RAID Controller Failure on NAS Synology DiskStation DS2411+: Recovery Strategies and Consequences Explained

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 the number of concurrent users or clients accessing a NAS Synology DiskStation DS2411+ device affect data loss risks?

The number of concurrent users or clients accessing a NAS Synology DiskStation DS2411+ device can affect data loss risks in the following ways:

1. Increased risk of hardware failure: With more users accessing the device simultaneously, the hardware components such as hard drives, power supply, or cooling fans may experience higher stress levels. This increased workload can lead to a higher chance of hardware failure, which can result in data loss.
2. Higher probability of accidental deletion: More users accessing the NAS device means a higher probability of accidental deletion or modification of files. This can happen due to human error or conflicts when multiple users are working on the same files simultaneously. If proper backup and versioning mechanisms are not in place, data loss can occur.
3. Network congestion and data corruption: When multiple users access the NAS device simultaneously, it can cause network congestion and increased data traffic. This congestion can lead to data corruption if the network infrastructure or the NAS device itself is not capable of handling the increased load. Data corruption can result in the loss of files or the inability to access them.
4. Lack of resource availability: The DS2411+ device has a finite amount of system resources such as CPU, RAM, and network bandwidth. If the number of concurrent users exceeds the device's capacity, it may lead to resource exhaustion. This can result in slow performance, unresponsiveness, or even system crashes, which can potentially cause data loss or corruption.

To mitigate these risks, it is important to:

1. Regularly back up data: Implement a robust backup strategy to ensure that critical data is regularly backed up to an external storage device or cloud storage. This will help in recovering data in case of accidental deletion, hardware failure, or data corruption.
2. Implement access controls and permissions: Set up appropriate access controls and user permissions to restrict unauthorized access and minimize the risk of accidental deletion or modification of files.
3. Monitor system performance: Keep a close eye on system performance metrics such as CPU usage, RAM utilization, and network traffic. This will help identify any resource bottlenecks or performance issues that may lead to data loss risks.
4. Consider load balancing and scalability: If the number of concurrent users is consistently high, consider load balancing techniques or upgrading to a higher-capacity NAS device to distribute the workload and ensure optimal performance.
5. Educate users: Provide proper training and guidelines to users on best practices for accessing and managing files on the NAS device. This will help minimize the chances of accidental data loss due to user errors.

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

Although NAS DiskStation DS2411+ 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

Restoring data with Hetman RAID Recovery

This program recovers data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Synology DiskStation DS2411+. 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

DiskStation DS2411+ has 12 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR);
• RAID 6;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 10;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 0;
• Basic;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• Btrfs;
• 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 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 DS2411+ 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