NAS Synology ioSafe 1515+ RAID Arrays: Recovering Data After Natural Wear of Components

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 regular performance monitoring and optimization help in preventing data loss on NAS Synology ioSafe 1515+ devices?

Regular performance monitoring and optimization can help in preventing data loss on NAS Synology ioSafe 1515+ devices in the following ways:

1. Early detection of issues: Regular monitoring allows you to identify any performance issues or anomalies that may indicate potential problems with the device. By detecting these issues early on, you can take proactive steps to address them before they lead to data loss.
2. Maintaining optimal performance: Monitoring the performance of your NAS device helps ensure that it is operating at its peak efficiency. By optimizing settings, storage configurations, and network performance, you can reduce the risk of data loss due to system slowdowns, bottlenecks, or failures.
3. Monitoring storage health: Regularly monitoring the health of your storage drives is crucial for preventing data loss. By monitoring metrics such as SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) data, you can identify signs of drive degradation or potential failures. This allows you to replace failing drives before they lead to data loss.
4. RAID monitoring: If you have configured your ioSafe 1515+ device with RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks), monitoring the RAID array is essential. Regularly checking the status of the RAID array, including the integrity of the data and the synchronization of drives, helps identify any potential issues that could result in data loss.
5. Backup monitoring: It is important to monitor the status and effectiveness of your backup processes. Regularly verify that backups are running successfully, and periodically test the restoration process to ensure that your data can be recovered in case of a failure.
6. Firmware and software updates: Keeping your NAS device's firmware and software up to date is crucial for security and performance reasons. Regularly monitoring for updates and applying them in a timely manner helps ensure that your device is protected against known vulnerabilities and that it operates optimally.

By regularly monitoring and optimizing the performance of your NAS Synology ioSafe 1515+ device, you can minimize the risk of data loss and ensure the safety and integrity of your data.

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

Although NAS ioSafe 1515+ 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 ioSafe 1515+. 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

ioSafe 1515+ has 5 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 ioSafe 1515+ 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