Initial Cause of Data Loss

We received a Synology DS418 Network Attached Storage (NAS) system from a client, which contained two Western Digital 3.5" 6TB hard disk drives (HDDs). The NAS had been inaccessible for several days, and when the client attempted to access it, their account became unavailable. Upon further investigation, the system logs revealed that both HDDs had failed, rendering the NAS unusable.

Diagnosis and Recovery Process

Our recovery team thoroughly diagnosed both HDDs and confirmed that the failure was due to hardware issues. Specifically, both drives had problems with their read/write heads. This critical component controls the reading and writing of data on the disk. Given the delicate nature of the problem, the drives required a cleanroom environment for safe recovery.

The NAS was configured in a RAID 1 array, which mirrors data across both drives for redundancy. Because RAID 1 maintains identical copies of data on each drive, we only needed to recover data from one HDD. After assessing both drives, we selected the one with the highest chance of successful recovery to proceed with the data restoration.

Data Recovery Outcome

Our engineers successfully recovered all the data from the selected HDD, ensuring the recovered files remained intact and in their original structure. After completing the recovery, we conducted an online data verification session, during which the client reviewed the recovered data. The client expressed satisfaction and relief with the outcome, confirming the integrity of the files. The recovered data was transferred to a new hard drive we purchased for backup purposes.

Recommendations

RAID 1, or "mirroring," provides redundancy by duplicating data across two or more drives. While this setup ensures that a complete copy of the data is preserved if one drive fails, it is not foolproof against all types of data loss. The failure of both drives or logical errors can still lead to data inaccessibility.

To enhance data protection and minimize the risk of loss, we recommend the following best practices:

• Regular backups: Even with RAID 1, maintaining up-to-date backups on separate storage devices or cloud solutions is crucial.
• Monitor your RAID array: Use system monitoring tools to detect and replace any failing drives before complete failure occurs.
• Replace failed drives immediately: If one drive in a RAID 1 setup fails, replace it as soon as possible to restore full redundancy.
• Seek professional assistance: If you experience any issues with your RAID array, consult professional data recovery services to avoid data loss.

If you face any challenges with your storage systems or require data recovery services, feel free to contact us. Our expert team is ready to assist you with your data recovery needs.

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