How to recover data from Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250 V2 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 Lenovo 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 does a NAS Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250 V2 device store and manage data?

The Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250 V2 is a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device that stores and manages data using various components and software. Here is a breakdown of how it stores and manages data:

1. Hard Drives: The ST250 V2 NAS comes with multiple hard drive bays where you can install SATA or SAS hard drives. These hard drives are used to store the actual data. You can configure them in various RAID levels (such as RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, or 10) for data redundancy and performance.
2. RAID Controller: The NAS device is equipped with a RAID controller that manages the connected hard drives and handles data storage and retrieval. It ensures data integrity, distributes data across multiple drives (in case of RAID levels like 5 or 6), and provides fault tolerance.
3. Operating System: The ST250 V2 runs on a specialized operating system designed for NAS devices. Lenovo typically uses the LenovoEMC Storage Manager or similar software. This OS provides the necessary tools and interfaces to manage and configure the NAS, including user access control, storage allocation, and data management features.
4. Network Connectivity: The NAS device has multiple network interfaces (such as Ethernet ports) that allow it to connect to the local network. This enables users to access and manage the stored data from various devices connected to the network, including computers, servers, or even mobile devices.
5. File System: The NAS device uses a file system (such as NTFS, ext4, or Btrfs) to organize and manage the data stored on the hard drives. The file system determines how data is structured, accessed, and stored, and it provides features like file permissions, file sharing, and file-level snapshots.
6. Management Software: Lenovo provides management software specific to the ST250 V2 NAS, such as the Lenovo Storage Manager or similar tools. This software allows administrators to configure and manage the NAS, including setting up storage pools, creating shares, monitoring performance, and implementing backup and recovery solutions.

Overall, the Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250 V2 NAS device combines hardware components like hard drives and RAID controllers with specialized software to store and manage data efficiently, providing reliable and accessible storage for organizations.

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

Although NAS ThinkSystem ST250 V2 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 Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250 V2. 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 Lenovo

ThinkSystem ST250 V2 has 32 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 Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250 V2 network-attached storage keeps LifeLine 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