Faulty RAID Array? Steps to Recover Data from NAS Huawei OceanStor 6800 V5

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 Huawei 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 regular system monitoring and alerting help in early detection and prevention of data loss events on NAS Huawei OceanStor 6800 V5 devices?

Regular system monitoring and alerting can help in early detection and prevention of data loss events on NAS Huawei OceanStor 6800 V5 devices in the following ways:

1. Real-time monitoring: By regularly monitoring the system, you can keep track of the overall health and performance of the NAS device. This includes monitoring CPU usage, memory utilization, network traffic, and storage capacity.
2. Event logging: The NAS device should be configured to log all events and activities. By reviewing the logs regularly, you can identify any suspicious or abnormal activities that could potentially lead to data loss.
3. Performance monitoring: Monitoring the performance metrics of the NAS device can help you identify any performance degradation or bottlenecks that could impact data availability and integrity. This can include monitoring disk I/O, latency, and throughput.
4. Storage usage monitoring: Keeping an eye on the storage capacity utilization can help you identify any potential issues such as low disk space or excessive data growth. This can help prevent data loss due to insufficient storage capacity.
5. RAID health monitoring: The NAS device should have RAID arrays configured for data redundancy and protection. Regular monitoring of RAID health, including disk failures, can help you proactively replace faulty drives and prevent data loss.
6. Network monitoring: Monitoring the network connectivity and traffic can help identify any network-related issues that could impact data availability. This includes monitoring network interfaces, switches, and routers.
7. Alerting and notifications: Configure the NAS device to send alerts and notifications in case of any abnormal events or conditions. This can include alerts for disk failures, high CPU usage, low disk space, or any other critical system events. Prompt alerts can help you take immediate actions to prevent potential data loss.

By implementing regular system monitoring and alerting on NAS Huawei OceanStor 6800 V5 devices, you can proactively detect and address any potential issues that could lead to data loss, ensuring the integrity and availability of your data.

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

Although NAS OceanStor 6800 V5 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 Huawei OceanStor 6800 V5. 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 Huawei

OceanStor 6800 V5 has 3200 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;

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 Huawei OceanStor 6800 V5 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