Category: Data Recovery

In the current digital era, data loss can occur at any moment. Even if it is due to human error, hardware failure, or a malicious cyber attack. Two terms usually come up when the disaster hits – 

• Data Restoration 
• Data Recovery 

Even if they sound a bit similar, they refer to extremely different processes and learning this distinction can make the difference in how effectively and promptly you bounce back. 

Explaining Data Restoration 

Data Restoration refers to the process of retrieving data from an earlier created backup and thereby returning it to its original state. It is a proactive plan that is a part of most business continuity and even disaster recovery strategies.  

Principal aspects – 

• It requires a backup – The process of restoration depends on having an intact, recent backup stored on cloud platforms, external drives or backup tapes. 
• Data Restoration is generally faster – Restoration can be efficient as well as straightforward if the backups are well-maintained. 
• Common use situations – Accidental deletion, hardware upgrades, software rollbacks and system crashes. 

For instance, an enterprise experiences a server failure. From last night’s backup, IT restores the CRM database, thereby minimizing the data loss as well as the downtime, hence it reduces the financial loss. 

Understanding Data Recovery 

The process of data recovery is very complex as well as reactive. This process involves the retrieval of corrupted, deleted, lost or even inaccessible data directly from the compromised or damaged storage media. It is retrieved usually when no backup exists. The advanced solutions are delivered by Ontrack Data Recovery by using proprietary technologies for the retrieval of compromised or lost data. It enables complete restoration with reliability and accuracy. 

Principal aspects 

• No backup is needed for recovering data. Recovery works with the corrupted device directly. It also works with the deleted or encrypted backups. 
• The process of Data Recovery is technically invasive – It may involve specialized software, expert intervention or forensic instruments. 
• Common use situations – file system corruption, deleted partitions, physical damage to drives, or ransomware attacks. 

For instance, all files on a server were encrypted by a ransomware attack, and the backup was also ruined. Extraction and reconstruction of the encrypted files is then done by a data recovery expert. 

Why the distinction matters 

Learning about the distinction between restoration and Recovery helps the organisations – 

• • To plan smart – To enable quick restoration, you must invest in strong backup strategies. 
  • To respond fast, you must know when to call the data recovery specialists for difficult and complex loss situations. 
  • To reduce the costs, recovery or paying a ransom is generally more expensive than restoration. 
  • To mitigate the risk, the best protection is offered by a layered approach – combining backups with recovery capabilities. 

Conclusion 

Backups are not foolproof, even though they are your final line of protection after a data loss. Corrupted backups and hardware failures can leave you helpless. Therefore, it is essential to have access to trusted and reliable data recovery experts like us – iTech Australia. Recovery is important. Our team provides exceptional services at a reasonable cost. We offer the best solutions to make you stress-free.

SAN stands for Storage Area Network, which is a high-speed network connecting servers to storage devices. RAID stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disks, which is a process of combining several physical drives into a single logical unit for optimized performance. When one or more drives fail, the RAID controller or the system fails, resulting in data inaccessibility or failure, and then SAN RAID failure occurs. The loss of data can impact your business operations as well as the trust of the customers and valuable recollections. RAID crashes can be utterly stressful. 

Common causes of RAID failure are: 

• Power surge or outage –sudden power spike or loss can damage the drives or controllers, interrupt write processes, and corrupt RAID configurations. 
• RAID controller failure – even if the drives are fine, the whole RAID structure becomes inaccessible if the RAID controller malfunctions. Signs could be: boot failures, incorrect disk sequence, unrecognizable array. The fault makes recovery more complex. 

• Multiple disk failures – overheating, power issues, age and wear, as well as environmental issues, can cause multiple disks to fail simultaneously. 

• Malware attacks – RAID systems could become the targets of ransomware and viruses. 

• RAID rebuild failures – RAID begins a rebuild process when one disk fails. But during this rebuild, if another drive fails, the whole array can collapse. Causes behind rebuild failure are: unstable array state, faulty new drive, and incorrect rebuild order. 

• Hard drive failures it is the most common reason for RAID failure. With the due course of time, hard drives break due to various issues such as manufacturing defects, electrical component failure, and mechanical issues like head crashes. 

• Human error – various human errors could be: incorrect drive replacement, formatting the array, accidentally removing the wrong drive, or wrong RAID level selection during rebuild. 

• Configuration corruption – array configuration can become corrupt because of conflicting updates, failed BIOS flashes, and firmware bugs. 

• Natural disasters – physical damage can be caused by: floods, fire and earthquakes. 

• Incorrect RAID configuration – configuration mismatches could be caused between RAID levels due to the mistakes made during migration or initial setup. For instance, mixing up the drive sequence. 

Preventing RAID failure in future 

Preventive measures to be followed for the protection of RAID are: 

• Regularly checking the disk health 
• Keeping detailed documentation of the RAID setup 
• Implementing unnecessary power supplies as well as surge protection 
• Scheduling periodic backups to the cloud storage 
• Maintaining controlled temperature in the server rooms 

How to safely recover data from RAID

 Shut down the system immediately

• Identify the type of failure 
• If accessible, back up the current state 
• Look for professional RAID services 
• Avoiding DIY fixes 

Conclusion 

iTechnology Australia is a top-notch computer service provider for businesses across the country. Just when we felt the need for genuine and effective computer support, our working group endeavoured to meet the need. Earlier, we just focused on hardware repair as well as maintenance. With the advancement of technology, we decided to expand our services and include software installation, optimization, and troubleshooting. We offer a vast range of services, which include virus removal, network setup, maintenance, data recovery, etc. For expert support to safeguard or recover your valuable data, reach out to iTechnology Australia.

It is very important to know that, in general, there is ‘no’ RAID recovery process. The procedure of recovering data is laid down completely by the architecture of the RAID. The most basic type of RAID is RAID 0. It is also called disk stripping. There is actually zero repetition in a RAID 0 setup. No mirroring, parity or backup is there, like other RAID types. It is built for maximum performance. 

RAID 0 architecture 

To achieve maximum performance, RAID 0: 

• Splits the files into blocks 
• Write the blocks with drives sequentially in the array. It is done in a round robin pattern. 

The process called stripping allows the RAID controller to work simultaneously with all the disks, significantly increasing the speed as well as I/O performance. 

Common RAID 0 failure situations

 Serious risks faced by RAID 0 due to its design are: 

• Single disk failure- it could mean complete loss. If a drive fails, the drive becomes inaccessible. The whole array comes at risk as there is no built-in way to recover data. 
• Metadata errors- metadata gets corrupted if the drives are reordered. 
• Partial drive failure- bad sectors on one disk can result in corrupted files after recovery, even if all disks are present. 
• Increased risk with more disks- the chances of failure increase with the increase in the number of disks being used. 
• Human error- after a failure, if you try to rebuild or write to the array, it can overwrite essential data, making the recovery difficult. 

Limitations of RAID 0 recovery 

Fundamental bottlenecks govern the RAID 0 data recovery. 

• There is no option to rebuild. 
• Original stripe size and disk order are required. 
• Imaging with specialised tools is necessary. 
• All member disks should be present and readable. 

Professional strategy for data recovery for RAID 0 

Provided the serious limitations, successful data recovery from RAID 0 arrays is a multiphase forensic process.  

• Data integrity authentication 
• Virtual reconstruction of the array 
• Initial diagnosis and forensic visual 
• Repair of the logical file system, as well as data extraction 

Why DIY RAID 0 data recovery is risky 

Attempting to recover data from RAID 0 yourself could be very risky compared to the other levels of the RAID because: 

• Missing any step can destroy your data permanently. For instance, misconfiguring the virtual arrangement. 
• Some RAID recovery services are designed for moderate amounts of failures, and they may damage RAID 0 volumes, for which the damage could be irreversible. 

You must seek professional help if: 

• You are not sure about the disk order or the size of the stripe. 
• Any of the disks is physically damaged. 
• There is a high value attached to the data. 
• The initial attempts for rebuilding the array virtually are not successful. 
• The reason for the failure was metadata corruption. 

Conclusion 

Take a moment to consider that you require a professional RAID data recovery service that acknowledges the difficulties and challenges regarding RAID 0. iTechnology Australia is known to be the best data recovery service provider in all of Australia. We have professional and expert engineers who use specialised hardware, exclusive tools, as well as forensic techniques to increase the chance of complete recovery from RAID 0. Permanent loss does not stand a chance with iTechnology Australia.

 

RAID 6 is a storage technology that combines multiple hard disks into a single logical drive. It is the most unique of all the types of RAID. Besides simple XOR, it uses a second parity code. It is a kind of expansion of RAID 5. The data is divided into two blocks, which are P and Q, and it is evenly distributed to the existing hard disks. With this, the users can access multiple disks at the same time. Also, in the reading process, the throughput rate is improved as compared to the single drives. 

Pros of RAID 6 

RAID 6 proves to be very useful in several ways:

 It boosts the speed and capacity.

• It provides strong protection and prevents data loss. 
• Also known as dual-parity RAID, it is useful in storing business-critical data because even if both the disks fail, the files still remain safe. 
• In fact, it proves to be beneficial in improving data as it offers high fault tolerance. 

Cons of RAID 6 & data loss 

Reduced storage space is the most important con of RAID 6. Only 50% storage capacity is available. Write performance is also decelerated due to double parity. It is more expensive compared to other RAID arrays. If you think that the storage configuration is resistant to data loss, then it’s not true. Though it offers excellent protection, data loss can still occur. Reasons for data loss can be:

• If the number of disks that are used exceeds two, then they fail simultaneously. 
• Firmware issues can cause disorganisation of disks. 
• Silent data corruption spreads on multiple disks. 
• Voltage spikes or atmospheric issues like heat can ruin hardware. 
• Fortuitous deletion or misconfiguration can vanish the files. 

Even with the top-grade hardware, RAID 6 is not an alternative for backup. 

Malfunction types in RAID 6 

It is very important to recognise different sorts of RAID 6 data loss circumstances. Classifying the ways in which the RAID 6 arrangement can fail: 

• Single or dual disk failures: It is the most common failure leading to data loss, but as long as you act really quickly, the data is not lost. 
• Failure of multiple disks: Arrangement can not recover on its own if three or more disks fail simultaneously. 
• Software or restoration failure: If the process of restoration fails, it can leave the arrangement damaged, probably leading to data loss. 
• Rational errors: Reformatting or mistaken erasure makes data unavailable, even if there is no kind of disk, hardware, electronic, or mechanical failure. 

Data recovery is possible in cases when:

• There is a failure of a single or double disk, as it is within the parameters of the dual parity RAID 6. Therefore, the full dataset can be recovered. 
• Multiple drives have failed. You can take help from iTechnology Australia for recovering your lost data. Either partial or complete recovery is still possible through specialised software, depending on the condition of the platters. 
• Accurate information on the configuration is being read. Data retrieval is still possible by connecting the drives to a different system. 
• The RAID system or the controller is damaged. 

Backup is still required for data recovery in RAID 6, even if the above-mentioned cases are present. 

Why must you avoid recovering RAID 6 data by yourself? 

The technical challenges of RAID 6 can only be handled by data recovery experts. Therefore, the complexities of RAID 6 should not be handled by you, yourself. Trying to handle it all by yourself can lead to:

• Partial failure 
• Confusion about the configuration 
• Inconsistent data 
• Swapping of drives. 

And all these can lead to permanent data loss in many situations. 

Conclusion 

You can trust iTechnology Australia for your critical data recovery in RAID 6. With years of experience, our team of experts can help you retrieve your valuable data through our RAID 6 data recovery approach. We assure that your data is in safe hands with our team. Our aim is to retrieve your data safely in the minimum time. Also, our team of professionals will guide you on how to prevent data loss in the future.

Preventing data from getting lost might be the topmost priority for most individuals, as it is linked to the reputation of their organisation. Staying one step ahead by choosing a RAID configuration for the prevention of data loss can be a great source for protecting the company’s reputation. Forming multiple disks and storing data in each disk is an effective way to prevent any type of data loss. However, due to several factors, one can even experience a failed RAID configuration, which can be heartbreaking for most individuals. This can result in data loss, which can put the company’s reputation at risk. In such a situation, one can rely on the data recovery specialists who are experts in handling the failed RAID configuration. In order to know about the causes of failed RAID configuration, read this blog attentively, which contains the information regarding this. 

Causes of failed RAID configuration

A failed RAID configuration can be disheartening for most individuals. This can lead to  feelings of concern and worry among individuals. It is necessary to know about the causes of failed RAID configuration to stay aware and preventive. Considering this, go through the points mentioned below, highlighting the causes of failed RAID configuration. 

• An improper order of disks

In RAID configuration, there’s the use of multiple disks containing specific data, contributing to data security. However, if the RAID controller fails to arrange the multiple disks in a systematic manner, then it can lead to the failure of the RAID configuration. It becomes difficult for the RAID controller to read the data of multiple disks, which can result in a failed RAID configuration. It is important to take the help of some professionals to get the lost data back. 

• Accidentally reinitialised the data

This involves an action of initialising all the data again stored in multiple disks. This can lead to the overwriting of all the data and eventually to data loss. Hence, contributed to the failed RAID configuration. One can accidentally click on the option of “delete RAID volume,” and they can face bad repercussions at the end. Such situations can be handled by the professionals of data recovery specialists through accuracy and precision. 

• Loosened cable in the hardware

When the cable is loosened or if there’s a sudden increase in the voltage, then it can destroy the data on the multiple disks. Due to the loosened cable in the hardware, one can observe that all their disks have been cleared out in the array, and there’s nothing left in them, hence leading to a failed RAID configuration. One can take the help of a data recovery specialist in such a risky situation and get back their data safely. 

• Errors in the operating system

When the operating system has a bug or an unknown error, it can make it unable to predict the right disk and even stop the RAID controller from rebuilding the disks. This results in the failure of the RAID configuration and even erases all the data from the disks. However, one can get out of such a situation with the help of some professionals who have complete knowledge of using data recovery tools. 

Conclusion

RAID configuration is a great source of storing data by splitting it into multiple disks. However, when you experience a failed RAID configuration, it can literally shake your whole world. However, understanding the above-mentioned causes of failed RAID configuration can prevent you from losing data. Along with this, if you have still lost your data due to a failed RAID configuration, then seeking professional help can help you recover your data. Considering this, you can engage with the data recovery specialists of iTechnology Australia for an effective data recovery. Our expert team members are efficient in using the special data recovery tools in order to recover your lost data.