What is iSCSI and how does it work in a network storage environment?

iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface) is a protocol that allows the transmission of SCSI commands over an IP network. It enables the use of IP networks to extend the benefits of SCSI, a popular storage protocol, beyond the traditional limitations of direct-attached storage (DAS).In a network storage environment, iSCSI works by encapsulating SCSI commands and data into IP packets, which can then be transmitted over an Ethernet network. The iSCSI protocol uses TCP/IP as the transport layer, ensuring reliable and ordered delivery of data.To set up an iSCSI network storage environment, the following components are typically involved:iSCSI Initiator: This is the client-side software or hardware that sends SCSI commands to the iSCSI target and receives the corresponding data. The initiator can be a dedicated iSCSI host bus adapter (HBA) or software running on a server.iSCSI Target: This is the server-side component that receives the SCSI commands from the initiator and processes them. The target can be a dedicated storage device or a server running iSCSI target software.IP Network: iSCSI relies on IP networks for data transmission. The initiator and target must be connected to the same IP network, either a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN).Storage Device: The iSCSI target is typically connected to a storage device, such as a disk array or a network-attached storage (NAS) system. The storage device manages the physical storage and handles the storage-related operations requested by the iSCSI target.When a client wants to access storage resources over an iSCSI network, the initiator sends SCSI commands encapsulated in iSCSI packets to the target. The target receives these packets, processes the SCSI commands, and performs the requested operations on the storage device. The target then sends the response data back to the initiator in iSCSI packets.Overall, iSCSI provides a flexible and cost-effective way to leverage existing IP networks for storage connectivity, allowing organizations to centralize and share storage resources across multiple servers or systems.

What are the benefits of using iSCSI in a NAS system, and how does it compare to other storage protocols?

There are several benefits of using iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface) in a NAS (Network Attached Storage) system:Flexibility: iSCSI allows for the integration of existing Ethernet infrastructure, making it easier to deploy and manage compared to other storage protocols. It leverages the TCP/IP protocol, which is widely supported and compatible with various network environments.Cost-effective: iSCSI eliminates the need for dedicated Fibre Channel (FC) infrastructure, which can be expensive to implement. By using existing Ethernet networks, iSCSI reduces the overall cost of storage networking.Scalability: iSCSI provides the ability to scale storage capacity and performance by adding more drives or expanding the network infrastructure. It allows for the creation of large storage pools that can be easily managed and allocated to different applications or users.Performance: iSCSI offers good performance for most applications, especially for small to medium-sized deployments. With advancements in network technology, such as 10GbE (10 Gigabit Ethernet), iSCSI can provide high-speed data transfer rates comparable to other storage protocols.Compatibility: iSCSI is compatible with various operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS. It can be seamlessly integrated into existing IT environments without requiring significant changes or additional software.When compared to other storage protocols like Fibre Channel (FC) and Network File System (NFS), iSCSI has some distinct advantages:Lower cost: As mentioned earlier, iSCSI eliminates the need for dedicated FC infrastructure, resulting in cost savings. FC requires specialized hardware components like host bus adapters (HBAs) and switches, which can be expensive.Simplicity: iSCSI uses standard TCP/IP networks, which are easier to manage and troubleshoot compared to FC or NFS. It leverages existing Ethernet infrastructure and can be configured using familiar networking tools.Wide adoption: iSCSI has gained widespread adoption due to its simplicity and compatibility with existing network infrastructure. It is supported by most major storage vendors and operating systems, making it a popular choice for NAS deployments.However, it's worth noting that iSCSI may not be suitable for all scenarios. For high-performance or mission-critical applications, Fibre Channel or other specialized storage protocols may still provide better performance and reliability. It's essential to evaluate the specific requirements and constraints of the NAS system before deciding on the storage protocol to use.

Does the NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A support iSCSI, and if so, what are the features and capabilities offered by this protocol on these devices?

Yes, the NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-228 and TS-228A both support iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface). iSCSI is a protocol that allows the use of the SCSI protocol over TCP/IP networks, enabling remote block-level storage access.The features and capabilities offered by iSCSI on these devices include:Virtual Disk Drive: The NAS can be configured as an iSCSI target to create virtual disk drives on the network. These virtual drives can be accessed by clients as if they were physical drives.LUN (Logical Unit Number) Mapping: LUN mapping allows you to assign specific LUNs to different iSCSI initiators (clients). This ensures that each client can only access the assigned LUNs, providing better security and isolation.Thin Provisioning: Thin provisioning allows you to allocate storage space to iSCSI LUNs dynamically. This means that the actual storage space is only consumed as data is written to the LUN, allowing for more efficient utilization of available storage.MPIO (Multipath Input/Output): MPIO enables multiple paths between the iSCSI initiator and target, providing redundancy and load balancing. This ensures high availability and increased performance by distributing I/O traffic across multiple network paths.CHAP Authentication: Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) is supported for iSCSI authentication. It provides a secure method of authenticating iSCSI initiators and targets, preventing unauthorized access to the storage.Snapshot: iSCSI LUN snapshots allow you to create point-in-time copies of the LUN data. These snapshots can be used for data protection, backup, and recovery purposes.iSCSI LUN Backup/Restore: The NAS supports backup and restore of iSCSI LUNs, allowing you to create backups of LUN data and restore them when needed.iSCSI Thin Provisioning Reclamation: If thin provisioning is enabled, the NAS can reclaim unused space from iSCSI LUNs and release it back to the storage pool for better utilization.These features and capabilities make the iSCSI protocol on the QNAP Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A suitable for various storage needs, including virtualization, centralized storage, and backup solutions.

RAID Controller Failure on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A: Data Recovery Techniques and Consequences

Name: How to recover data from a QNAP
Uploaded: 2025-10-16T08:53:56+03:00
Description: How to recover data from a QNAP

Has your NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A suddenly lost its network drive and you’re unsure what to do next? Did the RAID array collapse, making your files inaccessible? Is the device throwing errors during startup? Perhaps you accidentally rebuilt the RAID array or several hard drives failed at the same time?

RAID Controller Failure on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A: Data Recovery Techniques and Consequences

Data Recovery Tool

QNAP Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A NAS Data Recovery in 2025

In this step-by-step tutorial, we’ll show you how to rebuild your RAID and recover data from an Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A. We’ll walk through the most common causes of failure and demonstrate proven methods to restore files from a lost or degraded RAID array.

Contents

Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
Key Information About the NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A
How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC

RAID Recovery™ 2.8

Recover data from damaged RAID arrays inaccessible from a computer.

Download

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 QNAP 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.

Can elevation of privileges or compromised user accounts lead to data loss or unauthorized access on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A devices?

Yes, elevation of privileges or compromised user accounts can potentially lead to data loss or unauthorized access on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A devices. If an attacker gains elevated privileges or compromises a user account with administrative access, they can potentially access, modify, or delete sensitive data stored on the device. This can result in data loss, unauthorized access to confidential information, or even the possibility of ransomware attacks. It is crucial to ensure strong security measures such as regularly updating firmware, using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and restricting access privileges to minimize the risk of such incidents.

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

Although the NAS Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A 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:

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.
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.
Label each hard disk according to its position inside the NAS. The order of the drives is crucial for correct RAID reconstruction.
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 QNAP Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A. 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 QNAP

Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A 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);

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:

Ensure you have enough free space to store the image. Its size will typically match the size of the original disk.
In the main window, select the target disk and choose Tools - Save Disk. You can also select multiple disks if needed.
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.
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 QNAP Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A 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.

RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison

Product	Operating system	RAID controller support	Supported file systems	Virtual RAID controller support	Data recovery from damaged RAID	File preview
Hetman RAID Recovery	Windows, Linux, MacOS	Yes, over 100 controllers	FAT, exFAT, NTFS, ReFS, APFS, HFS+, Ext4, Ext3, Ext2, ReiserFS, Btrfs, VMFS, Hikvision, XFS, UFS, ZFS	Yes	Yes	Yes
DiskInternals RAID Recovery	Windows	Yes, over 10 controllers	FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+	No	Yes	Yes
R-Studio	Windows, Mac, Linux	Yes, over 20 controllers	FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+	Yes	Yes	Yes
UFS Explorer RAID Recovery	Windows, Mac, Linux	Yes, over 100 controllers	FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+	Yes	Yes	Yes
EaseUS Data Recovery	Windows	Yes, over 20 controllers	FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+	No	Yes	Yes
ReclaiMe Free RAID Recovery	Windows	Yes, over 100 controllers	FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+	Yes	Yes	Yes

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Hetman Software: Data Recovery 9.08.2022 12:31 #

If you want to ask a question about data recovery, from NAS Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A, feel free to leave a comment!

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Updated:
16.10.2025 8:53

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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.

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.

Questions and answers

What is iSCSI and how does it work in a network storage environment?
iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface) is a protocol that allows the transmission of SCSI commands over an IP network. It enables the use of IP networks to extend the benefits of SCSI, a popular storage protocol, beyond the traditional limitations of direct-attached storage (DAS).
In a network storage environment, iSCSI works by encapsulating SCSI commands and data into IP packets, which can then be transmitted over an Ethernet network. The iSCSI protocol uses TCP/IP as the transport layer, ensuring reliable and ordered delivery of data.
To set up an iSCSI network storage environment, the following components are typically involved:
1. iSCSI Initiator: This is the client-side software or hardware that sends SCSI commands to the iSCSI target and receives the corresponding data. The initiator can be a dedicated iSCSI host bus adapter (HBA) or software running on a server.
2. iSCSI Target: This is the server-side component that receives the SCSI commands from the initiator and processes them. The target can be a dedicated storage device or a server running iSCSI target software.
3. IP Network: iSCSI relies on IP networks for data transmission. The initiator and target must be connected to the same IP network, either a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN).
4. Storage Device: The iSCSI target is typically connected to a storage device, such as a disk array or a network-attached storage (NAS) system. The storage device manages the physical storage and handles the storage-related operations requested by the iSCSI target.
When a client wants to access storage resources over an iSCSI network, the initiator sends SCSI commands encapsulated in iSCSI packets to the target. The target receives these packets, processes the SCSI commands, and performs the requested operations on the storage device. The target then sends the response data back to the initiator in iSCSI packets.
Overall, iSCSI provides a flexible and cost-effective way to leverage existing IP networks for storage connectivity, allowing organizations to centralize and share storage resources across multiple servers or systems.
What are the benefits of using iSCSI in a NAS system, and how does it compare to other storage protocols?
There are several benefits of using iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface) in a NAS (Network Attached Storage) system:
1. Flexibility: iSCSI allows for the integration of existing Ethernet infrastructure, making it easier to deploy and manage compared to other storage protocols. It leverages the TCP/IP protocol, which is widely supported and compatible with various network environments.
2. Cost-effective: iSCSI eliminates the need for dedicated Fibre Channel (FC) infrastructure, which can be expensive to implement. By using existing Ethernet networks, iSCSI reduces the overall cost of storage networking.
3. Scalability: iSCSI provides the ability to scale storage capacity and performance by adding more drives or expanding the network infrastructure. It allows for the creation of large storage pools that can be easily managed and allocated to different applications or users.
4. Performance: iSCSI offers good performance for most applications, especially for small to medium-sized deployments. With advancements in network technology, such as 10GbE (10 Gigabit Ethernet), iSCSI can provide high-speed data transfer rates comparable to other storage protocols.
5. Compatibility: iSCSI is compatible with various operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS. It can be seamlessly integrated into existing IT environments without requiring significant changes or additional software.
When compared to other storage protocols like Fibre Channel (FC) and Network File System (NFS), iSCSI has some distinct advantages:
1. Lower cost: As mentioned earlier, iSCSI eliminates the need for dedicated FC infrastructure, resulting in cost savings. FC requires specialized hardware components like host bus adapters (HBAs) and switches, which can be expensive.
2. Simplicity: iSCSI uses standard TCP/IP networks, which are easier to manage and troubleshoot compared to FC or NFS. It leverages existing Ethernet infrastructure and can be configured using familiar networking tools.
3. Wide adoption: iSCSI has gained widespread adoption due to its simplicity and compatibility with existing network infrastructure. It is supported by most major storage vendors and operating systems, making it a popular choice for NAS deployments.
However, it's worth noting that iSCSI may not be suitable for all scenarios. For high-performance or mission-critical applications, Fibre Channel or other specialized storage protocols may still provide better performance and reliability. It's essential to evaluate the specific requirements and constraints of the NAS system before deciding on the storage protocol to use.
Does the NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A support iSCSI, and if so, what are the features and capabilities offered by this protocol on these devices?
Yes, the NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-228 and TS-228A both support iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface). iSCSI is a protocol that allows the use of the SCSI protocol over TCP/IP networks, enabling remote block-level storage access.
The features and capabilities offered by iSCSI on these devices include:
1. Virtual Disk Drive: The NAS can be configured as an iSCSI target to create virtual disk drives on the network. These virtual drives can be accessed by clients as if they were physical drives.
2. LUN (Logical Unit Number) Mapping: LUN mapping allows you to assign specific LUNs to different iSCSI initiators (clients). This ensures that each client can only access the assigned LUNs, providing better security and isolation.
3. Thin Provisioning: Thin provisioning allows you to allocate storage space to iSCSI LUNs dynamically. This means that the actual storage space is only consumed as data is written to the LUN, allowing for more efficient utilization of available storage.
4. MPIO (Multipath Input/Output): MPIO enables multiple paths between the iSCSI initiator and target, providing redundancy and load balancing. This ensures high availability and increased performance by distributing I/O traffic across multiple network paths.
5. CHAP Authentication: Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) is supported for iSCSI authentication. It provides a secure method of authenticating iSCSI initiators and targets, preventing unauthorized access to the storage.
6. Snapshot: iSCSI LUN snapshots allow you to create point-in-time copies of the LUN data. These snapshots can be used for data protection, backup, and recovery purposes.
7. iSCSI LUN Backup/Restore: The NAS supports backup and restore of iSCSI LUNs, allowing you to create backups of LUN data and restore them when needed.
8. iSCSI Thin Provisioning Reclamation: If thin provisioning is enabled, the NAS can reclaim unused space from iSCSI LUNs and release it back to the storage pool for better utilization.
These features and capabilities make the iSCSI protocol on the QNAP Turbo Station TS-228 / TS-228A suitable for various storage needs, including virtualization, centralized storage, and backup solutions.