Extension Modules
DiskSense hardware unit was designed with the ability to be enhanced with hardware add-ons in mind. There is a PCI Express
port on its side panel, which is labeled as EXTENSION. It allows to connect any Atola hardware extension modules.
Extension modules supported for DiskSense unit are:
The extensions can be ordered here.
Warranty for Extensions = 1 Year from date of purchase.
SAS extension
Atola Insight Forensic allows to run most operations for a SAS drive plugged into DiskSense:
- Imaging at 800 MB/s
- Diagnostics, media scan
- Damaged drive support
- Hash calculation and verification
- Wiping
- Write protection
- Device utilities: disk editor, file recovery, compare (with pattern, image file or drives) etc.
- Current sensing, short circuit and overvoltage protection
- Hotplug for SAS drives
There are a few functions that are not available for SAS drives by their nature: Host Protected Area (HPA), Device Configuration Overlay (DCO),
Security Features, and SSD Trim. Firmware recovery is also not supported.
10GBit Ethernet extension module
Technical specifications:
- Max possible transfer speed: 10 GBit/s
- Transfer speed received in practice: 400 MB/s
- 10G copper standard
- RJ45 (8P8C) connector interface
- Cat 6 Ethernet cable recommended for optimum performance
The module accelerates the following operations executed with image files: Imaging, File Recovery, Compare, Write from File.
M.2 SSD extension for SATA/PCIe
Only M key interface drives are supported with this extension. Here are the differences in M.2 SATA and M.2 PCIe support:
| Features |
M.2 SATA |
M.2 PCIe |
| All Insight operations |
|
Partial (see below) |
| Drive hotplug |
|
|
| Power management |
|
|
Supported M.2 PCIe SSD features:
- Imaging
- Diagnostics, media scan
- Damaged drive support
- Hash calculation and verification
- Wiping
- Write protection
- Device utilities: disk editor, media recovery, SSD trim, compare (with pattern, image file or drives) etc.
To image an NVMe drive with DiskSense unit (manufactred in 2014 - 2020), please follow this guide.
Apple PCIe SSD extension
This extension can process PCIe SSDs with custom proprietary M.2 interface found in Apple laptops:
- MacBook Pro, Late 2013 - 2015
- MacBook Air, 2013 - 2015
The following Insight operations and features are supported for the Apple drives:
- Imaging at 400 MB/s (24 GB/min)
- Diagnostics, media scan
- Damaged drive support
- Hash calculation and verification
- Wiping
- Write protection
- Device utilities: disk editor, media recovery, SSD trim, compare (with pattern, image file or drives) etc.
Thunderbolt extension
Thunderbolt extension enables Insight to work on MacBooks with the following interfaces:
- FireWire
- Thunderbolt 2
- Thunderbolt 3, 2016 - 2017 models
No SSD removal is necessary: the extension allows connecting insight directly to a MacBook.
Insight supports the following operations and features on MacBooks when connected through Thunderbolt extension:
- Imaging
- Hash calculation and verification
- Write protection
- Device utilities: file recovery, compare (with pattern, image file or drives) etc.
For DiskSense units (manufactured in 2014 - 2020), check out this page about Extensions.