When an array has dropped, several disks have died, a rebuild has turned destructive or a controller has lost its configuration, we can recover the data from the array, whether it is a hardware, software or NAS solution and regardless of the RAID level used. Our recovery process does not change: each member disk is imaged read-only, the geometry of the array is determined from these images and then the array is recreated in software without writing even one byte to your disks. This is how RAID data recovery should be done: completely independent of who manufactured the equipment, applicable to all levels of RAID, and never a forced rebuild onto a degraded array.
Array offline, a second disk failed or an in-progress rebuild stalled? Stop there. No rebuild. No re-initialisation. No re-sync. Rebuilding writes across the array and can paint over the precise data we need, and putting disks back online out of sequence only compounds the damage. Cut the power. Tag the disk order while you still know it. Call us. That first attempt is the one most likely to succeed, so it should be ours.
Most often, the RAID work that arrives here comprises multi-disk failures and rebuilds gone wrong, controllers whose configuration has been lost or corrupted, and arrays that were mistakenly re-initialised.
All levels and configurations, whether NAS, software or hardware arrays on any type of controller, from a simple two-disk mirror through to a multi-array server. Regardless of what put it together, we rebuild your array from its member disks.
JBOD and RAID 60, 50, 10, 6, 5, 1 and 0 · fakeRAID, plus software (Windows Storage Spaces, mdadm) and hardware · Areca, Adaptec, LSI MegaRAID, HP Smart Array and Dell PERC controllers · Drobo, Buffalo, NETGEAR, QNAP and Synology NAS · workstations, DAS and servers.
Want a free diagnostic on your array? Send it in and let us know the RAID level, number of disks and type of controller used. An engineer will assess it and provide written confirmation of the exact figure prior to any work beginning.
Walk us through how the system was set up (RAID level, number of disks, type of controller) and what went wrong, after which an engineer will assess the array and come back with a written quote, generally within 48 hours.
Each member of the RAID array (the failing ones included) is imaged read-only using dedicated hardware, so the entire rebuild of the array happens on those images and nothing is ever written to your original disks.
An individual member that has failed, either mechanically or on its electronics, goes onto our bench for new heads or a rebuilt board; however, the work goes only as far as is needed to image it, and no further.
Using the images taken from each member, we determine the exact parameters of the RAID array (disk order, stripe size, parity rotation and offset) rather than relying on the information provided by the controller.
Once we know the correct geometry of the RAID array, we recreate the volume and extract your files, databases, virtual machines and shares, recovering data even if the array has been left degraded or partly overwritten.
Nothing will be returned to you until every recovered file and volume has been opened and confirmed to be complete.
All of your recovered data is returned to you on a clean drive or a NAS unit sized appropriately for the volume, ready to drop directly back into service.
Post the array or bring it in. First the diagnosis, then the quotation, and in most cases you only pay if we recover your data.
Tell us what happened and we’ll get back to you, usually within a working day.
We’ll be in touch very soon. If it can’t wait, call 01483 901310.
Our pricing structure for RAID systems operates on a simple tiered approach. We offer a complimentary diagnostic and a written quote prior to beginning any work.
A few recent RAID failures: offline arrays, failed rebuilds, dead controllers and reinitialised volumes. Identifying information has been removed and each result verified. There are full accounts of an eight-disk RAID 6 a disk too far, a RAID 0 stripe undone by one disk, a RAID 1 mirror worn thin on both sides, a RAID card that lost track of its array and twelve disks initialised by accident.
The first failure had gone undetected for weeks. When the second disk failed, the entire array collapsed. All disks were imaged and the RAID 5 was reassembled from those images.
Although both drives were faulty, neither had completely failed. Each was repaired and imaged on our bench and the mirror was rebuilt from the two.
When the rebuild ran, a portion of the RAID had been written over. All hard drives were imaged and the RAID 6 recreated around this bad spot.
The NAS hardware had failed, however, there were no issues with the hard drives; therefore, we simply read the RAID off the disks and recreated the original volume.
A RAID 0 is not redundant, so as soon as one disk fails, the entire stripe is down. We repaired that single disk, imaged each member of the stripe, and then rebuilt the stripe.
Very little new data had been written. The original volume and configuration of the array were restored and the customer’s data was recovered.
Send us your array for a free evaluation: provide the RAID level, the number of disks in the RAID and what kind of controller. One of our engineers will do an evaluation of your array and write out an exact quote in writing prior to performing any work.
In order to begin recovery of your data, please ship us your array. Please ensure all disks are labelled in order or if shipping the entire server/enclosure make sure it is securely packaged. Include your contact information and once we perform the free diagnostic evaluation, we will write out your exact quote in writing prior to commencing any work.
Sending it by post? We’d recommend a tracked, insured service. Dropping it in? No problem: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm. Please package the device as described above first.
Would you like to receive a customised quote for your specific array? On the request form, explain your array, which RAID level was utilised and what the failure was. Our engineer will review your response and generate a customised quote for you.
We’ll be in touch shortly. If it’s urgent, call 01483 901310.
We provide RAID array recovery for all of the common RAID configurations, and we would like to take a moment to explain two of them separately. RAID 0 distributes data across multiple drives without providing redundancy: if one of those drives fails, the entire RAID configuration will fail. However, this type of configuration does very well on our recovery bench since each of the drives (including the one that failed) can be imaged individually and the RAID stripe set can be assembled virtually from those images. RAID 5 provides just enough redundancy to continue functioning even if you lose one of the drives; however, its biggest problem lies in the rebuild process, where a second tired drive may also fail due to load. Any degraded RAID 5 configuration that matters should be stopped and an image made of it, rather than attempting to rebuild it in place. The procedure is the same for both RAID 6 and RAID 10 configurations; the individual drives are imaged first, and then the array’s logical structure is built using the images.
The questions people usually ask us when they’re trying to recover a RAID array.
Yes, often. Although a second failure causes a RAID 5 array to go offline, the data normally remains spread out over the member drives. Each member drive is completely imaged, the geometry of the RAID is determined and the RAID is rebuilt in software; and the faster each member drive is imaged, the better chance of recovering as much data as possible.
Not usually. When a rebuild operation fails, it typically leaves most of the original data intact. Therefore we create an image of each disk as it exists after the failed rebuild attempt; and then we build your RAID array from that information, around whatever the rebuild managed to overwrite.
Usually, yes. If either a controller or NAS enclosure fails, the data on the disks remains untouched. And we don’t require access to the controller in order to do a recovery. We make an image of each member drive and then use those images to recreate your RAID array in software.
Yes. Send every disk from the group. Send any disks which appear dead along with every disk. Include each disk’s bay or port number. Rebuilding an array requires all members of the group to be present. One absent member can make the entire array irrecoverable.
We use a tier pricing model for our services. RAID-1 mirrors begin at £500 + VAT. Multi-disk RAID (RAID-5, RAID-6, RAID-10, RAID-50, RAID-60) pricing begins at £800 + VAT. Each service comes with complimentary diagnostics and a written quotation prior to commencement of any service.
You will get your complimentary diagnostic and written quote first. All multi-disk work and/or mechanical labour involves us taking a deposit against the amount quoted. The remaining balance will only be invoiced after the recovery is completed successfully.
All of them. They include JBOD and all RAID levels (RAID-60, RAID-50, RAID-10, RAID-6, RAID-5, RAID-1, RAID-0). This includes both hardware (e.g., Broadcom / LSI, HP Smart Array, Dell PERC) and software (e.g., Windows Storage Spaces, mdadm) controllers, and fakeRAID. Since we rebuild the array based on the original disks alone, we do not often concern ourselves with what controller was used to create the original array.
Yes. Beneath the surface, a NAS is nothing but a RAID array built onto a small Linux server with typically either SHR or simple RAID being run atop Btrfs or ext4. Therefore, once we image the disks, we can rebuild it just like any other RAID array.
Yes. Once we rebuild the RAID array and restore the file system, virtual machines (VMDK, VHDX) and database files sit within it just like anything else. So we retrieve them and repair them if needed.
Most projects take anywhere from three to seven working days to complete. The length of time this takes will depend upon how many disks you had to recover from, the type of RAID, and how much mechanical labour was required.
It doesn’t matter how you get the disk(s) to us, labelled with their bay or port order: whether that’s with the server or enclosure (either will do), by post to our Guildford address (if you are posting please ensure they are completely covered by insurance) or just drop it off with us Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm.
Yes, often. RAID 0 does not provide redundancy and therefore when a single disk fails you will have lost access to all of the stripe, but your data is still safe on the disks. We repair the failed disk, image each member and rebuild the stripe and you’ll have access again to your files.
Our pricing is based upon a very straightforward tiered structure, with a free diagnostic. In most cases you only pay if we recover your data. The cost starts at £800 for multi-disk arrays, and we recover all types of RAID configurations and every type of controller, including both NAS and server-based solutions. Start your recovery today.