Practical Steps for Accessing Files on a RAID Disk Without Accessible NAS Uniview VX3048-V2

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 Uniview 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 use of specific file-sharing protocols impact data loss risks on NAS Uniview VX3048-V2 devices?

The use of specific file-sharing protocols can impact data loss risks on NAS Uniview VX3048-V2 devices in the following ways:

1. Insecure protocols: Some file-sharing protocols, such as FTP (File Transfer Protocol), do not provide encryption for data transmission. This can increase the risk of data interception and unauthorized access to sensitive information.
2. Lack of access controls: Certain protocols may not offer robust access control mechanisms, allowing anyone with network access to potentially modify or delete files. This can lead to accidental or intentional data loss.
3. Vulnerabilities in protocol implementations: File-sharing protocols may have vulnerabilities that can be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access or execute malicious actions on the NAS device. These vulnerabilities can increase the risk of data loss.
4. Compatibility issues: Different file-sharing protocols may have varying levels of compatibility with different operating systems and devices. Incompatibility can lead to data corruption or loss during file transfers.
5. Limited auditing and logging capabilities: Some protocols may not provide detailed auditing and logging features, making it challenging to track and investigate data loss incidents. This can hinder the identification of the root cause and the recovery of lost data.

To mitigate these risks, it is advisable to:

• Use secure file-sharing protocols such as SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) or HTTPS (HTTP Secure) that provide encryption for data transmission.
• Implement strong access controls, including user authentication, permissions, and role-based access control (RBAC), to restrict unauthorized access to files.
• Regularly update the NAS device's firmware and file-sharing protocol implementations to patch any known vulnerabilities.
• Employ network security measures such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and virtual private networks (VPNs) to protect the NAS device from external threats.
• Regularly backup data stored on the NAS device to a separate location or cloud storage to ensure data recovery in case of loss or corruption.
• Enable auditing and logging features to monitor file-sharing activities and detect any suspicious or unauthorized actions.
• Educate users about secure file-sharing practices, such as avoiding the use of insecure protocols and being cautious while granting access permissions to files and folders.

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

Although NAS VX3048-V2 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 Uniview VX3048-V2. 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 Uniview

VX3048-V2 has 48 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• RAID 50;
• RAID 60;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• exFAT, VFAT, FAT 12 / 16 / 32;
• NTFS / ReFS;
• APFS / HFS+;
• Ext2 / 3 / 4 / ReiserFS / XFS / UFS / ZFS / Btrfs;
• VMFS / HikvisionFS;

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 Uniview VX3048-V2 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.

Comparison of software for RAID recovery