What to Do When Your NAS QNAP TDS-16489U RAID Array Breaks: Steps to Recover Your Data

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 QNAP also introduce some modifications to this process, and that is why data can be written to hard disk in a wide variety of ways.

Are there any guidelines for configuring security settings on NAS QNAP TDS-16489U devices to prevent unauthorized access and potential data loss?

Yes, there are several guidelines for configuring security settings on QNAP TDS-16489U devices to prevent unauthorized access and potential data loss. Here are some important steps to consider:

1. Change default passwords: Immediately change the default passwords for both the administrator and user accounts to strong, unique passwords. Avoid using common or easily guessable passwords.
2. Enable firewall: Enable the built-in firewall on the NAS device to restrict incoming connections and protect against unauthorized access. Configure the firewall to only allow necessary services and ports.
3. Update firmware: Regularly update the firmware of your QNAP NAS device to ensure you have the latest security patches and bug fixes. Enable automatic updates if available.
4. Enable network access restrictions: Configure the NAS device to only allow connections from trusted networks or specific IP addresses. This prevents unauthorized access from external networks.
5. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA for all user accounts to add an extra layer of security. This requires users to provide a second form of authentication, such as a code from a mobile app, in addition to their password.
6. Disable unnecessary services: Disable any unnecessary services or applications that are not being used. This reduces the attack surface and minimizes potential vulnerabilities.
7. Regularly backup data: Implement a regular backup strategy to ensure data is backed up to an external location or cloud storage. This helps mitigate potential data loss in case of a security breach or hardware failure.
8. Monitor system logs: Enable system log monitoring and review logs regularly for any suspicious activities or unauthorized access attempts. Set up alerts or notifications for critical events.
9. User access control: Implement proper user access controls by assigning appropriate permissions and access rights to different user accounts. Only grant necessary privileges to each user.
10. Educate users: Provide security awareness training to all users of the NAS device. Teach them about best practices, such as avoiding suspicious links or email attachments, and the importance of strong passwords.

Remember, security is an ongoing process, and it's important to stay updated with the latest security practices and recommendations from QNAP.

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

Although NAS TDS-16489U 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 QNAP TDS-16489U. 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 QNAP

TDS-16489U has 16 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 50;
• RAID 60;
• RAID 6;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 10;
• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• ZFS;
• EXT4;
• EXT3;
• exFAT;
• FAT32 (External Disk Only);
• NTFS (External Disk Only);
• HFS+ (External Disk Read Only);

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 QNAP TDS-16489U network-attached storage keeps QTS (QuTS hero) 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