How to Recover RAID 5 on Infortrend ESDS 1012 RC and Thin/Thick Volume Data
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Author:
Vladimir Artiukh
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Editor:
Oleg Afonin
In this article, we will show how to recover data from DAS Infortrend ESDS 1012 RC after file deletion, LUN formatting, loss of thin and thick volumes, RAID 5 corruption, controller failure, disk issues, snapshots, and other critical scenarios.
- RAID 5, Thin/Thick, and Snapshots
- Connecting HDDs to macOS
- How to recover RAID 5 Infortrend ESDS 1012 RC?
- METHOD 1. Automatic RAID detection: Thin and Thick volumes
- METHOD 2. Recovering deleted files
- METHOD 3. Recovering after formatting
- METHOD 4. Searching for and recovering files from a deleted partition
- METHOD 5. Searching for a deleted Infortrend partition
- METHOD 6. Recovering from Snapshots
- METHOD 7. Manual RAID assembly
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Comments
On the Infortrend ESDS 1012 RC, data can be organized into different types of logical volumes, including Thin Volumes and Thick Volumes. Additional complexity during recovery is introduced by Snapshots, which may contain previous data states or depend on the structure of the main volume. Therefore, recovering information from such storage requires correct identification of the RAID configuration and the specifics of logical volume organization.
In this article, we will examine how RAID 5 on the Infortrend ESDS 1012 RC is structured, where Thin and Thick Volume data are stored, what role Snapshots play, and what happens to information when the array is damaged or becomes inaccessible.
We will also cover the practical data recovery process: determining RAID parameters, connecting disks to another system, reconstructing the array, and searching for the required files. Special attention will be given to situations where access to data can no longer be restored using standard Infortrend tools.
Important: before starting recovery, do not write anything to the source RAID array under any circumstances. Do not format the disks, initialize the array, or create new volumes, as this may overwrite service structures and significantly complicate further data recovery.
Infortrend ESDS 1012 RC RAID 5 Data Recovery: Thin/Thick Volumes & Snapshots
RAID 5, Thin/Thick, and Snapshots
First, let us examine the data architecture and partition structure used in the Infortrend system. For demonstration purposes, a RAID 5 array built from three disks with a 128 KB block size is used.
In this configuration, the SANWatch utility allows creation of several types of logical volumes:
- Thick Volume – a volume type in which the entire space is allocated immediately during creation. Even if no files have been written yet, the RAID already reserves the full specified size. This approach is used where stable operation and predictable data access speed are important.
- Thin Volume works on a different principle. Space is allocated gradually here, only when data is actually written. This allows more efficient use of available array space and avoids reserving the entire capacity in advance.
- Snapshot – a point-in-time snapshot of the file system state. The system stores information about how files and the data structure looked at the moment the snapshot was created. A snapshot does not create a full copy of all data. Only changes relative to the previous state are stored.
| Characteristic | Thick Volume | Thin Volume | Snapshot |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A logical volume with preallocated physical space | A logical volume for which physical space is allocated gradually | A point-in-time snapshot of a volume |
| Operating level | Logical storage level | Logical storage level | Data/volume level |
| Minimum number of disks | Depends on the underlying storage layer | Depends on the underlying storage layer | Not applicable |
| Protection against disk failure | Depends on RAID | Depends on RAID | No, a Snapshot does not replace RAID |
| Disk space usage | Space is reserved in advance | Space is used as data is written | Uses additional space to store changed blocks |
| Volume size | Fixed allocated capacity | Logical capacity may be larger than the actually used physical space | Represents the volume state at the time of creation |
| Dynamic space allocation | No | Yes | Yes, using the Copy-on-Write principle |
| Performance | Stable and predictable | Depends on implementation and current space distribution | May introduce additional load during intensive changes |
| Primary purpose | Creating traditional logical volumes | Flexible use of disk space | Quickly reverting data to a previous state |
| Recovery after deletion | Possible if metadata is preserved | Requires analysis of metadata and actually used blocks | Access to the previous state may be possible if the Snapshot is preserved |
| Dependency on metadata | High | Very high | Very high |
| Recovery risk | Loss of service structures complicates access | Correct identification of logical-to-physical block mapping is required | Deleting or corrupting the Snapshot may make restoring its state impossible |
| Is it a backup? | No | No | No |
| What is important for recovery | Volume metadata and its location | Metadata, allocated block map, and pool structure | Snapshot metadata and the chain of changed blocks |
| Main advantage | Predictable space usage | Efficient use of physical capacity | Ability to quickly restore a previous data state |
| Main disadvantage | Space may be reserved but unused | Overflow of the physical pool may cause write issues | Does not protect against physical storage failure |
Connecting HDDs to macOS
Thanks to direct disk access, Hetman RAID Recovery can detect and recover data even when a volume is no longer accessible due to a storage management system failure.
First, power off the DAS system and carefully remove all disks from the controller. Remove the drives from the disk trays and label their order according to their position in the array. This will help avoid mistakes during further analysis and data recovery.
Connect the RAID array disks directly to the computer through the motherboard SATA ports or using an external controller. If direct SATA connection is not available, use a USB-to-SATA adapter, a docking station, or another external interface. After connecting, make sure the operating system detects all drives.
Working with disk images
For maximum data protection, it is recommended to create sector-by-sector copies of all RAID array disks first, and only then proceed with recovery. This allows you to work with copies without risking accidental modification or damage to the original drives.
Connect the disk to the computer and launch Hetman RAID Recovery. The program will automatically detect the drive and display it in the disk list in the main window.
Find the required disk, right-click it, and select Save Disk. Specify the folder for saving the image and wait for the process to complete.
To mount the created image, click the Mount Disk button on the top toolbar. Open the folder containing the image file and select it.
After mounting, the image will automatically appear in the main program window as a separate full-fledged disk. You can then analyze it and recover data in the same way as from a physical drive.
How to recover RAID 5 Infortrend ESDS 1012 RC?
METHOD 1. Automatic RAID detection: Thin and Thick volumes
After connecting the drives, launch Hetman RAID Recovery. During startup, the program reads service information from the disks, determines the array parameters, and automatically displays the assembled RAID.
In our test environment, Hetman RAID Recovery automatically recognized the RAID 5 created on the Infortrend ESDS 1012 RC and displayed its structure and available volumes.
Using the same principle, the program detects other supported configurations as well, including RAID 0 and RAID 6. Automatic reading of metadata allows you to proceed immediately to volume analysis and search for lost data.
The central part of the window displays the ready virtual RAID array with its structure and volumes. On the right, you can view the main parameters: RAID type, array size, block order, stripe size, and the list of disks included in the array.
After analyzing the service metadata, Hetman RAID Recovery automatically reconstructs the array and finds all volumes created on the storage. They are displayed in the Physical Disks. section. There is no need to manually define the volume structure, their size, or other parameters—the program obtains all necessary information from the array service records. This allows you to proceed directly to data analysis.
In our test environment, the program successfully detected Thick Volume and Thin Volume with deleted files, as well as volumes after formatting. Select the required volume from the list and open it for further work.
METHOD 2. Recovering deleted files
For demonstration purposes, we will use two Infortrend volumes: Thick Volume P0 and Thin Volume P1. Files were deleted on both volumes, and we will now search for and recover them using Hetman RAID Recovery.
To view the volume contents and find lost data, start the scan. In most cases, it is recommended to begin with Quick Scan, especially if the file system has not been damaged.
After the scan is complete, the program will display current and deleted files, marking deleted objects with a special icon. The original folder structure is also preserved, which greatly simplifies searching for the required data.
To verify recoverability, use the preview window. If the file opens correctly in the preview window, it can be recovered. This is especially useful when working with photos, documents, and video files.
METHOD 3. Recovering after formatting
Let us consider data recovery on Thick Volume P2 after formatting.
To search for lost data, run Full Analysis and enable Content-Aware Analysis. This method performs the deepest scan of the drive, analyzing both the file system structure and the signatures of known file types. This approach makes it possible to find information even after volume formatting, partition deletion, or file system corruption.
After the scan is complete, open the Content-Aware Analysis folder. Here, the program automatically sorts found files by type, which greatly simplifies the search for required data when the directory structure has been lost.
On volume P2 after formatting, also check the NTFS Partition section. If the file system metadata has been preserved, the program will display the found folders and files with partially or fully restored directory structure.
METHOD 4. Searching for and recovering files from a deleted partition
On volume P3, we will consider data recovery after the partition itself has been deleted. In this case, we will perform the same actions as for volume P2 after formatting.
To search for lost files, run Full Analysis and enable Content-Aware Analysis. After the scan is complete, open the found partition and review the results.
Before recovery, be sure to check the found files using the preview window. If the file opens correctly in preview mode, it can be recovered. In such data loss scenarios, Full Analysis with Content-Aware Analysis provides the best results for locating information.
METHOD 5. Searching for a deleted Infortrend partition
In our case, partition P4 was deleted directly on the Infortrend system. After that, it no longer appears in the storage configuration, but the data may still remain on the disks.
To search for the lost partition, use the Find Partitions feature. To do this, right-click the RAID array or press Ctrl + P, start the search, and wait for it to complete.
The program will scan the drive, find partitions that were deleted, lost, or no longer detected by the system, and display them in the list of available volumes. After the required partition is found, open it and perform an analysis.
After the scan is complete, check the found files in the preview window. If the data is displayed correctly and opens without errors, recover it and save it to another physical drive. This feature is especially useful after accidental partition deletion or storage failure when the volume is no longer displayed in the system.
METHOD 6. Recovering from Snapshots
Unlike standard recovery, a snapshot contains the preserved file system state at the time it was created, which makes it possible to access a previous version of the data.
Finding and identifying volumes and snapshots
Under the assembled RAID array, a list of all partitions detected on the disks is displayed. They are numbered and have the same names that were used in the Infortrend system. This makes it easy to match the found volumes with the storage structure.
If a snapshot was created for a particular partition, it will be displayed in the list immediately after the corresponding volume. To view the full name of a partition or snapshot, click it and hover over its name. The program will display the full name of the selected object, which helps identify the required volume or its snapshot before starting analysis and data recovery.
Snapshot analysis and data recovery
Select the required snapshot and start scanning it. After the analysis is complete, the program will display the folder structure and files that were preserved at the time the snapshot was created, providing access to the previous state of the volume.
Browse the contents of the snapshot in the same way as you would browse a regular volume. If some files were deleted from the current version of the volume and are no longer displayed in the file system, use the corresponding snapshot to view the previous data state.
Find the required files, verify them using the preview function, and recover the necessary information from the state of the volume that existed at the time the snapshot was created. In this way, you can quickly restore access to files that were deleted, modified, or overwritten after the snapshot was created.
METHOD 7. Manual RAID assembly
If the program could not automatically determine the array parameters due to corruption or missing service information, use the RAID Constructor tool to assemble the RAID manually.
Recreate your array parameters by specifying the RAID level, disk order, block size, and parity write algorithm. In our test environment, RAID 5 with right asynchronous parity layout, a block size of 128 KB, and disk order 2, 1, 3 were used for the Infortrend ESDS 1012 RC.
Pay special attention to the correct disk order. Successful array assembly and subsequent access to the data depend on the correctness of these parameters.
After entering all parameters, assemble the RAID. If the settings are specified correctly, Hetman RAID Recovery will create a virtual RAID array and automatically display the found volumes in the RAID Volumes section.
If snapshots are present on the storage, the program will also detect them and add them to the list of available volumes. After that, analyze the required volume or snapshot, verify the found files using preview, and recover the necessary data to another drive.
Use these steps to access Thick and Thin Volumes, search for snapshots, and recover data from RAID 5 on the Infortrend ESDS 1012 RC using Hetman RAID Recovery.
Conclusion
Recovering data from RAID 5 on the Infortrend ESDS 1012 RC is a complex task, since the storage structure may include not only the RAID array itself, but also logical Thin and Thick Volumes, as well as Snapshots. Each of these layers has its own metadata and data organization rules, so an error during reconstruction may result in incorrect file system detection or complicate further recovery.
If RAID 5 stops being detected by the controller, logical volumes have been deleted, or access to files has been lost, the first step is to stop any write operations to the array disks. It is not recommended to initialize the RAID, format the drives, create new volumes, or perform recovery without first creating disk copies. If possible, create sector-by-sector images of all drives and perform further analysis using those images.
For successful RAID 5 reconstruction, it is necessary to correctly determine the disk order, block size, parity layout and direction, offset of service areas, and other parameters of the specific Infortrend configuration. After restoring the RAID structure, it is necessary to identify the location of the Thin or Thick Volume and reconstruct its logical structure. In the case of a Snapshot, its metadata and the mechanism used to store changed blocks must also be taken into account.
Specialized data recovery software can automatically analyze disks, identify RAID parameters, and display the structure of logical volumes. This makes it possible to access the file system and copy the required files to another drive without modifying the original disks.
Thus, RAID 5 is not a backup, and a Snapshot does not replace a full backup. To protect critical information, it is recommended to create backups regularly and store them independently of the main storage.
The main principle during emergency recovery of the Infortrend ESDS 1012 RC is not to modify the source array, first preserve its state, correctly determine the RAID structure, and only then proceed with Thin/Thick Volume and data recovery. This approach significantly reduces the risk of permanent data loss and increases the chances of successful file recovery.
