Recovering Faulty RAID Arrays: NAS Idis DR-6508P User Guide

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 regular system monitoring and alerting help in early detection and prevention of data loss events on NAS Idis DR-6508P devices?

Regular system monitoring and alerting can help in early detection and prevention of data loss events on NAS Idis DR-6508P devices in the following ways:

1. Real-time monitoring: System monitoring tools can constantly monitor the health and performance of the NAS device. This includes monitoring disk usage, CPU and memory usage, network traffic, and other system parameters. By keeping a close eye on these metrics, any abnormal behavior or warning signs can be detected early.
2. Event logging: Monitoring tools can log all system events and activities, providing a detailed record of what is happening on the NAS device. This log can be reviewed regularly to identify any unusual or suspicious activities that may indicate a potential data loss event.
3. Disk health monitoring: NAS devices typically use multiple hard drives in a RAID configuration for data redundancy. Monitoring tools can regularly check the status and health of these disks, including SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) attributes. If any disk shows signs of failure or degradation, an alert can be triggered, allowing for proactive action to prevent data loss.
4. Network monitoring: Monitoring network traffic can help detect any unauthorized access attempts or unusual data transfers. By setting up alerts for suspicious network activities, administrators can be notified immediately when potential data loss events are detected.
5. Backup monitoring: Regular monitoring of backup processes is crucial to ensure that data is being successfully backed up and that backups are up to date. Monitoring tools can verify the integrity of backups, check for any backup failures, and alert administrators if any issues are detected. This helps in preventing data loss by ensuring that a recent and reliable backup is available in case of any data loss event.
6. Alerting mechanisms: System monitoring tools can be configured to send alerts via email, SMS, or other notification channels whenever predefined thresholds or abnormal activities are detected. These alerts can be set up for various metrics like disk usage, CPU load, network traffic, or specific events related to data loss. By receiving timely alerts, administrators can take immediate action to prevent or mitigate data loss events.

By implementing regular system monitoring and alerting on NAS Idis DR-6508P devices, administrators can proactively detect and prevent data loss events, ensuring the safety and availability of critical data.

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

Although NAS DR-6508P 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-6508P. 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-6508P has 6 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-6508P 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