NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-210 RAID Controller Failure: Causes, Recovery Methods, and Consequences

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 storage tiering or caching strategies impact data availability and potential loss on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-210 devices?

Storage tiering and caching strategies can have a significant impact on data availability and potential loss on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-210 devices. Here are a few key points to consider:

1. Data Availability: Storage tiering and caching strategies aim to improve data availability by optimizing data placement and access. By using high-speed cache devices or tiering data across different storage media (e.g., SSDs and HDDs), frequently accessed data can be stored on faster storage tiers, ensuring quicker access and improved availability.
2. Performance: Caching strategies, such as using SSDs as a cache layer, can significantly enhance read and write performance. This can lead to faster data retrieval and improved overall system performance, ensuring data availability.
3. Data Loss Potential: While storage tiering and caching strategies can enhance performance, there is a potential risk of data loss. If the cache or tiering mechanism fails, there is a possibility of losing data that has not been fully written to the primary storage. It is crucial to have appropriate backup and redundancy mechanisms in place to mitigate this risk.
4. Backup and Recovery: Implementing a robust backup strategy is essential to ensure data availability and protect against potential loss. Regularly backing up data to external storage, cloud storage, or another NAS system helps to safeguard against any issues with caching or tiering mechanisms.
5. Data Placement Policies: Properly configuring the storage tiering and caching policies is crucial to optimize data availability. For example, frequently accessed data should be placed on faster storage tiers, while less accessed data can be stored on slower tiers. It is important to understand the data access patterns and set up appropriate policies accordingly.
6. Monitoring and Maintenance: Regular monitoring and maintenance of the storage tiering and caching mechanisms are necessary to ensure optimal performance and data availability. This includes monitoring cache utilization, health checks, and firmware updates to address any potential issues or vulnerabilities.

Overall, implementing storage tiering and caching strategies can greatly enhance data availability and performance on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-210 devices. However, it is essential to carefully plan and configure these strategies, implement proper backup mechanisms, and regularly monitor and maintain the system to minimize the risk of data loss.

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

Although NAS Turbo Station TS-210 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 Turbo Station TS-210. 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

Turbo Station TS-210 has 2 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• EXT4;
• EXT3;
• 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 Turbo Station TS-210 network-attached storage keeps QTS 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