NAS Huawei OceanStor 5800 Faulty RAID Array Recovery: Essential Tips

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Huawei OceanStor 5800
• 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 the number of concurrent users or clients accessing a NAS Huawei OceanStor 5800 device affect data loss risks?

The number of concurrent users or clients accessing a NAS Huawei OceanStor 5800 device can affect data loss risks in the following ways:

1. Increased risk of data corruption: When multiple users or clients access the NAS device simultaneously, there is a higher chance of data corruption. If multiple users try to modify the same file or folder at the same time, conflicts can occur, leading to data loss or corruption.
2. Network congestion: The increased number of concurrent users can put a strain on the network infrastructure, leading to network congestion. Network congestion can result in data packets being dropped or delayed, which can cause data loss or inconsistency.
3. Performance degradation: With a large number of concurrent users, the NAS device's performance can degrade. This can lead to slower response times and increased latency, which can increase the risk of data loss. If the device becomes overloaded, it may fail to handle requests properly, resulting in data loss or corruption.
4. Security vulnerabilities: More concurrent users mean a larger attack surface for potential security breaches. If the NAS device is not properly secured or if user access controls are not implemented correctly, unauthorized users may gain access and compromise the data, leading to data loss.
5. Backup and recovery challenges: With a higher number of concurrent users, backup and recovery processes become more complex. It may be challenging to schedule regular backups without impacting user access. In case of data loss, the recovery process may take longer due to the increased number of files and users involved.

To mitigate these risks, it is essential to implement proper access controls, user permissions, and network infrastructure to handle the expected number of concurrent users. Regular backups should also be performed to ensure data can be recovered in case of any loss or corruption. Additionally, monitoring the performance of the NAS device and upgrading hardware or capacity as needed can help maintain optimal performance and minimize data loss risks.

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

Although the NAS OceanStor 5800 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 5800. 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 5800 has 2400 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 5800 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