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If an array has failed you have the following options:
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Discard the array contents, for example if the data can be easily rebuilt.
It may be easier to collect the data again than try to recover the RAID.
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Use data from a backup to restore the array.
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Try to recover array data yourself using some RAID recovery software.
There are a few tools which are capable of recovering array configuration parameters.
Such programs utilize different approaches to the RAID recovery and typically they are paid.
However, there is one exception - ReclaiMe Free RAID Recovery.
Read more about RAID recovery software comparison.
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Send the array member disks to a RAID recovery service.
As a rule, you will be asked to describe your array (type, vendor, model, and so on) and a failure type.
Only after that you can get a price quote for the RAID recovery job.
Typical prices are upwards of $(US) 1000.
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Call a RAID remote recovery service which is capable of recovering data from the RAID over the Internet.
Generally, such services use certain set of tools which you need to install on your computer;
these tools provide a data recovery expert access to the member disks of your array.
The cost of remote RAID recovery would be around $(US) 500.
For example, www.Runtime.org asks $(US) 299 for a parameter set only (no data - no fee),
with turnaround times about one working day. You may need to purchase some software to be able to use the parameter set they provided.
For options (3), (4), and (5) expected total turnaround times (from data loss to recovery) are about a week.
Sometimes, you can get faster than that, but even copying the content of a large RAID may take a couple of days.
All the above requires money spent on various stages of the RAID recovery process.
However, there are methods to recover a RAID array without paying the money,
read on - How to recover RAID without paying anything.
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