How to recover data from Infortrend EonStor GSe 1016 NAS

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 Infortrend 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 disk health monitoring and analysis help in preventing potential data loss on NAS Infortrend EonStor GSe 1016 devices?

Regular disk health monitoring and analysis can help in preventing potential data loss on NAS Infortrend EonStor GSe 1016 devices in the following ways:

1. Early detection of disk failures: Regular monitoring allows you to identify any signs of impending disk failures such as bad sectors, high error rates, or unusual noises. By detecting these issues early on, you can replace the failing disks before they completely fail and potentially cause data loss.
2. Predictive failure analysis: Disk health monitoring tools can provide predictive failure analysis by analyzing historical data and identifying patterns that indicate potential disk failures. This allows you to proactively replace disks that are likely to fail soon, reducing the risk of data loss.
3. RAID array monitoring: Infortrend EonStor GSe 1016 devices typically use RAID arrays to provide redundancy and protect against disk failures. Regular monitoring and analysis of the RAID array can help identify any issues with the array, such as degraded performance or failed disks. Prompt action can then be taken to repair or replace the faulty components, ensuring data integrity.
4. SMART monitoring: SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) is a technology built into most modern hard drives that monitors various parameters related to disk health. Regular monitoring of SMART attributes can provide insights into the overall health and performance of the disks, allowing you to identify potential issues before they lead to data loss.
5. Disk utilization monitoring: Monitoring the disk utilization levels can help identify situations where disks are nearing their capacity limits. Running out of disk space can lead to data loss if there is no room for new data or if the system becomes unstable. By monitoring disk utilization, you can proactively add more storage capacity or optimize data storage to prevent data loss.
6. Regular backups: While disk health monitoring can help prevent data loss due to disk failures, it is still important to have regular backups of your data. Monitoring can help identify potential issues, but data loss can still occur due to other factors such as accidental deletion, malware attacks, or natural disasters. Regular backups ensure that you have a copy of your data that can be restored in case of any data loss event.

Overall, regular disk health monitoring and analysis provide valuable insights into the health and performance of your NAS devices, allowing you to take proactive measures to prevent potential data loss.

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

Although NAS EonStor GSe 1016 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 Infortrend EonStor GSe 1016. 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 Infortrend

EonStor GSe 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;

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 Infortrend EonStor GSe 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.

Comparison of software for RAID recovery