Best Data Recovery Software for NAS Infortrend EonStor GS 1016 Data: How to Choose

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Infortrend EonStor GS 1016
• 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 Infortrend 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 storage tiering or caching strategies impact data availability and potential loss on NAS Infortrend EonStor GS 1016 devices?

Storage tiering and caching strategies can have a significant impact on data availability and potential loss on NAS Infortrend EonStor GS 1016 devices. Here are some ways in which these strategies can affect data availability and potential loss:

1. Improved Performance: By implementing caching strategies, frequently accessed data can be stored in faster storage media like SSDs, increasing overall system performance. This ensures that critical data is readily available, reducing the risk of potential data loss due to slow response times.
2. Reduced Latency: Caching can also help reduce latency by storing frequently accessed data closer to the compute resources. This can minimize the time it takes to retrieve data, improving data availability and reducing the chances of data loss during critical operations.
3. Enhanced Data Protection: Storage tiering allows data to be classified based on its importance and access frequency. Critical data can be stored in higher-tier storage, such as RAID arrays with redundancy, while less critical data can be stored in lower-tier storage. This ensures that important data is protected and readily available, reducing the risk of potential data loss.
4. Increased Storage Efficiency: Storage tiering optimizes the utilization of different storage media based on data access patterns. By moving less frequently accessed data to lower-tier storage, valuable resources can be allocated to more critical data, improving overall storage efficiency. This can reduce the risk of potential data loss due to inadequate storage capacity.
5. Data Integrity and Redundancy: Infortrend EonStor GS 1016 devices typically support various RAID configurations, which provide data redundancy to protect against potential disk failures. Caching and storage tiering strategies should be implemented in a way that does not compromise data integrity or redundancy. It is important to ensure that data is consistently written to the appropriate storage tiers and that redundant copies are maintained for critical data.

Overall, by implementing effective storage tiering and caching strategies on NAS Infortrend EonStor GS 1016 devices, organizations can improve data availability, reduce the risk of potential data loss, and optimize storage performance and efficiency. However, it is essential to carefully plan and monitor these strategies to ensure they align with the organization's specific data requirements and business objectives.

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

Although the NAS EonStor GS 1016 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 Infortrend EonStor GS 1016. 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 Infortrend

EonStor GS 1016 has 16 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 Infortrend EonStor GS 1016 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