Home NAS QNAP TL-R1200S-RP Data Recovery: Essential Features Explained

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.

How can a NAS QNAP TL-R1200S-RP device's network throughput or bandwidth capacity affect data transfer and potential loss?

The network throughput or bandwidth capacity of a QNAP TL-R1200S-RP NAS device can significantly impact data transfer and potential loss in the following ways:

1. Data Transfer Speed: The network throughput or bandwidth capacity determines the maximum speed at which data can be transferred between the NAS device and other network devices. Higher network throughput allows for faster data transfer, reducing the time required to complete file transfers, backups, or other operations. Conversely, lower network throughput can result in slower data transfer speeds, leading to delays and increased transfer times.
2. Concurrent Users: The network throughput capacity also affects the number of concurrent users or devices that can access the NAS device simultaneously without experiencing performance degradation. If the network throughput is limited, multiple users accessing the NAS simultaneously may experience slower data transfer speeds, affecting their productivity.
3. Potential Data Loss: Insufficient network throughput can lead to data loss or corruption during data transfers. When the network is congested or the bandwidth capacity is exceeded, data packets may be dropped or delayed, resulting in incomplete or corrupted files. This can be particularly problematic for critical data transfers or backup operations, where any loss or corruption can have severe consequences.
4. Streaming and Media Applications: The network throughput capacity is crucial for streaming media or running media applications from the NAS device. High-definition video streaming, for example, requires a significant amount of bandwidth. If the network throughput is limited, it may result in buffering, stuttering, or degraded video quality.
5. Remote Access and Cloud Services: NAS devices often provide remote access and cloud services, allowing users to access their data from anywhere. Insufficient network throughput can impact the performance of these services, causing slower response times, delays in accessing files, or even disconnections.

To mitigate the impact of network throughput limitations, it is recommended to:

• Ensure the NAS device is connected to a network infrastructure that supports high-speed data transfer, such as Gigabit Ethernet or faster.
• Optimize the network configuration, including using quality network cables, minimizing network congestion, and avoiding network bottlenecks.
• Prioritize critical data transfers or applications to ensure they receive sufficient bandwidth.
• Consider upgrading the network infrastructure or NAS device to a model with higher network throughput capacity if the existing setup is consistently causing performance issues or data loss.

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

Although NAS TL-R1200S-RP 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 TL-R1200S-RP. 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

TL-R1200S-RP has 12 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 TL-R1200S-RP 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