Professional Advice for RAID Array Data Recovery on NAS Infortrend EonStor GSi 5016GL Devices

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Infortrend EonStor GSi 5016GL
• 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 quality of service (QoS) settings impact data transfer reliability on NAS Infortrend EonStor GSi 5016GL devices?

Quality of Service (QoS) settings can have a significant impact on data transfer reliability on NAS Infortrend EonStor GSi 5016GL devices. Here are a few ways QoS settings can affect data transfer reliability:

1. Bandwidth Allocation: QoS settings allow administrators to allocate and prioritize bandwidth for different applications or services. By allocating sufficient bandwidth to critical data transfer processes, administrators can ensure that these transfers are not impacted by other non-critical processes that may consume excessive bandwidth. This helps maintain reliable and consistent data transfer speeds.
2. Traffic Prioritization: QoS settings enable administrators to prioritize certain types of traffic over others. For example, they can prioritize data transfers over video streaming or web browsing. By giving priority to data transfers, administrators can ensure that these transfers are not delayed or interrupted by less critical traffic, resulting in improved reliability.
3. Traffic Shaping: QoS settings allow administrators to shape and control network traffic to prevent congestion and ensure smooth data transfers. By setting limits on the amount of traffic that can be sent or received, administrators can prevent network overload and maintain reliable data transfer speeds.
4. Packet Prioritization: QoS settings also enable administrators to prioritize certain types of packets within a data transfer. For example, they can prioritize packets related to critical applications or services. By prioritizing these packets, administrators can ensure that critical data is transferred reliably and without delay.
5. Error Handling: QoS settings can also impact how errors are handled during data transfers. Administrators can configure QoS settings to prioritize error correction and retransmission, ensuring that any errors that occur during data transfer are quickly detected and resolved, leading to improved reliability.

Overall, by properly configuring QoS settings on NAS Infortrend EonStor GSi 5016GL devices, administrators can optimize network resources, prioritize critical data transfers, and ensure reliable and consistent data transfer performance.

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

Although the NAS EonStor GSi 5016GL 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 GSi 5016GL. 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 GSi 5016GL 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 GSi 5016GL 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