RAID Controller Failure on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-451 / TS-451+ / TS-451A: Causes, Consequences, and Recovery

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 regular vulnerability assessments and security audits help identify and mitigate potential data loss risks for NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-451 / TS-451+ / TS-451A devices?

Regular vulnerability assessments and security audits can help identify and mitigate potential data loss risks for NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-451 / TS-451+ / TS-451A devices in the following ways:

1. Identify vulnerabilities: Vulnerability assessments can scan the NAS device and its connected network for known vulnerabilities. This helps identify any weaknesses or security flaws that could be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access or cause data loss.
2. Patch management: Vulnerability assessments can help identify missing patches or outdated firmware/software versions on the NAS device. Regular patching and firmware updates are crucial to address known vulnerabilities and protect against potential data loss risks.
3. Configuration review: Security audits can review the configuration settings of the NAS device to ensure that it is properly configured for optimal security. This includes verifying that appropriate access controls, user permissions, and encryption settings are in place to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access or loss.
4. Access control assessment: Vulnerability assessments can evaluate the access control mechanisms implemented on the NAS device. This includes reviewing user roles, permissions, and authentication methods to ensure that only authorized individuals have access to critical data and resources.
5. Data backup and recovery: Security audits can assess the backup and recovery mechanisms in place for the NAS device. This helps ensure that regular backups are performed, and that the backup data is securely stored and easily recoverable in the event of data loss or system failure.
6. Network security assessment: Vulnerability assessments can also evaluate the overall network security surrounding the NAS device. This includes reviewing firewall configurations, intrusion detection/prevention systems, and network segmentation to detect and mitigate potential threats that could lead to data loss.
7. User awareness and training: Security audits can assess the level of user awareness and training regarding data loss risks and security best practices. Regular training and awareness programs can help educate users about potential threats, phishing attacks, and the importance of following security protocols to prevent data loss incidents.

By regularly conducting vulnerability assessments and security audits, organizations can proactively identify and address potential data loss risks for NAS QNAP Turbo Station devices, ensuring the security and integrity of their data.

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

Although NAS Turbo Station TS-451 / TS-451+ / TS-451A 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-451 / TS-451+ / TS-451A. 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-451 / TS-451+ / TS-451A has 4 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

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

NAS supports:

• ZFS;
• 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-451 / TS-451+ / TS-451A 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