How to recover data from Promise VSky s420 NAS

Is your network drive gone, and you are wondering what to do? Has a RAID system crashed, and your files are no longer accessible? Does your device display an error while booting? Have you accidentally rebuilt your RAID system? Are several hard disks out of order?

How to recover data from NAS Promise VSky s420

Promise VSky s420 NAS Data Recovery in 2024

In this step-by-step tutorial, we’ll show you how to rebuild your RAID and recover data from VSky s420.

How to recover data from NAS Promise VSky s420

Recover data from damaged RAID arrays inaccessible from a computer.

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 Promise 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 Promise VSky s420 devices?

Regular disk health monitoring and analysis can help in preventing potential data loss on NAS Promise VSky s420 devices by:

  1. Early detection of disk failures: Disk health monitoring tools can constantly monitor the health and performance of individual disks in the NAS device. By regularly checking the SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) data of the disks, any signs of potential failures or degradation can be identified early on. This allows for proactive actions to be taken, such as replacing the failing disk before it completely fails and causes data loss.
  2. Predictive analysis: Disk health monitoring tools often provide predictive analysis capabilities. They can analyze the historical performance data of the disks and identify patterns or indicators that may lead to potential failures. By using this predictive analysis, administrators can take preventive measures, such as migrating data from a disk showing signs of degradation to a healthier disk, reducing the risk of data loss.
  3. RAID monitoring: NAS devices like Promise VSky s420 often use RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) configurations for data redundancy and protection. Disk health monitoring tools can monitor the status of the RAID arrays, ensuring that all disks are functioning properly and the redundancy is maintained. If a disk fails or shows signs of failure, the monitoring tool can alert the administrator to take immediate action, such as replacing the failed disk and rebuilding the RAID array to avoid data loss.
  4. Proactive maintenance and replacement: Regular disk health monitoring allows administrators to identify disks that are nearing their end of life or have a higher probability of failure. By proactively replacing these disks before they fail, the risk of data loss is significantly reduced. Monitoring tools can provide alerts and notifications when disks reach certain thresholds or exhibit abnormal behavior, enabling administrators to plan and schedule maintenance activities.
  5. Performance optimization: Disk health monitoring and analysis can also help optimize the performance of the NAS device. By monitoring the performance metrics of individual disks, administrators can identify bottlenecks or underperforming disks and take corrective actions. This can involve redistributing data across disks, optimizing RAID configurations, or upgrading disks to higher-capacity or faster models. Improved performance reduces the chances of data loss due to slow or unresponsive disks.

In summary, regular disk health monitoring and analysis on NAS Promise VSky s420 devices can help prevent potential data loss by detecting disk failures early, predicting failures, monitoring RAID arrays, facilitating proactive maintenance and replacement, and optimizing performance.

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

Although NAS VSky s420 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.

    Go to view
    How to Order Remote Data Recovery

    How to Order Remote Data Recovery

Restoring data with Hetman RAID Recovery

Hetman Raid Recovery

This program recovers data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Promise VSky s420. 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.

Go to view
How to recover data from a Promise

How to recover data from a Promise

VSky s420 has 37 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

  • RAID 0;
  • RAID 1;
  • RAID 1E;
  • RAID 3;
  • RAID 5;
  • RAID 6;
  • RAID 30;
  • 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 ToolsSave 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.

    Hetman Raid Recovery: Image Creation Wizard
  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.

    Hetman Raid Recovery: hoose any disk connected to this PC, or save the image by FTP

Where are user’s files stored?

The Promise VSky s420 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

Product Operating system License type RAID controller support Supported file systems Virtual RAID controller support Data recovery from damaged RAID File preview
Hetman RAID Recovery Windows Paid Yes, over 100 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ Yes Yes Yes
DiskInternals RAID Recovery Windows Paid Yes, over 100 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ No Yes Yes
R-Studio Windows, Mac, Linux Paid Yes, over 200 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ Yes Yes Yes
UFS Explorer RAID Recovery Windows, Mac, Linux Paid Yes, over 1,000 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ Yes Yes Yes
EaseUS Data Recovery Windows Paid Yes, over 20 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ No Yes Yes
ReclaiMe Free RAID Recovery Windows Free Yes, over 100 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ Yes Yes Yes

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We will be happy to answer your questions!

Comments (3)

  • Hetman Software: Data Recovery
    Hetman Software: Data Recovery 9.08.2022 12:31 #
    If you want to ask a question about data recovery, from NAS VSky s420, feel free to leave a comment!
  • Archibald Cluett
    Archibald Cluett 7.09.2023 08:45 #
    Are there any specific backup software recommended for data recovery from NAS Promise VSky s420 devices?
    • Hetman Software
      Hetman Software 7.09.2023 08:59 #

      There are several backup software options that you can consider for data recovery from NAS Promise VSky s420 devices. Here are a few recommended ones:

      1. Acronis True Image: Acronis True Image is a popular backup software that offers comprehensive backup and recovery solutions. It supports NAS devices, including Promise VSky s420, and provides features like full image backups, file and folder backups, and cloud storage integration.
      2. Veeam Backup & Replication: Veeam Backup & Replication is another reliable backup software that supports NAS devices. It offers advanced backup and recovery capabilities, including granular file-level recovery, instant VM recovery, and replication for high availability.
      3. Symantec Backup Exec: Symantec Backup Exec is a robust backup software that supports various storage devices, including NAS systems like Promise VSky s420. It provides features like deduplication, disaster recovery, and centralized management for efficient data protection.
      4. NovaBACKUP: NovaBACKUP is a user-friendly backup software that supports NAS devices and offers easy-to-use backup and recovery solutions. It provides features like file-level backups, system imaging, and flexible scheduling options.

      Before choosing any backup software, it's important to ensure compatibility with your specific NAS device and consider your specific data recovery requirements. It's recommended to review the features, pricing, and user reviews of each software to find the best fit for your needs.

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Vladimir Artiukh

Author: Vladimir Artiukh, Technical Writer

Vladimir Artiukh is a technical writer for Hetman Software, as well as the voice and face of their English-speaking YouTube channel, Hetman Software: Data Recovery for Windows. He handles tutorials, how-tos, and detailed reviews on how the company’s tools work with all kinds of data storage devices.

Oleg Afonin

Editor: Oleg Afonin, Technical Writer

Oleg Afonin is an expert in mobile forensics, data recovery and computer systems. He often attends large data security conferences, and writes several blogs for such resources as xaker.ru, Elcomsoft and Habr. In addition to his online activities, Oleg’s articles are also published in professional magazines. Also, Oleg Afonin is the co-author of a well-known book, Mobile Forensics - Advanced Investigative Strategies.

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Questions and answers

  • What are the key virtualization features offered by the NAS Promise VSky s420?

    The NAS Promise VSky s420 offers several key virtualization features, including:

    1. Hypervisor Support: The VSky s420 supports major hypervisors such as VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Citrix XenServer. This allows for seamless integration with existing virtualization environments.
    2. High Availability: The VSky s420 provides high availability features to ensure continuous operation of virtual machines. It supports features like live migration, failover, and load balancing to maximize uptime and minimize disruptions.
    3. Storage Virtualization: The VSky s420 offers storage virtualization capabilities, allowing administrators to create virtual storage pools and allocate resources to virtual machines as needed. This helps optimize storage utilization and simplifies management.
    4. Thin Provisioning: Thin provisioning is supported by the VSky s420, enabling efficient use of storage resources. It allows for the creation of virtual disks that consume only the actual space used by the virtual machines, rather than pre-allocating the full disk space.
    5. Snapshot and Cloning: The VSky s420 allows for the creation of snapshots and clones of virtual machines. Snapshots enable point-in-time recovery and quick rollback to a previous state, while cloning allows for easy replication and deployment of virtual machines.
    6. Virtual Machine Templates: The VSky s420 supports the creation and deployment of virtual machine templates. Templates provide a standardized and pre-configured environment for rapid provisioning of virtual machines, saving time and effort.
    7. Multi-tenancy: The VSky s420 offers multi-tenancy capabilities, allowing the creation of isolated virtual environments for different users or departments. This ensures secure and efficient resource allocation for various workloads.
    8. Centralized Management: The VSky s420 provides a centralized management interface for easy administration of virtualization resources. It allows administrators to monitor and control virtual machines, storage, and networking from a single console.

    Overall, the NAS Promise VSky s420 offers a comprehensive set of virtualization features to enable efficient and flexible deployment of virtual machines in enterprise environments.

  • How does the NAS Promise VSky s420 support virtual machine (VM) migration and live VM migration?

    The NAS Promise VSky s420 supports virtual machine (VM) migration and live VM migration through its advanced features and capabilities. Here's how it supports these functionalities:

    1. VM Migration: The VSky s420 allows for VM migration, which involves moving a VM from one physical server to another without disrupting its operation. This is typically done to balance the workload across multiple servers or to perform maintenance tasks. The VSky s420 supports both offline and live VM migration.
    2. Live VM Migration: Live VM migration, also known as live migration or VMotion, enables the migration of a running VM from one physical server to another without any downtime or noticeable interruption to the VM's services. The VSky s420 supports live VM migration by leveraging its high-performance network connectivity and storage capabilities.
    3. Network Connectivity: The VSky s420 provides high-speed network connectivity through technologies like 10GbE (10 Gigabit Ethernet) and RDMA (Remote Direct Memory Access). These technologies ensure fast and efficient data transfer between the source and destination servers during VM migration, minimizing any performance impact.
    4. Storage Capabilities: The VSky s420 offers advanced storage capabilities, including support for high-performance storage protocols like NVMe over Fabrics (NVMe-oF). This allows for fast and efficient storage access during VM migration, ensuring minimal latency and downtime.
    5. Management Software: The VSky s420 comes with comprehensive management software that simplifies the process of VM migration. The software provides a user-friendly interface to configure and manage VM migration tasks, allowing administrators to easily initiate and monitor the migration process.

    Overall, the NAS Promise VSky s420 provides the necessary network connectivity, storage capabilities, and management software to support both VM migration and live VM migration. These features ensure seamless and efficient movement of VMs between physical servers, enabling workload balancing and maintenance tasks without disrupting the VM's operation.

  • Can the NAS Promise VSky s420 integrate with popular virtualization platforms such as VMware vSphere or Microsoft Hyper-V?

    Yes, the NAS Promise VSky s420 can integrate with popular virtualization platforms such as VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V. It is designed to work seamlessly with these platforms, allowing users to easily deploy and manage virtual machines on the NAS system.

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