SAN Data Recovery

SAN Server Data Recovery | All SAN RAID Server Manufactures and Network Storage Devices including; IBM, Cisco, Oracle, HP, Netgear, San, Synology, Seagate, Buffalo, Western Digital, Maxtor, Apple XServe / Xsan and More…

CERTIFIED AND SECURE SAN DATA RECOVERY SERVICES.

Realtime Support Data Recovery provides round-the-clock SAN data recovery services. With extensive engineering expertise in SAN Network Storage devices from various leading manufacturers such as Intel, Synology, Seagate, Western Digital, IBM, Cisco, Buffalo, and Apple XServe Xsan. SAN (Storage Area Network) devices are external storage units that connect to a network through either wired or wireless connections. A SAN system is a high-performance subnet, often based on fibre channel technology, designed to facilitate the efficient transfer of data between computer systems and storage elements. Essentially, a SAN functions as an extended and shared storage bus comprised of a communication infrastructure for physical connections and a management layer to ensure secure and robust data transfer between storage elements and computer systems.

Storage Area Networks (SAN) and Network Attached Storage (NAS) share a common ground as they both integrate storage and networking technologies. However, they differ significantly in their approach. NAS products, such as Network Appliance Filers and Auspex servers, function as storage devices with a thin server client directly connected to the messaging or public network, primarily optimized for file serving. On the other hand, Storage Area Networks are distinct networks exclusively dedicated to storage devices and traffic, offering enhanced flexibility and functionality compared to NAS. While both approaches have their strengths, the consensus is that SANs represent the future of storage connectivity, with NAS devices continuing to serve specific functions but gradually transitioning towards the Storage Area Network model over time.

SAN systems typically consist of multiple drives, offering users various options for setting up different RAID versions. While SAN devices are useful for data backup, they should not be relied upon as the sole storage solution. Regardless of the RAID level, having reliable backups is essential, as they serve as an additional source for data protection.

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Pros: Installing a SAN offers the primary advantage of improved disk utilization. By consolidating all storage into a centralized network, you can effectively manage it as a unified entity. This allows for the allocation of storage resources at the network level, enabling more intelligent distribution to servers in need. Without a SAN, the traditional approach to disk management involves purchasing numerous disks and placing them in costly large servers in anticipation of future growth. As a result, any unused disk space remains wasted until required.

Disaster recovery for multiple applications through SAN – If your data center’s IT environment hosts essential servers running critical applications that cannot afford any downtime, it is crucial to have a data continuity plan in place. This plan should be able to seamlessly take over in the event of a disaster. In such a situation, opting for a SAN-based disaster recovery solution would be the most suitable decision. Given that minimizing downtime is of utmost importance for most organizations during a disaster, a SAN solution can significantly reduce downtime to almost negligible levels.

Cons: Creating a SAN with high complexity is a significant challenge. It involves connecting intricate devices and making substantial architectural changes, which may be more effort than reward for some. Simply put, setting up a SAN is costly. While the return on investment can be realized in as little as 12 months, the initial expenses for hardware and network implementation can be a major obstacle.

Establishing a storage area network requires a significant investment, but it offers long-term cost savings. By accelerating your overall system performance, providing disaster recovery capabilities, and extending hardware lifespan, a SAN effectively addresses your storage requirements. Assessing whether the potential benefits justify the initial investment is crucial.

Every engineer on our team is a certified expert in SAN data recovery, boasting extensive experience in managing Storage Area Network systems.

  • Certified Engineers
  • Trusted & Secure: HIPPA & PCI compliant
  • Lowest Price Guaranteed
  • ISO 5 Class 100 clean room
  • Propriety Tools & Techniques
  • Highest Recovery Percentages in the industry
  • No Data, No Charge: If for any reason we are unable to recover your data, there’s no charge.

Common SAN Server Failures

Physical SAN RAID Server Failure

The malfunction of your SAN controllers and RAID controllers is no different from that of any other electronic device. These malfunctions can occur unexpectedly, leading to a frantic effort to retrieve your data. A SAN controller failure may lead to the loss of RAID configuration, incorrect identification of drive failures, and more. This encompasses potential failures in RAM, power supply, motherboard, or backplane. Due to the prevalent use of the less common XFS file system in nearly all SAN devices, data recovery becomes a highly specialized and intricate process. Despite the nature of the SAN failure, our skilled network attached storage engineers are capable of recovering your data.

Logical Failure of SAN Server System

When the operating system, such as Windows, Mac, Linux, Novell, Unix, or VMware, becomes corrupted due to reasons like virus attacks, improper shutdowns from power surges or failures, or user errors causing damage to the system to the extent that it fails to boot properly—resulting in issues like boot loops or blue screens—logical failures occur. When this happens and you lose access to your data, it’s important to consult with one of our RAID engineers for guidance on the next steps.

User Error

In the event of accidental deletion of data from your network attached storage device or corruption/formatting of the SAN RAID configuration, there is a high probability that we can successfully retrieve all your files. If a user error occurs, it is crucial for you to immediately cease using the device and power it off, as any further action significantly diminishes the likelihood of a complete recovery.

Physical Hard Drive Failure of SAN RAID Hard Drives

When the physical components of your Storage Area Network’s hard drives malfunction, it results in a physical hard drive failure. Rectifying such mechanical failures typically entails performing data recovery in a clean room environment. Should one of your SAN RAID member drives experience mechanical issues, seeking expert data recovery services is essential for retrieving your crucial files. Our team possesses the necessary expertise, tools, and facilities to repair your SAN RAID member hard drive and swiftly restore your files within our class 100 clean room.

What to do when your RAID fails.

  • Do not run any chkdsk options like FSCK, or CHKDSK. These utilities can corrupt or destroy your file system.
  • Do not try to rebuild the RAID array. Doing so can wipe out data needed to recover the data you are seeking.
  • Do not remove several failed drives at once hoping to reinitialize the array.
  • Do not lose the correct order of the drives in the array.
  • Do not try to repair any damaged drives yourself.

At times, we may not require the complete Storage Area Network device and instead only need the hard drives. If we ask for you to send just the drives, please ensure that you label them in the correct order when removing them for shipping. This will help us save time when reconstructing the array. Please provide details on the type of RAID array, server, filesystem, and operating system in use. If possible, indicate which drives are faulty and which one failed most recently.

**Important** We need all original disks that were in the array the last time it was operating normally.

Most data recovery companies do not provide a free diagnostic for SAN RAID due to the time required, but we offer a flat fee for SAN RAID data recovery. A specialist will gather information over the phone to give you an estimate. While our flat fee covers most SAN RAID recoveries, the cost may vary based on specific circumstances. Our pricing is competitive and we advise against attempting DIY repairs that could cause further damage. Please contact us for assistance before taking any action.

What You Can Expect during your SAN Data Recovery Process:

  • You will be assigned a personal service representative for your project who will guide you through the process.
  • The data recovery process can take 7 to 10 business days based on many factors, see below.
  • The assigned service representative will be in daily communication with the data recovery technician working on your case and keep you up-to-date with the recovery progress.

How Long Does SAN RAID Recovery Take?

Most customers inquire about the recovery duration as one of their initial questions. Regrettably, there is no definitive response to this query due to the unique nature of each case. While some SAN arrays can be reconstructed within a day or two, several factors can influence the overall time required for data recovery.

Hardware Condition – An operational drive allows for quicker data recovery compared to a severely damaged one that requires repair. Cases involving accidental deletion, formatting, or viruses typically have a fast turnaround time of 24 to 48 hours, although delays can occur. Hardware recovery for drives generally takes 7 to 10 days, but additional factors may extend this timeframe.

Drive / SAN RAID Array Size – Despite being fully operational, a 4Tb drive can still take up to 20 hours to complete a single scan, and multiple scans may be necessary for a comprehensive recovery. As part of our standard practice as a professional data recovery lab, we always create a clone of the drive initially to minimize the risk of any mishaps during data processing. As a general guideline, anticipate an additional day for drives exceeding 500Gb or several days for those surpassing 2Tb in size. Moreover, substantial time may be required for very large SAN arrays.

Number of Failed Drives – The turnaround time in striped SAN RAID arrays may be impacted by the quantity of failed drives. If there are several failures, all drives need to be examined to identify which hard drive(s) became inactive first, ensuring that the accurate data is utilized for the reconstruction process.

Availability of Donor Parts – When dealing with drives that have hardware issues, it is often necessary to obtain parts in order to restore the drive to a partially functional state where the data can be extracted successfully. While some sub-models of hard drives are readily available and easy to source parts for from our vendors, others are more challenging to find. In some cases, we may need to dedicate several weeks to searching online and reaching out to other data recovery labs in order to locate the specific drive or parts required. Alternatively, we may need to purchase a donor drive from an international supplier and wait for it to be delivered. Typically, this aspect of the process represents the longest stage of hardware level recoveries.

Functionality of Drive After Repair – Numerous hard drive brands are not compatible with replacement parts and may experience significantly reduced performance following internal repairs. The microscopic level at which drives write magnetic data means that even minor variations in the manufacturing of parts can lead to constant data re-reading. Although uncommon, some drives may require a month or longer to retrieve all the data after undergoing such repairs.

Pricing for SAN RAID Data Recovery?

The pricing for our Storage Area Network RAID data recovery service depends on various factors such as the number of drives in your SAN RAID array, drive capacity, drive type, failure type, file and system type. While SAN RAID recovery is covered under our standard fees, the cost may vary depending on specific circumstances. Nonetheless, we assure you that our prices are highly competitive within the industry. We are committed to matching or beating the price offered by any reputable data recovery company for SAN RAID data recovery, ensuring you receive the best value for your money.

How Do I Get My Data Back After Recovery?

After the recovery process is finished, feel free to bring your own storage device for the returned data. Typically, for SAN RAID arrays, a high-capacity external hard drive would be suitable. Alternatively, you have the option to buy a new external hard drive from us at a competitive price and we will transfer the data onto it. In cases of very large SAN arrays with substantial data volumes, special arrangements may be needed to transfer the data onto a Storage Area Network or another enclosure with SAN RAID capabilities. If you need recovery from such an array, please get in touch with us for further information.

To get started…

Call and speak with a Realtime Support Data Recovery RAID specialist regarding your RAID 0 Data Recovery options. The specialist will need to gather some information from you in order to provide you with a ONE RATE fee to start, and then answer any questions you may have. Call 24/7 Toll Free at: (877) 215-1719.

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