RAID Data Recovery

RAID 0 Systems

RAID 0 is a RAID configuration without redundancy. If any hard disk drive in a RAID 0 array fails, the whole array fails and the system will not be able to read or write files.

Data from individual disks can be recovered but it is useless unless it can be reconstructed properly. Since every RAID 0 implementation has unique configuration parameters, RAID 0 reconstruction is a complex task.  Datlabs recovery technicians specialize in RAID 0 restores using a variety of tools, test gear and laboratory facilities to accomplish the task. We also develop propriety applications to facilitate the reconstruction of RAID 0 arrays.

Raid 0 arrays are built for performance. Instead of reading/writing specific files to one specific hard disk, RAID 0 arrays read/write files to multiple hard disks in parallel. The process of fracturing files and writing them to multiple hard disks is called striping. e.g.  

A text file that consists of four characters "ABCD" and a RAID 0 array of two disks (stripe width of two) with a stripe/block size of four bits (equal to one half of a character).

Text in file

The file as saved:
The first block of four bits (first half of letter A) is written to disk 1 and the second block of four bits (second half of letter A) is written to disk 2. This pattern will repeat until all bits are written.

In this example half of the file is on disk 1 and the other half is on disk 2. Notice that the file is not split down the middle (down the middle would have "AB" on disk 1 and "CD" on disk 2). Half of each character is stored on each disk.

Now consider what happens when a disk fails and the data from each disk is recovered.

Disk 1 by itself contains the text "DD" and disk 2 contains a special character called "Device Control 2" and the number 4. Obviously, the data from each disk is garbage unless it's reconstructed in the proper order. The array must be reconstructed properly by assembling alternating blocks from disk 1 and disk 2 like this: