Recovering Data from NAS Synology Diskstation DS110+ / DS110j RAID Arrays: Recovery Tips for Component Wear

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 Synology 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 continuous data protection mechanisms help in minimizing potential data loss on NAS Synology Diskstation DS110+ / DS110j devices?

Continuous data protection mechanisms can help in minimizing potential data loss on NAS Synology Diskstation DS110+ / DS110j devices in the following ways:

1. Real-time Backup: Continuous data protection mechanisms enable real-time backup of data on the NAS devices. This means that any changes made to the data are immediately backed up, reducing the risk of data loss due to system failures or human errors.
2. Incremental Backups: Continuous data protection mechanisms typically use incremental backups, where only the changes made since the last backup are stored. This reduces the backup time and storage requirements, making it more efficient to protect data on the NAS devices.
3. Point-in-Time Recovery: Continuous data protection mechanisms allow for point-in-time recovery, meaning that you can restore the data to a specific point in time. This is particularly useful in case of data corruption or accidental deletion, as you can roll back to a previous version of the data.
4. Versioning: Continuous data protection mechanisms often include versioning capabilities, which means that multiple versions of the same file are stored. This allows you to recover previous versions of a file if needed, providing an additional layer of protection against data loss.
5. Redundancy and RAID: NAS devices like the Synology Diskstation DS110+ / DS110j often support RAID configurations, which provide redundancy by spreading data across multiple drives. Continuous data protection mechanisms can work in conjunction with RAID to ensure that even if one drive fails, the data is still protected and accessible.
6. Remote Replication: Some continuous data protection mechanisms offer remote replication capabilities, allowing you to replicate the data to another NAS device or off-site location. This provides an extra level of protection against disasters or physical damage to the NAS device.

Overall, continuous data protection mechanisms help in minimizing potential data loss on NAS Synology Diskstation DS110+ / DS110j devices by ensuring real-time backups, efficient storage, point-in-time recovery, versioning, redundancy, and remote replication.

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

Although NAS Diskstation DS110+ / DS110j 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 Synology Diskstation DS110+ / DS110j. 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 Synology

Diskstation DS110+ / DS110j has 1 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• Nie wspiera;

NAS supports:

• EXT3;
• FAT (External Disk Only);
• NTFS (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 Synology Diskstation DS110+ / DS110j network-attached storage keeps DSM (DiskStation Manager) 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