Data Recovery Best Practices for a Failed NAS Qsan XCubeNAS XN7016R RAID Setup

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Qsan XCubeNAS XN7016R
• 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 Qsan 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.

Are there any specific network security measures to implement for safeguarding NAS Qsan XCubeNAS XN7016R devices against data loss?

Yes, there are several network security measures that can be implemented to safeguard NAS Qsan XCubeNAS XN7016R devices against data loss. Here are some of the measures:

1. Access Control: Implement strong access control mechanisms such as strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and role-based access control (RBAC) to ensure that only authorized users can access the NAS device.
2. Encryption: Enable encryption for data at rest and data in transit. This ensures that even if the data is intercepted or stolen, it is unreadable without the encryption keys.
3. Firewall: Configure a firewall to restrict access to the NAS device from unauthorized networks or IP addresses. Only allow necessary protocols and ports to be open.
4. Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (IDPS): Implement an IDPS to monitor network traffic and detect any suspicious activity or potential attacks on the NAS device. It can also prevent or block such attacks in real-time.
5. Regular Firmware Updates: Keep the NAS device's firmware up to date with the latest security patches and updates provided by the manufacturer. This helps to address any known vulnerabilities and ensures that the device is protected against the latest threats.
6. Backup and Disaster Recovery: Implement a robust backup and disaster recovery strategy to regularly back up the data stored on the NAS device. This ensures that even if data is lost or compromised, it can be easily restored from a backup.
7. Network Segmentation: Separate the NAS device from other critical systems and networks by implementing network segmentation. This helps to contain any potential security breaches and limit the impact on the entire network.
8. Monitoring and Logging: Enable logging and monitoring on the NAS device to track and analyze any suspicious activities or unauthorized access attempts. This can help in identifying security incidents and taking appropriate actions.
9. User Education and Awareness: Educate users about best practices for network security, such as avoiding suspicious links or attachments, regularly updating passwords, and being cautious about sharing sensitive information.

By implementing these network security measures, you can significantly enhance the security of NAS Qsan XCubeNAS XN7016R devices and protect them against data loss.

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

Although the NAS XCubeNAS XN7016R 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 Qsan XCubeNAS XN7016R. 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 Qsan

XCubeNAS XN7016R has 16 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• RAID 50;
• RAID 60;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• exFAT, VFAT, FAT 12 / 16 / 32;
• NTFS / ReFS;
• APFS / HFS+;
• Ext2 / 3 / 4 / ReiserFS / XFS / UFS / ZFS / Btrfs;
• VMFS / HikvisionFS;

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 Qsan XCubeNAS XN7016R network-attached storage keeps SANOS 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