How to Overcome Faulty RAID Array Issues in NAS Idis DR-4308P Devices

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 Idis 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 data fragmentation impact data availability and potential loss on NAS Idis DR-4308P devices?

Data fragmentation can have several impacts on data availability and potential loss on NAS Idis DR-4308P devices:

1. Reduced Performance: Fragmented data on a NAS device can lead to decreased performance as the device needs to search for and retrieve data from different locations on the storage medium. This can result in slower read and write speeds, affecting the availability of data.
2. Increased Disk Space Usage: Fragmentation can cause data to be scattered across different sectors of the storage medium, leading to inefficient disk space utilization. As a result, the NAS device may run out of available storage space more quickly, potentially resulting in data loss if there is no space left to store new data.
3. Data Integrity Issues: Fragmentation can increase the likelihood of data corruption or loss. If a file is fragmented and a portion of it becomes corrupted or lost, it may be challenging to recover the complete file. This can lead to data unavailability or partial data loss.
4. Longer Backup and Recovery Times: In the case of backup and recovery processes, fragmented data can significantly increase the time required to complete these operations. Backup and recovery software needs to locate and collect all the fragments of a file, which can be time-consuming and impact data availability during the process.
5. Increased Wear and Tear on Storage Medium: Fragmentation can also contribute to increased wear and tear on the storage medium. As the NAS device needs to access different locations on the disk to retrieve fragmented data, it can result in more frequent disk head movements, potentially shortening the lifespan of the storage medium and increasing the risk of data loss.

To mitigate the impact of data fragmentation on NAS devices like the Idis DR-4308P, regular disk defragmentation should be performed. Defragmentation rearranges fragmented data on the storage medium, improving data availability, performance, and reducing the risk of potential data loss. Additionally, monitoring storage capacity and ensuring sufficient free space is available can help prevent data loss due to lack of storage.

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

Although NAS DR-4308P 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 Idis DR-4308P. 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 Idis

DR-4308P 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 Idis DR-4308P 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