IBM RAID 5 servers are widely used by small businesses, including security companies, for secure and redundant data storage. However, when multiple RAID 5 disks fail, data redundancy is lost, putting business-critical files at risk.
This case study details how we successfully recovered essential security company data from an IBM RAID 5 small business server with 5 x 500GB SAS Seagate disks, after two disks failed and replacement attempts were unsuccessful.
As Guildford Data Recovery, Surrey’s oldest and best data recovery company, we have 25 years of experience using RAID reconstruction, SAS drive failure diagnostics, and forensic data extraction techniques to restore lost business data securely.
IBM RAID 5 Failure with Two Unrecognised Drives
A local security company in Guildford contacted us after their IBM RAID 5 server crashed, with the following issues:
- Three of the five Seagate SAS drives were being recognized, but two failed to mount.
- The two failed drives spun up but were not detected by the RAID controller.
- Attempts to replace the failed disks resulted in RAID rebuild failure.
- The RAID 5 server contained security reports, operational documents, and compliance files.
Since a RAID 5 array can only tolerate one disk failure, the failure of two drives made standard recovery options impossible, requiring advanced manual RAID reconstruction techniques.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the IBM RAID 5 server (5 x 500GB SAS disks) arrived at our cleanroom facility, we conducted a full RAID and disk diagnostic. Our findings:
- Two drives had electronic failure, preventing the RAID controller from detecting them.
- The three remaining drives were intact, but could not reconstruct the RAID without the missing data.
- No RAID metadata corruption detected, increasing the likelihood of full data recovery.
Since replacing RAID 5 disks incorrectly can overwrite critical parity data, we prioritized non-intrusive RAID reconstruction and direct sector recovery.
The Recovery Process
1. Cloning & Imaging All RAID 5 Disks to Prevent Further Data Loss
To preserve all recoverable data, we:
- Created forensic sector-by-sector clones of all three working RAID disks.
- Repaired and imaged the two failed SAS drives using advanced recovery techniques.
2. Rebuilding the RAID 5 Array & Restoring Corrupt Metadata
Since RAID 5 relies on parity for redundancy, we:
- Manually reconstructed the RAID 5 configuration outside the IBM system.
- Rebuilt missing RAID headers and partition structures.
3. Extracting & Verifying Security Company Data
Once the RAID 5 structure was successfully rebuilt, we:
- Recovered all security reports, compliance documents, and operational data.
- Restored video surveillance logs, employee access records, and security audits.
- Transferred the fully restored data to a secure external backup device.
The Results: 97% Data Recovery Success
Thanks to our RAID 5 reconstruction and forensic data recovery techniques, we successfully recovered 97% of the security company’s lost data, including:
✅ Security reports, operational records, and compliance files
✅ Video surveillance logs, access records, and employee reports
✅ Organized file structures restored for easy access
The security company was able to retrieve all essential records, preventing legal and operational disruptions.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful RAID recoveries, we are England’s leading RAID data recovery specialists. Our expertise includes:
✔ IBM RAID 5 failure recovery & SAS drive repair
✔ RAID parity reconstruction & metadata restoration
✔ Security report, compliance file, and surveillance data retrieval
✔ Secure & GDPR-compliant data recovery services
If your RAID 5 server has failed, contains missing disks, or is preventing access to critical security data, stop using the system immediately and contact us for expert RAID data recovery.