NAS Synology DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j RAID Arrays: Data Recovery Solutions Following Component Wear

⭐ NAS RAID arrays affected by natural component wear? Here’s what you need to know about data recovery.

NAS Synology DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j RAID Arrays: Data Recovery Solutions Following Component Wear

Synology DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j NAS Data Recovery in 2024

In this step-by-step tutorial, we’ll show you how to rebuild your RAID and recover data from DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j.

NAS Synology DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j RAID Arrays: Data Recovery Solutions Following Component Wear

RAID Recovery™ 2.6
Recover data from damaged RAID arrays inaccessible from a computer.
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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.

Are there any guidelines for configuring security settings on NAS Synology DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j devices to prevent unauthorized access and potential data loss?

Yes, there are some general guidelines for configuring security settings on Synology DiskStation devices to prevent unauthorized access and potential data loss. Here are a few key recommendations:

  1. Enable Firewall: Enable the built-in firewall on your DiskStation to restrict unauthorized access. Go to Control Panel > Security > Firewall & DDoS Protection to configure firewall settings.
  2. Update Firmware: Regularly update the DiskStation firmware to ensure that security vulnerabilities are patched. You can check for updates in Control Panel > Update & Restore.
  3. Use Strong Passwords: Set strong and unique passwords for all user accounts, including the admin account. Avoid using common or easily guessable passwords. Enable account lockout policies to prevent brute-force attacks.
  4. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA for all user accounts to provide an extra layer of security. This can be done in Control Panel > User > User > Edit > Enable 2-step verification.
  5. Restrict Access: Configure user permissions and access rights to limit access to specific folders and files. Only grant necessary permissions to users and groups.
  6. Disable Default Services: Disable any unnecessary services or applications that you do not use to reduce the potential attack surface. Review the packages installed on your DiskStation and disable any that are not required.
  7. Enable Auto Block: Enable the Auto Block feature to automatically block IP addresses that repeatedly fail login attempts. This can be enabled in Control Panel > Security > Account > Auto Block.
  8. Enable Network Encryption: Enable SSL/TLS encryption for network connections to ensure secure communication. Go to Control Panel > Network > DSM Settings and enable "Enable HTTPS connection" and "HSTS".
  9. Regularly Backup Data: Implement a regular backup strategy to ensure that your data is protected. Use Synology's built-in backup solutions or third-party backup software to create backups to external storage or off-site locations.
  10. Enable Auditing and Logs: Enable auditing and review logs regularly to monitor for any suspicious activities. This can be done in Control Panel > Control Panel > Security > Log.

These guidelines provide a starting point for securing your Synology DiskStation NAS devices. It is also recommended to refer to the official Synology documentation and consult with security professionals for more specific and advanced security configurations.

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

Although NAS DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j 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.

    Go to view
    How to Order Remote Data Recovery

    How to Order Remote Data Recovery

Restoring data with Hetman RAID Recovery

Hetman Raid Recovery

This program recovers data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Synology DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j. 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.

Go to view
How to recover data from a Synology

How to recover data from a Synology

DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j has 2 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

  • Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR);
  • RAID 1;
  • RAID 0;
  • Basic;
  • JBOD;

NAS supports:

  • EXT4;
  • EXT3 (External Disk Only);
  • FAT32 (External Disk Only);
  • exFAT (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 ToolsSave 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.

    Hetman Raid Recovery: Image Creation Wizard
  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.

    Hetman Raid Recovery: hoose any disk connected to this PC, or save the image by FTP

Where are user’s files stored?

The Synology DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j 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

Product Operating system License type RAID controller support Supported file systems Virtual RAID controller support Data recovery from damaged RAID File preview
Hetman RAID Recovery Windows Paid Yes, over 100 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ Yes Yes Yes
DiskInternals RAID Recovery Windows Paid Yes, over 100 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ No Yes Yes
R-Studio Windows, Mac, Linux Paid Yes, over 200 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ Yes Yes Yes
UFS Explorer RAID Recovery Windows, Mac, Linux Paid Yes, over 1,000 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ Yes Yes Yes
EaseUS Data Recovery Windows Paid Yes, over 20 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ No Yes Yes
ReclaiMe Free RAID Recovery Windows Free Yes, over 100 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ Yes Yes Yes

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Comments (1)

  • Hetman Software: Data Recovery
    Hetman Software: Data Recovery 9.08.2022 12:31 #
    If you want to ask a question about data recovery, from NAS DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j, feel free to leave a comment!
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Vladimir Artiukh

Author: Vladimir Artiukh, Technical Writer

Vladimir Artiukh is a technical writer for Hetman Software, as well as the voice and face of their English-speaking YouTube channel, Hetman Software: Data Recovery for Windows. He handles tutorials, how-tos, and detailed reviews on how the company’s tools work with all kinds of data storage devices.

Oleg Afonin

Editor: Oleg Afonin, Technical Writer

Oleg Afonin is an expert in mobile forensics, data recovery and computer systems. He often attends large data security conferences, and writes several blogs for such resources as xaker.ru, Elcomsoft and Habr. In addition to his online activities, Oleg’s articles are also published in professional magazines. Also, Oleg Afonin is the co-author of a well-known book, Mobile Forensics - Advanced Investigative Strategies.

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Questions and answers

  • What are the virtualization features offered by the NAS Synology DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j?

    The NAS Synology DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j offer various virtualization features, including:

    1. Virtual Machine Manager (DS218+): This feature allows you to run multiple virtual machines on your NAS, enabling you to consolidate and centralize your IT infrastructure.
    2. Docker DSM (DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play): Docker DSM provides a lightweight virtualization solution, allowing you to run and manage Docker containers on your NAS. It simplifies the deployment of applications and services by encapsulating them within containers.
    3. Virtual DSM (DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j): Virtual DSM allows you to create multiple virtual instances of the DiskStation Manager (DSM) operating system on a single NAS. This feature is useful for testing and development purposes, as well as isolating different services or users.
    4. Snapshot Replication (DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j): Snapshot Replication enables you to take point-in-time snapshots of your data, allowing for quick and efficient data recovery in case of accidental deletion or modification. It helps protect your virtualized environments and ensures data integrity.
    5. High Availability (DS218+ / DS218): High Availability provides redundancy by synchronizing two NAS devices in real-time, creating a failover cluster. In the event of hardware failure, the secondary NAS takes over seamlessly, minimizing downtime and ensuring continuous availability of virtualized services.

    These virtualization features enhance the capabilities of the NAS Synology DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j, making them suitable for small businesses, home offices, and personal use.

  • How can the virtualization features of the NAS Synology DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j benefit businesses or home users?

    The virtualization features of the NAS Synology DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j can benefit both businesses and home users in several ways:

    1. Cost-effective server consolidation: Businesses can utilize virtualization to consolidate multiple servers onto a single NAS device. This helps reduce hardware costs, power consumption, and maintenance efforts.
    2. Efficient resource utilization: Virtualization allows businesses and home users to maximize the utilization of their NAS device by running multiple virtual machines (VMs) concurrently. This enables efficient resource allocation and better performance.
    3. Simplified management: With virtualization, users can easily create, manage, and deploy VMs on the NAS device. This simplifies the overall management and administration of IT infrastructure, reducing complexity and saving time.
    4. Enhanced data protection: By running VMs on the NAS, businesses and home users can benefit from built-in data protection features such as snapshotting and backup solutions. This ensures that critical data and applications are safeguarded against data loss or system failures.
    5. Flexible testing and development environment: Virtualization allows businesses and home users to create isolated test and development environments on the NAS. This enables them to experiment with new software, test applications, and deploy updates without impacting the production environment.
    6. Remote access and collaboration: Virtualization features enable users to access and collaborate on VMs remotely. This is particularly useful for businesses with distributed teams or home users who need access to their virtualized resources from anywhere.
    7. Scalability and flexibility: As business needs grow, virtualization allows for easy scalability by adding more VMs or expanding the NAS storage capacity. This flexibility ensures that the NAS can adapt to changing requirements without significant hardware investments.

    Overall, the virtualization features of the Synology DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j offer businesses and home users the benefits of cost savings, improved efficiency, simplified management, data protection, and flexibility in their IT infrastructure.

  • Are there any limitations or compatibility requirements to consider when using the virtualization features of the NAS Synology DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j?

    Yes, there are some limitations and compatibility requirements to consider when using the virtualization features of the Synology DiskStation DS218+ / DS218 / DS218play / DS218j NAS.

    1. Hardware Requirements: The virtualization features require a NAS model with an Intel x86 processor. The DS218+ and DS218 models meet this requirement, but the DS218play and DS218j models do not. The DS218play and DS218j models use ARM processors, which are not compatible with the virtualization features.
    2. Memory Requirements: The minimum memory requirement for running virtual machines on Synology NAS is 2GB. However, it is recommended to have at least 4GB or more for better performance.
    3. DSM Version: The virtualization features are available starting from DiskStation Manager (DSM) version 6.2.1. If you are using an older version of DSM, you may need to update it to access the virtualization features.
    4. Virtual Machine Manager (VMM): The virtualization feature is managed through the Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) application, which needs to be installed on the NAS. VMM is available for free on the Synology Package Center.
    5. Supported Operating Systems: The virtualization feature supports various operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS. However, not all operating systems may be officially supported by Synology. It is recommended to check the Synology website or VMM documentation for the list of officially supported operating systems.
    6. Performance Considerations: The performance of virtual machines running on a NAS may be limited compared to dedicated virtualization platforms. The NAS hardware and resources need to be shared between the NAS functions and the virtual machines, which can impact performance.
    7. Storage Considerations: The NAS storage capacity and performance should be considered when running virtual machines. Ensure that you have enough available storage space and consider using SSDs or RAID configurations for better performance.

    It is always recommended to refer to the official Synology documentation and support resources for the most up-to-date information on limitations and compatibility requirements for using the virtualization features of Synology DiskStation NAS models.

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