Extension Modules

The DiskSense Unit was built to have an opportunity of being widely enhanced with hardware add-ons. It contains PCI Express port on one of the side panels which is labeled as Extension. It allows to attach any Atola hardware extension supported by Atola Insight software.

You can place an order for any DiskSense unit extension here: Where to buy

Warranty for Extensions = 1 Year from date of purchase.

Currently supported extension modules are:

• SAS extension
• 10 Gbit Ethernet
• Thunderbolt
• Apple PCIe SSD
• M.2 PCIe/SATA SSD

SAS extension module

Technical specifications:

• SAS interface: 6 Gbit/s
• Max read/write speed: 800 MB/s
• Damaged drive support
• Hotplug for SAS drives is supported
• Current sensing is supported
• Short circuit and overvoltage protection is active
• Write protection

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.

Thunderbolt extension module

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
• Comparing with patterns, image files or other drives
• Media scan
• File recovery
• Write protection

Apple PCIe SSD extension module

This is the first official extension supported by Atola Insight Forensic. It can process the PCIe SSDs having the custom proprietary M.2 interface within Apple laptops:

• MacBook Pro, Late 2013 - 2015
• MacBook Air, 2013 - 2015

The following Insight operations and features are supported for the Apple drives:

• Drive imaging with 400 MB/s speed (24 GB/min)
• Damaged drive support
• SSD Trim
• Calculate hash
• Comparison with pattern, image files or other drives
• Media scan
• Various device utilities: disk editor, media recovery, etc.
• Write protection

M.2 PCIe/SATA SSD extension module

Only M key interface drives are supported by this module. Differences between M.2 SATA and M.2 PCIe support:

M.2 PCIe SSD features supported:

• Max read/write speed: 500 MB/s
• Damaged drive support
• SSD Trim
• Calculate hash
• Comparison with pattern, image files or other drives
• Media scan
• Various device utilities: disk editor, media recovery, etc.
• Write protection

Please note that M.2 extension currently does not support NVMe drives.

To image an NVMe drive, please follow this guide.