Data Clinic Case Study

Recovery of data from 6th Generation HP ML370 Server

HP Proliant ML370

Job

Recovery and reconstruction of files and folders including several SQL databases from a failed HP ML370 series generation 6 RAID server.

Server Details

14 Disk HP Proliant ML370, Generation 6
The server was split in an 8 disk RAID 6, 4 disk RAID 5 and a two disk RAID 1.
Client location was Glasgow, Scotland. Data privacy issues required the recovery to be completed onsite.

The Fault

After an unknown problem, the client’s server had entered a rebuild, which had failed. Rebooting the server resulted in a blue screen and a loss of RAID configuration information.

All data on the RAID was now inaccessible with no data volumes being shown. It was also unknown how far through the rebuild the RAID had got before the rebuild had failed, so there may have been data corruption issues too

Other Notes

The data on this server was critical to the day to day running of the business, which was now at a stand still since the server failure. This was therefore an emergency job, completed overnight and onsite at the client’s central Glasgow location.

Background

The Hewlett Packard Proliant ML370 server is a very common RAID enabled fileserver that has gone through many generations as it’s evolved. Well known for it’s high quality of build, it has many excellent features and can be greatly expanded to accommodate extra features such as additional hard drives and RAM.
ML370 hard drive

The Recovery and Restoration

Analysis of the ML370 showed that it was running an 8 disk RAID 6, 4 disk RAID 5 and a 2 disk RAID 1. The RAID 1 was not really important to the client as it only contained the Operating System and could therefore be easily replaced. Both the RAID 6 and RAID 5 contained important data which needed to be recovered and once the disks has been analysed, repaired where necessary and cloned, the config information for both the RAID 6 and RAID 5 was determined. Virtual RAIDs were created in software and access the to data achieved.
Although the server had failed in its automatic rebuild process and fallen over within minutes, some data had rebuilt which had obviously resulted in some data corruption. It soon became apparent that two SQL databases had been corrupted quite severely and were now unusable. Using a technique similar to SQL injections, we were able to reintroduce the correct data over the top of the corrupted data in most cases. We were then able to repair the SQL databases and bring the whole server back online.

Time Taken

Two Data Clinic staff working onsite overnight. 16 hours.

Links

Learn more about Data Clinic’s RAID data recovery services here: http://www.dataclinic.co.uk/hard-disk-raid-recovery/
Data Clinic’s HP Recovery Page: http://www.dataclinic.co.uk/hp-raid-data-recovery-services/
Learn more about Data Clinic’s RAID and Server support contracts here: http://www.dataclinic.co.uk/raid-and-server-support-services-2/
Data Clinic’s Scotland office is located in Glasgow: http://www.dataclinic.co.uk/data-recovery-glasgow/

Marc De-Haviland

06:54 13 May 20

Contacted Data clinic with my Hard drive Issue. Chris was FANTASTIC !!! Called me back at 10 pm at night !!!! Explained in detail the ins and outs of hardware issues in an easy to understand manner. Arranged for a courier to pick the hard drive up and get it fixed. Friendly, professional and Informative service. Went above and beyond all expectations. Can’t thank you enough. Great comms throughout.

Ken Sargeant

18:11 07 May 20

I approached two companies for help with a failed drive and data recovery. Data Clinic was the 2nd company to respond, one day later than the first but still quick in response. Helpful, supportive, calm and non 'pushey' response was a big plus for me, especially since it was going to cost some. I dont know the industry standard for speed of service but a couple of days between pre arranged pick up of my failed drive, getting back an email of drive recoverable contents and receiving back to my home a new drive with my information was a great relief and no hassle. Looks like pretty much all of my data was recovered. Being Joe Public I had some worries and questions, they got answered reassuringly. All in, pleased with the service and thank you DC.

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