Features of Recovering Data from NAS QNAP TVS-EC1080 Storage at Home

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS QNAP TVS-EC1080
• How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC
  • Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery
  • How to Safely Recover Data from Disk Images
  • Where Are the User’s Files Actually Stored?
  • RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison

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.

How can storage tiering or caching strategies impact data availability and potential loss on NAS QNAP TVS-EC1080 devices?

Storage tiering and caching strategies can greatly impact data availability and potential loss on NAS QNAP TVS-EC1080 devices. Here's how:

1. Improved Performance: By implementing storage tiering and caching strategies, you can enhance the overall performance of your NAS device. Caching allows frequently accessed data to be stored in faster storage media such as SSDs, reducing the latency and improving read/write speeds. This ensures faster access to critical data, enhancing data availability.
2. Data Redundancy: Storage tiering can also be used to create redundant copies of data across different tiers. For example, you can configure a tier with high-performance SSDs for frequently accessed data and another tier with slower but more cost-effective HDDs for less frequently accessed data. This redundancy ensures that even if one tier fails, the data remains accessible from the other tier, reducing the potential for data loss.
3. Data Protection: Some storage tiering strategies also include data protection mechanisms such as RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks). RAID configurations distribute data across multiple drives, providing fault tolerance and protection against drive failures. This protects against potential data loss and ensures data availability even in the event of a drive failure.
4. Intelligent Data Placement: Storage tiering and caching strategies use intelligent algorithms to determine the optimal placement of data across different storage tiers. This ensures that frequently accessed data remains in the faster tiers, while less frequently accessed data is moved to slower tiers. By intelligently managing data placement, these strategies optimize storage utilization and enhance data availability.

However, it's important to note that while storage tiering and caching strategies can improve data availability and reduce potential loss, they are not foolproof solutions. It's still crucial to regularly backup your data and implement other data protection measures to ensure comprehensive data security and availability.

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

Although the NAS TVS-EC1080 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:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Label each hard disk according to its position inside the NAS. The order of the drives is crucial for correct RAID reconstruction.

4. 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 TVS-EC1080. 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

TVS-EC1080 has 10 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);

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:

1. Ensure you have enough free space to store the image. Its size will typically match the size of the original disk.

2. In the main window, select the target disk and choose Tools - Save Disk. You can also select multiple disks if needed.

3. 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.

   

4. 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 TVS-EC1080 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.

RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison