HP ProLiant, MSA & 3PAR Data Recovery
ProLiant DL380/DL360/ML350, MSA 2050/2060, 3PAR 8200/8400 — Smart Array P-series, ADG, iLO
Diagnosis:
Free
Free
Controllers:
Smart Array P-series
Smart Array P-series
Logical:
890–1,200€
890–1,200€
Physical:
800–2500€
800–2500€
Urgent:
+50%
+50%
✅ ISO 9001:2015
🔒 ISO 27001
🪛 ISO 5 Clean Room
🚚 24h Urgent Pickup
📄 NDA Included
HPE (Hewlett Packard Enterprise) storage specialists
HP ProLiant servers and MSA and 3PAR cabinets are the backbone of enterprise storage in Spain. HP's Smart Array controllers use proprietary RAID metadata and exclusive protection modes such as ADG (Advanced Data Guarding) that require specific knowledge for recovery. Our laboratory has over 12 years of experience with HPE systems.
HP models we recover
| Line / Model | Controller | Common Failures |
|---|---|---|
| ProLiant DL380 Gen10 / Gen10 Plus | Smart Array P408i / E208i | Degraded RAID 5/6, failed ADG rebuild, expired cache battery, multiple disk failure after URE |
| ProLiant DL360 Gen10 / Gen9 | Smart Array P440ar / P408i | Controller failure, logical drive offline, interim recovery mode, firmware crash |
| ProLiant ML350 Gen10 / ML110 | Smart Array P816i / E208i | Tower servers: degraded RAID 1/5, failed SSD, corruption after power outage without UPS |
| MSA 2050 / MSA 2060 / MSA 2052 | MSA controller (dual) | Dual controller failure, virtual disk offline, degraded disk group, cache flush failure |
| 3PAR StoreServ 8200 / 8400 / 8440 | 3PAR ASIC controller | Chunklet failure, degraded CPG, inaccessible Virtual Volume, node pair failure, cage disk errors |
| ProLiant DL580 / DL560 Gen10 | Smart Array P816i-a | High-density servers: RAID 60 with many disks, controller failure in VMware environment |
Common failures in HP systems
🔴 Smart Array controller failure
Smart Array P408i, P440ar and P816i controllers store RAID metadata in HP's proprietary format at the beginning and end of each disk. When the controller fails, the server detects no logical drive. Unlike Dell PERC controllers (standard DDF format), Smart Array metadata requires HP-specific tools or specialised recovery software.
🔄 Failed ADG rebuild (Advanced Data Guarding)
ADG is HP's implementation of RAID 6 with distributed double parity. When a disk fails, ADG continues operating. The problem arises when the ADG rebuild of the hot spare encounters UREs (Unrecoverable Read Errors) on the remaining disks, which can degrade the array to the point of going offline. In arrays with high-capacity disks (4TB+), the probability of URE during a rebuild is significant.
⚡ Cache battery failure (FBWC/BBWC)
Smart Array controllers use FBWC (Flash-Backed Write Cache) or BBWC (Battery-Backed Write Cache) to protect cached data. When the battery or capacitor fails, the controller automatically switches to Write Through mode, reducing performance. If a power outage occurs with degraded FBWC, cached data can be lost, resulting in file system corruption.
🏮 3PAR: chunklet and CPG failure
The 3PAR architecture distributes data in 256 MB or 1 GB chunklets across all physical disks in the system. Chunklets are grouped into CPGs (Common Provisioning Groups) that feed the Virtual Volumes. A multiple disk failure can cause the loss of critical chunklets, rendering one or more Virtual Volumes inaccessible. Recovery requires reconstruction of the chunklet map.
💾 MSA: dual controller and failover
MSA 2050/2060 cabinets use two controllers in active-active or active-passive configuration. If both controllers fail (due to thermal overload, firmware or power issues), the disk groups become inaccessible. The disks contain the metadata needed for reconstruction, but their proprietary MSA format requires specialised analysis.
🔐 Ransomware on HP servers
ProLiant servers running Windows Server, VMware ESXi or Linux are frequent enterprise ransomware targets (LockBit, BlackCat, Akira). The underlying RAID remains intact — encryption operates at the file system level. If VMware snapshots or Volume Shadow Copies existed prior to the attack, partial or full recovery is possible without paying the ransom.
What NOT to do with your failed HP server
⚠ These mistakes turn a recoverable situation into total data loss:
- Do not delete the Smart Array configuration from the SSA BIOS (Smart Storage Administrator) or from iLO. Deleting the configuration irreversibly destroys the RAID metadata on all disks.
- Do not create a new logical drive on the same physical disks. The Smart Array overwrites the previous metadata and may initialise (format) the disks.
- Do not force an ADG rebuild if two disks have already failed in a RAID 6/ADG. Without complete double parity, the rebuild generates invalid data.
- Do not update the Smart Array firmware or server iLO with the array in degraded or offline state. A firmware flash can alter the RAID metadata.
- Do not move disks between bays without documenting the order. The Smart Array references disks by their physical position (bay:port). Take photos of the slots before touching anything.
HP recovery process: how we work
1
Smart Array metadata reading
Analysis of HP's proprietary metadata on each disk to determine: logical drive layout, stripe size, ADG/RAID level, parity disk, rotation and FBWC status.
2
Forensic cloning with DeepSpar
Bit-by-bit imaging of each disk with DeepSpar Disk Imager. For SAS disks from HP servers, we use specific SAS-SATA adapters that maintain error-free interface reading.
3
Logical drive reconstruction
Virtual reconstruction of the HP logical drive on the cloned images. ADG parity verification, detection of HP's proprietary stripe offset and recalculation of blocks where possible.
4
Extraction & delivery
Mounting the file system (NTFS, VMFS, EXT4, XFS) on the rebuilt logical drive. Verified extraction. For 3PAR, chunklet map reconstruction and Virtual Volume extraction.
RAID levels in Smart Array controllers
Smart Array controllers support standard RAID levels and the proprietary ADG mode. Each level has specific characteristics for recovery:
RAID 0: No redundancy. All disks needed. Recoverable only with partial failure on a single disk.
RAID 1+0: Mirror + stripe. High tolerance. Recoverable as long as one disk from each mirror remains.
RAID 5: Single parity. Tolerates 1 disk. Common in SMB ProLiant servers. Vulnerable during rebuild.
ADG (RAID 6): HP proprietary double parity. Tolerates 2 failures. The safest and most complex to reconstruct offline.
RAID 50: Distributed RAID 5. Common in MSA with many disks. Reconstruction by sub-groups.
RAID 60: Distributed ADG. Maximum protection. Used in 3PAR and high-density MSA.
Choose your service level
Three options tailored to your urgency and budget
HP recovery pricing
| Service | Description | Timeframe | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logical / Smart Array | Failed controller, logical drive offline, degraded ADG (healthy disks) | 4–12 days | 890–1,200€ |
| Physical + RAID | Mechanical disk failure(s), clean room + logical drive reconstruction | 7–20 days | 800–2500€ |
| 3PAR / MSA | 3PAR Virtual Volume recovery, MSA disk groups, chunklet reconstruction | 10–25 days | 1500–5000€ |
| Urgent 24/48h | Any service with maximum priority and enterprise SLA | 24–48h | +50% |
Frequently asked questions about HP recovery
What is ADG and how does it differ from standard RAID 6?
ADG (Advanced Data Guarding) is HP's proprietary implementation of RAID 6 with distributed double parity. Functionally it is equivalent to RAID 6: it tolerates the simultaneous failure of two disks. The difference lies in how the P and Q parity blocks are calculated and distributed. HP's ADG algorithm uses a specific parity rotation and stripe offset that differ from the standard. This means generic RAID 6 reconstruction tools may not work directly — software that understands HP's ADG format is needed.
Can data be recovered if the Smart Array has failed and I don't have an identical replacement?
Yes. We do not need the original controller or a replacement. The Smart Array metadata is stored on each physical disk of the array. Our recovery software reads these HP proprietary metadata directly to determine the complete RAID configuration (stripe size, disk order, ADG/RAID level, offset). The reconstruction is performed entirely in software on the cloned images, without HP hardware.
Can I use iLO to diagnose the array status before sending the server?
Yes. iLO (Integrated Lights-Out) allows remote access to the server even if the operating system won't boot. From iLO you can see the status of physical disks, the logical drive, Smart Array logs and server temperature. Note all this information and send it to us — it helps us plan the recovery. What you must not do from iLO: delete the array configuration, create new logical drives or start a forced rebuild.
What does «Interim Recovery Mode» mean in the Smart Array?
«Interim Recovery Mode» is a special Smart Array state indicating that the logical drive has detected inconsistencies but can still be accessed in degraded, read-only mode. It is an opportunity to copy data before the array fails completely. If you see this message, do not restart the server — copy critical data immediately to external media and then contact our laboratory.
Do you recover 3PAR cabinets that are no longer under HPE support?
Yes. Many 3PAR StoreServ cabinets (7200, 7400, 8200, 8400) have fallen out of HPE support but remain in production. The 3PAR architecture is proprietary: chunklets, CPGs, Virtual Volumes and the InForm/InServ operating system reside in specific structures. Our laboratory has developed internal tools to analyse chunklet distribution and reconstruct Virtual Volumes from the physical disk images.
Does migrating from 3PAR to HPE Primera/Alletra affect recovery?
If you are migrating from 3PAR to HPE Primera or Alletra and a failure occurs during migration, data may be left in an inconsistent state between both systems. We recover from both the source 3PAR cabinet and the destination Primera/Alletra. The key is not to attempt to continue the migration after the failure — shut down both systems and contact our laboratory to assess the data state at both ends.
🚨 Has your HP server failed and you need the data urgently?
Urgent pickup across Spain. Smart Array, ADG and 3PAR/MSA cabinet specialists.
Do not delete the Smart Array configuration. Do not create a new logical drive. Shut down the server and call us.
Or call us now: 900 899 002 — Weekdays 9:00–19:00
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