Accessing RAID Disk Files When NAS Promise VTrak E5320f is Inoperable: Practical Steps

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Promise VTrak E5320f
• 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 Promise 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.

Are there any specific industry regulations or compliance requirements to consider when securing data on NAS Promise VTrak E5320f devices?

Yes, there are several industry regulations and compliance requirements to consider when securing data on NAS Promise VTrak E5320f devices. Some of the key regulations and requirements include:

1. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): If you handle personal data of European Union (EU) citizens, you need to comply with GDPR. This regulation requires organizations to implement appropriate security measures to protect personal data, including data stored on NAS devices.
2. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): If you are a healthcare provider or handle protected health information (PHI) in the United States, you need to comply with HIPAA. This regulation mandates the protection of PHI and requires the implementation of security controls to safeguard data stored on NAS devices.
3. Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS): If you handle credit card information, you need to comply with PCI DSS. This standard outlines security requirements for organizations that process, store, or transmit credit card data, including data stored on NAS devices.
4. Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX): If you are a publicly traded company in the United States, you need to comply with SOX. This regulation requires the protection of financial data and mandates the implementation of security controls to secure data stored on NAS devices.
5. Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA): If you are a government agency or contractor in the United States, you need to comply with FISMA. This regulation outlines security requirements for federal information systems, including NAS devices used to store sensitive government data.
6. International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 27001: This is a widely recognized information security standard that provides a framework for implementing an information security management system (ISMS). Compliance with ISO 27001 can help ensure the secure storage of data on NAS devices.

It is important to note that these regulations and requirements may have specific technical and operational controls that need to be implemented to secure data on NAS Promise VTrak E5320f devices. It is recommended to consult with legal and compliance experts to ensure full compliance with the applicable regulations.

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

Although the NAS VTrak E5320f 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 Promise VTrak E5320f. 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 Promise

VTrak E5320f has 24 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;

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 Promise VTrak E5320f 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