Professional Strategies for RAID Array Data Recovery on NAS Raidon Mobile Rack iT8776 Devices

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Raidon Mobile Rack iT8776
• 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 Raidon 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 regular system monitoring and alerting help in early detection and prevention of data loss events on NAS Raidon Mobile Rack iT8776 devices?

Regular system monitoring and alerting can help in early detection and prevention of data loss events on NAS Raidon Mobile Rack iT8776 devices in the following ways:

1. Disk Health Monitoring: By regularly monitoring the health and status of the hard drives in the NAS, you can identify any signs of potential failure or degradation. Many NAS systems provide SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) monitoring, which can alert you to issues such as bad sectors, high temperature, or abnormal drive behavior.
2. RAID Array Monitoring: If you have configured your NAS with a RAID configuration (e.g., RAID 1, RAID 5), monitoring the RAID array is crucial. Regularly check the RAID status and ensure all drives are functioning correctly. Any degraded or failed drives should be replaced immediately to prevent data loss.
3. Storage Utilization Monitoring: Monitoring the storage utilization of your NAS helps you keep track of available space and avoid running out of storage capacity. When the storage reaches a certain threshold, you can proactively take action to expand the capacity or archive/delete unnecessary data to prevent data loss due to lack of space.
4. Backup Monitoring: If you have set up regular backups of your NAS data, monitoring the backup process is crucial. Ensure that backups are scheduled and executed successfully. If backups fail or encounter errors, you can investigate and rectify the issue promptly to avoid relying solely on the NAS for data recovery.
5. Network Monitoring: Monitoring the network connectivity and performance of your NAS can help detect any issues that may lead to data loss. Network monitoring tools can alert you to network outages, high latency, or abnormal traffic patterns, allowing you to take appropriate action to prevent data loss or corruption.
6. Security Monitoring: Regularly monitoring the security of your NAS helps identify any unauthorized access attempts or potential security breaches. Enable and review logs, monitor user activity, and implement security measures such as strong passwords, firewall rules, and access controls to prevent data loss due to unauthorized access.
7. Alerting and Notifications: Configure your NAS to send alerts and notifications for critical events such as drive failures, high disk temperature, low storage space, or backup failures. This ensures that you are promptly informed of any potential issues, allowing you to take immediate action and prevent data loss.

By implementing a comprehensive system monitoring and alerting strategy, you can proactively detect and prevent data loss events on NAS Raidon Mobile Rack iT8776 devices, minimizing the risk of data loss and ensuring the integrity and availability of your data.

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

Although the NAS Mobile Rack iT8776 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 Raidon Mobile Rack iT8776. 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 Raidon

Mobile Rack iT8776 has 2 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• APFS / HFS+;
• Ext2 / Ext3 / Ext4;

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 Raidon Mobile Rack iT8776 network-attached storage keeps OS Linux 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