS device. This can occur if the corruption affects the metadata or file allocation tables, making it difficult or impossible for the system to locate and retrieve the data.
2. Data inconsistency: Corruption in the file system can cause inconsistencies in the stored data. This means that the data may become fragmented or contain incorrect information, leading to issues with data integrity and reliability.
3. Data access issues: File system corruption can also result in difficulties accessing the data stored on the NAS device. The corruption may cause the system to become unresponsive or generate errors when attempting to read or write data.
4. Data corruption: In some cases, file system corruption can directly impact the integrity of the data itself. The corruption may introduce errors or modify the content of the files, resulting in data corruption that renders the information unusable or unreliable.
5. Data recovery challenges: Recovering data from a corrupted file system can be challenging and may require specialized tools or services. The complexity of the recovery process can increase the risk of further data integrity issues or potential data loss during the recovery attempt.

To mitigate the impact of file system corruption on data integrity, it is important to regularly backup the data on the NAS device and perform routine checks for file system errors. Additionally, implementing RAID configurations and utilizing redundancy features can provide an extra layer of protection against data loss in case of file system corruption.

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

Although the NAS OceanStor 5600 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 Huawei OceanStor 5600. 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 Huawei

OceanStor 5600 has 2000 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• RAID 50;
• RAID 60;
• 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 Huawei OceanStor 5600 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