Encrypted volume & HW crash

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hntpl
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Encrypted volume & HW crash

Post by hntpl »

Hello all,
I'm a fresh TS-453A owner, just bought it with 2x3TB WD RED.
Well, I'm wondering about one thing:
I want to encrypt the entire volume (RAID 1). What happens when my QNAP dies while a similar device is not available anymore?
Can I just buy any 4-tray QNAP to get back access to my data? Are there any risks related to the volume encryption?

Would appreciate any comments.
Cheers!
Last edited by hntpl on Mon Nov 14, 2016 4:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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OneCD
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Re: Encrypted volume & HW crash

Post by OneCD »

Hi hntpl, and welcome to the forum! :D
hntpl wrote:Well, I'm wondering about one thing:
I want to encrypt the entire volume (RAID 1). What happens when my QNAP dies while a similar device is not available anymore?
Can I just buy any 4-tray QNAP to get back access to my data? Are there any risks related to the volume encryption?
Here are some threads that discuss the questions you've asked:

viewtopic.php?t=119110

viewtopic.php?t=65743

viewtopic.php?t=70407

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hntpl
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Re: Encrypted volume & HW crash

Post by hntpl »

OneCD wrote:Here are some threads that discuss the questions you've asked:

viewtopic.php?t=119110

viewtopic.php?t=65743

viewtopic.php?t=70407
Thanks for the response OneCD! :)
I went through these threads and I didn't find the asnwer for the main question :?
The conclusion is:
Review your backup policy (and have a backup of the data stored on NAS)
I fully agree about the need of an offsite backup. But nevertheless, I would like to know, what if an offsite backup is not avilable and I am with an encrypted RAID volume and a failed QNAP unit.
Anyone? ;-)
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Spider99
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Re: Encrypted volume & HW crash

Post by Spider99 »

why do you need encryption is the question you should answer first.

QNAP provide no tools to access files other than via the NAS once encrypted even if you can remember your encryption password - i think that answers you question.

And if you do encrypt then you have no way to access the data other than buy another NAS and hope QNAP have tested this option properly etc

If you dont encrypt then you have a lot more recovery options - also you could use a third party app to do the encryption - i.e. have more control

But basically its not worth the risk if your data is important to you
Tim

TS-853A(16GB): - 4.3.4.0483 - Static volume - Raid5 - 8 x 4TB HGST Deskstar NAS
Windows Server + StableBit Drivepool and Scanner ~115 TB Backup Server
TS-412 & TS-459 Pro II: Retired
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hntpl
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Re: Encrypted volume & HW crash

Post by hntpl »

Spider99 wrote:why do you need encryption is the question you should answer first.
I want to protect myself from an unathorized access to my data in case of a robbery of my apartment.
Spider99 wrote:QNAP provide no tools to access files other than via the NAS once encrypted even if you can remember your encryption password - i think that answers you question.
And if you do encrypt then you have no way to access the data other than buy another NAS and hope QNAP have tested this option properly etc
Well, I would like to know if a new QNAP can always read a volume encrypted by another QNAP. I can imagine, that my TS-453A would die eventually. It would be comfortable to know, that any new QNAP unit will read (and decrypt) data from HDDs taken from a failed unit.
But as I understand, there is no guarantee for that.
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storageman
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Re: Encrypted volume & HW crash

Post by storageman »

hntpl wrote:
Spider99 wrote:why do you need encryption is the question you should answer first.
I want to protect myself from an unathorized access to my data in case of a robbery of my apartment.
Spider99 wrote:QNAP provide no tools to access files other than via the NAS once encrypted even if you can remember your encryption password - i think that answers you question.
And if you do encrypt then you have no way to access the data other than buy another NAS and hope QNAP have tested this option properly etc
Well, I would like to know if a new QNAP can always read a volume encrypted by another QNAP. I can imagine, that my TS-453A would die eventually. It would be comfortable to know, that any new QNAP unit will read (and decrypt) data from HDDs taken from a failed unit.
But as I understand, there is no guarantee for that.
Yes, why not? Obviously you would need to know the password.
hntpl
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Re: Encrypted volume & HW crash

Post by hntpl »

storageman wrote:Yes, why not?
Currently used hardware not available anymore and new unit with new firmware not backwards compatible for example.
ensignvorik
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Re: Encrypted volume & HW crash

Post by ensignvorik »

Depending on what data you want to encrypt. For me it's just personal files that have anything that identifies who I am and any username and passwords I've kept a hard copy of. I just put them in VeraCrypt containers. Saves me mucking about encrypting the whole NAS just for a few files I want to protect, and I know I can access the files from numerous operating systems once I've installed VeraCrypt.

Don't care about my movies and music, hopefully it will educate them on decent music if they do rob my NAS.
Unless I'm being blind, I can't find the setting to change what kind of QNAP I have on my profile. I now own a TS-253A
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karlegas
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Re: Encrypted volume & HW crash

Post by karlegas »

ensignvorik wrote:Depending on what data you want to encrypt. For me it's just personal files that have anything that identifies who I am and any username and passwords I've kept a hard copy of. I just put them in VeraCrypt containers. Saves me mucking about encrypting the whole NAS just for a few files I want to protect, and I know I can access the files from numerous operating systems once I've installed VeraCrypt.

Don't care about my movies and music, hopefully it will educate them on decent music if they do rob my NAS.
Hi EnsingVorik

Could you explain how use VeraCrypt for create your files? Also there's any tool to encrypt or change the filenames for the movies/music since I hear that Amazon can close your account if found any copyrighted?

Thanks

Karl
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ensignvorik
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Re: Encrypted volume & HW crash

Post by ensignvorik »

karlegas wrote:
ensignvorik wrote:Depending on what data you want to encrypt. For me it's just personal files that have anything that identifies who I am and any username and passwords I've kept a hard copy of. I just put them in VeraCrypt containers. Saves me mucking about encrypting the whole NAS just for a few files I want to protect, and I know I can access the files from numerous operating systems once I've installed VeraCrypt.

Don't care about my movies and music, hopefully it will educate them on decent music if they do rob my NAS.
Hi EnsingVorik

Could you explain how use VeraCrypt for create your files? Also there's any tool to encrypt or change the filenames for the movies/music since I hear that Amazon can close your account if found any copyrighted?

Thanks

Karl
With VeraCrypt, it's essentially a fork of TrueCrypt.

You create 'containers' which you then mount, so Windows would see it as an extra drive letter, Mac/Linux as another mounted drive.

Save your data to the container, and when your done simply disconnect it.

The container is encrypted and can only be opened by VeraCrypt software.

Can't comment on the Amazon Movies/Music thing, but I'm sure there are tools for it, not sure an encrypted container is the best solution for that.

https://www.idrix.fr/Root/content/category/7/32/46/
Unless I'm being blind, I can't find the setting to change what kind of QNAP I have on my profile. I now own a TS-253A
ensignvorik
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Re: Encrypted volume & HW crash

Post by ensignvorik »

http://blog.iancaling.com/post/14591603 ... -unlimited

This may be a method of encrypting your movies/media and still having them play with plex for example, but to be honest, I'm not sure I'd want the faff if it all went wrong and then you couldn't decrypt the data when you needed to restore.

An external backup kept offsite (friends house/work place etc) and updated periodically for movies/music files which making the assumption don't change too much over a short period of time might be a better solution.
Unless I'm being blind, I can't find the setting to change what kind of QNAP I have on my profile. I now own a TS-253A
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