Monday, February 29, 2016

Introducing ICY DOCK ToughArmor MB993SK-B Triple Bay 2.5” SAS/SATA HDD & SSD Mobile Rack For 3.5” Front Device Bay


As generation progresses, more and more advanced computer technologies are constantly improving. These improvements include maximizing enhanced functions in smaller and compact packages. This is why 2.5" solid state drives and hard drives are becoming more popular due to its low power consumption and space-saving benefits, which are superior to 3.5" SATA hard drives in almost every category. Combine with the extra bandwidth of the SSDs and the raw power of the processors; enterprises are able to accelerate their project-development process more efficiently. Since 2.5" SSDs and HDDs have smaller storage capacities compared to 3.5" hard drives, maximizing the storage density in limited spaces have become the most important task for many storage consulting firms; a task they often encounters. The ToughArmor MB993SK-B is designed specifically for systems with storage space limitations by fitting 3 x 2.5" SSD / HDD into a single 3.5" front device bay, maximizing the entire space of 3.5" device bay. On top of that, the MB993SK-B is built with heavy duty full metal construction which is commercially suitable for medical & military systems, government agencies, Industrial PCs, SMB workstations, VM workstations, mobile DVR systems, aerospace computers, automation systems and embedded systems.


Low Profile Accessibility with Energy Efficiency


  
Utilizing its small form factor, The MB99SK-B is perfect for use in industrial PCs, SMB SFF servers, mobile DVR systems, or even home servers. The ability to house 3 x SATA SSD or HDD in a single 3.5" front device bay makes it a valuable asset, as several different configurations can be implemented. With three drives, users can access all drives individually, making a perfect solution for systems that are constantly swapping between multiple OS drives or simply for storage in a small space. Moreover, in a system with three drives, it is ideal to have RAID 5 setup to achieve its fast performance along with data protection or use two drives for RAID 1 mirror data-protection and RAID 0 for doubling the transfer speed. The remaining third drive can be assigned as stationary OS drive or an extra hot-swappable bay. To keep cables from cluttering, a single SATA 4 power pin is used to ease installation. Save as much as space while maintaining the speed and maximizing the functionalities in a limited space, which is the beauty of the MB993SK-B.

Protect your Investments
 

Making sure your drives are in good hands and lasting as long as possible is carefully considered to any enterprise build and design. The MB993SK-B is capable of holding up in the harshest environments, with the heavy duty metal construction in the entirety of the body and its smaller components. It can be used in various systems including: military and law enforcement deployment, as well as manufacturing conditions such as embedded control systems and factory automation systems. With the full metal design, the ToughArmor is perfect for industrial and medical devices that may require a flammability rating.
In order to fit three drives in a compact 3.5" device bay is challenging, the MB993SK-B is able to overcome this difficulty by carefully designing the EZ Slide Slim tray. With its durable and slim design, the trays are built with robust solid metal frames to securely mount and protect 7mm height HDD/SSD, creating a reliable 2.5" hot swap bay for any standard SATA hard drives and SSDs. The EZ Slide Slim trays make drive interchangeability experience and maintenance completely hassle free.
 
 
Versatile Utility & Security
 
The metal material used grants heat dissipation transfer from the hard drives to the mobile rack. Multi-Flow Technology (MFT) effectively routes air flow correctly for excellent passive cooling, via ventilation slots on the front, rear, top and bottom (in multiple locations). Lastly, Anti-Vibration Technology (AVT) and EMI Grounding are used to provide a stable environment for the hard drives or SSD's used to perform at its best.

The easy to read front LED indicators will indicate when a drive is ejected (no light), accessed (green), or has failed (red). Active Power Technology (APT) allows each drive LED to be on only when a hard drive is inserted into the enclosure. For drive security, the eagle-hook lock system on the tray makes sure your hard drives will not eject when not needed. Additionally, the 2 segment key lock provides extra protection to any physical theft of the hard drives, securing from any open and grab.

Key Features

* Suggested applications in medical & military systems, government agencies, Industrial PC, SMB workstation, VM workstation, mobile DVR system, aerospace computer, automation system and embedded system.
* Full Metal construction, perfect for rugged applications and complies with flammability requirement.
* Fits 3 x 7mm 2.5" SATA HDD or SSD in a 3.5" floppy drive bay.
* Supports SAS or SATA HDD/SSD at 6Gbps and is backwards compatible with SATA 3Gbps drives and hosts (SAS host is required for SAS drives - Single SAS channel
* Removable tray system for easy maintenance.
* Supports SATA 6Gbps and hot swap.
* Single floppy 4 Pin to power entire device.
* Individual LED indicators.
* Multi-Flow Technology (MFT) - provides excellent passive cooling.
* Anti-Vibration Technology (AVT) - creates a safe environment for hard drives or SSD.
* Active Power Technology (APT) - individual led only powers up if there is drive installed in each bay.
* EMI Grounding - protects hard drives from electrical damage.
* Eagle-hook lock system & 2-segment safeguard key lock keeps drives secure within the enclosure.
* EMI Grounding - protects hard drives from electrical damage.
* Supports SAS and SATA power cables with locking latch design.
* Limited 3 year warranty to complement the typical warranty of a hard drive.
 

ICY Tip: Utilizing HP Z840 workstation with ICY DOCK MB998SP-B, Sandisk Extreme Pro SSDs and Areca ARC1883ix RAID controller card to achieve a transfer speed of 9GB/sec for 8K video editing



Utilizing HP Z840 Workstation with ICY DOCK MB998SP-B, Sandisk Extreme Pro SSDs and Areca ARC1883ix RAID Controller Card to Achieve a Transfer Speed of 9GB/sec for 8K Video Editing
With advancement in imaging technology, 4K video editing officially entered the consumer market! Whether it is at home watching Sony Bravia 4K TV, going out to use iPhone 6S 4K recording function for your son's birthday, or using GoPro4's 4K imaging technology while participating in sports, it is becoming an essential part of our everyday lives. Since the quality of image is steadily improving, the release of 8K resolution seems inevitable and it is only a matter of time until it becomes a norm. In the current market, there are already 8K resolution cameras available. For example, Sony and Red Digital Cinema have already started to develop next generation 8K sensor wafer. While in Japan, people are studying the application of 8K resolution such as to be able to perform surgical operation remotely with the help of 8K 120Hz display.
Currently, 8K resolution is the highest resolution that digital television can achieve. 8K resolution mainly refers to the transverse pixel value that reaches 8000 pixels (7680 x 4320), which is four times total pixels of 4K, and it is also 16 times the total pixels of 1080p. When viewing an 8K image on a 52-inch flat screen while standing 50cm distance away from the screen, one will not be able to distinguish individual pixels. Thanks to 8K technology, it makes the display of text and images extremely crisp because pixels are not visible to the naked eye. However, good quality comes with a good price. To have a 8K imaging technology, you will need expensive 8K cameras, and the ability to edit videos that require 134MB/sec transfer speed. Therefore, for 8K image editing, you will need a high-end workstation grade computer systems, and high density data storage space to support massive amount of SSD/HDD for high-speed data transfer. In general, a 60 minute 30 FPS raw video clip will require approximately 10.7 TB in storage capacity. In comparison, it is 16 times the data size of a 1080p video clip! Therefore, whether it is to edit videos or to store video, to overcome the limitation of a system's data transfer speed will be an important milestone for 8K image editors.
Using a Large Number of SSD Drives in a RAID 0 Array to Achieve a Transfer Speed of 9GB/sec!
In order to simulate the fastest transmission speed, we used the HP Z840 workstation as our testing equipments. The system's specifications are: 2x Intel XEON E5-2690V3, 128GB of DDR 3 1333 memory with Quadro m6000 graphics card. In order to achieve the fastest transfer speed, we used 24x SANDISK Extreme Pro 240GB SSDs and Areca ARC1883ix RAID controller card. We have achieved 9GB/sec read and write speeds under RAID 0 mode.
During a large-file transfer testing, the transfer speed shown a slight decline. However, it is able to perform at 5GB/sec read speed with 8GB/sec write speed.
With an average of 7GB/sec transfer speed, it can greatly reduce video editors' working hours. For example, for a 20 TB of video data, it needs only 47 minutes to complete data transfer from point A to point B. In contrast, when using SATA III at 600MB/sec, it requires more than nine hours of processing the same amount of data.
Maximize High Density Data Storage in a Workstation or Server with ICY DOCK ToughArmor MB998SP-B
Since most of the enterprise workstations such as DELL and HP have limited frontal device bay for extra data storage device, to install additional drives in a limited space will be a difficult challenge for system integrators to overcome. Well, we have the solution and ICY DOCK ToughArmor series is the key for this purpose. It allows system integrators to install multiple 2.5 "SATA SSD / hard drives in a limited space.
For example, ToughArmor MB998SP-B, with its high density design, multiple drives can be implemented in a 5.25" slot on a workstation. It can hold up to 8x 7mm 2.5" SATA hard drives or solid state drives. To install a MB998SP-B in most of the enterprise workstations such as Dell, HP, and SuperMicro is straightforward: Simply install a drive on EZ-slide Micro tray with 4 screws, insert it to MB998SP-B, put the MB998SP-B in a 5.25" device bay and attach SATA and power cable to MB998SP-B. With MB998SP-B, it enables professional workstation such as HP Z840 to installed up to 8x Samsung 840 Pro SSDs per 1x 5.25 "slot while providing hot-swap capability for future hard drive upgrades and maintenance. Moreover, in this set up with 8x Samsung 840 Pro SSDs, we are able to achieve up to 6.8GB/sec data transfer rate in RAID 0 mode.
ToughArmor series uses all metal structure in order to achieve a solid protection and to help extending product life. Because of all metal structure, it complies with strict fire index requirement from medical and military applications. In addition, ToughArmor series offers various model specific application requirements such as MB994SP-4S can support up to 4x 15mm SAS Drive or MB996SP-6SB can support up to 6x 9.5mm SATA drives. To learn more about ToughArmor series, please refer to the catalog below:
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us by email at tech@icydock.com or through our Live Chat (M-F 9-5pm PST)

Monday, February 22, 2016

Introducing ICY DOCK ToughArmor MB991U3-1SB 2.5” SATA HDD & SSD USB 3.0 External Enclosure




The ToughArmor series have proven themselves to be an excellent 2.5" mobile rack solution, and now we are proud to present the external version of the ToughArmor family, the MB991U3-1SB. The ToughArmor MB991U3-1SB is a full metal 2.5" SATA III to USB 3.0 external HDD/SSD enclosure that is built with enterprise-grade quality and has the ability to hot-swap drives. With the removable EZ-Slide Mini tray, users can quickly swap 2.5" SATA hard drives or SSDs without shutting down their system or devices, saving valuable time. The EZ-Slide Mini tray accepts most of the 2.5" SATA HDD / SSD on the market ranging from 5mm to 15mm drive height. The drive tray slot is designed to complement a variety ToughArmor drive trays, allowing users to easily access their hard drives or SSD used in internal ToughArmor units externally, anytime and anywhere. The USB 3.0 interface allows for blazing fast transfer speeds and is backward compatible with USB 2.0 interface to insure compatibility with many systems. The ToughArmor MB991U3-1SB combined with the benefits of portable enclosure and enterprise-class features. It is an ideal enclosure for enterprise storage application such as SMB data backup, data recovery, video production data archiving, data transportation and IT Pros.
Data Made to Go
The MB991U3-1SB is an enterprise-grade portable enclosure that allows users to quickly access their 2.5" SATA hard drives and SSDs through a single USB connection. The removable EZ-Slide Mini tray supports hot-swap and makes drive interchangeability completely hassle free. With the EZ-Slide Mini tray, users can swap multiple drives between trays, makes it an ideal enclosure for data backup, content archiving and data replication. For example, a video production company can use it for data archiving and then transport the SSD between locations. Small businesses can use it for critical data backup and store the drive in different location for offsite backup.
The drive tray slot of MB991U3-1SB is compatible with a variety of ToughArmor drive trays including the ToughArmor MB991, MB992, MB994, MB996 and MB998 series. This allows existing ToughArmor users to access their internal drive externally without opening up the case. It is a great tool for an individual drive diagnostic test. If you need to do a safe data erase or just simply expending system storage capacity, just remove the tray from the internal ToughArmor unit and insert it in the MB991U3-1SB to perform individual tasks externally.

The EZ-Slide Mini tray is designed to accommodate 5 to 15mm height 2.5" hard drive and SSD, provide maximum drive compatibility. Best of all, the MB991U3-1SB uses USB bus-powered and it does not require a power adapter to operate. Simply connect the USB cable to the system and you are ready to go. The ability to access any drive through any system makes it a perfect portable storage device for IT Pros and SMB users.
Blazing Fast USB 3.0 Performance
The MB991U3-1SB is built with a USB 3.0 interface featuring UASP support*. With UASP, it can deliver blazing high transfer speeds up to 5Gbps to the supporting devices. The USB 3.0 is also backward compatible with the USB 2.0 interface, allowing the device to be used with any legacy system that still have USB 2.0 interface. If the system supports USB 3.0, you will be able to take advantage of the superior performance capabilities - which is crucial for professionals who need tools that perform their jobs quickly and efficiently.

Protect Your Investment

For external protections, the MB991U3-1SB is built with metal for high durability and it comes with protective rubber sleeves for a sturdy stand either horizontally or vertically on any flat surface. The protective rubber sleeves prevent sliding or wobbling, giving the unit the best stability possible. The sleeve also allows for easy yet stable stacking of multiple MB991U3-1SB.

Making sure that your drives are in secure hands and drive longevity is carefully considered for any enterprise build and design. The MB991U3-1SB is built with a heavy-duty metal construction and is capable of holding up hard drives in the harshest environments. The full metal body and air ventilation design allows efficient heat dissipation for the hard drives throughout the enclosure.
The metal material used allows for effective heat dissipation from the hard drive to the enclosure. Multi-Flow Technology (MFT) effectively routes air flow correctly for excellent passive cooling, via ventilation slots on the front, rear, top and bottom (in multiple locations). Lastly, Anti-Vibration Technology (AVT) and EMI Grounding are used to provide a stable environment for the hard drives or SSD's used to perform at its best.
Versatile Utility & Security

The easy to read front LED indicators will indicate when a drive is ejected (no light), powered (green), or accessed (flashing green). Active Power Technology (APT) allows each drive LED to be on only when a hard drive is inserted into the enclosure. For drive security, the MB991U3-1SB's eagle-hook lock system makes sure your hard drives will not eject unintentionally. Additionally, the 2 segment key lock provides extra protection to physical theft of hard drives and safeguards any sensitive data. For extra security, we have designed a Kensington style security slot on the back of the device to prevent quick grab-and-run thefts of the entire enclosure.
Drive Tray
Key Features

* Full metal construction for durability and drive protection.
* Removable EZ-Slide Mini tray supports hot-swap function.
* Supports 2.5" SATA III hard drive / SSD with 5mm, 7mm, 9.5mm & 15mm height.
* USB 3.0 interface supports UASP
* Universal drive slot that is compatible with wide range of ToughArmor drive tray includes MB991, MB992, MB994, MB996 and MB998 series.
* Eagle-hook lock system & 2-segment safeguard key lock keeps drives secure within the enclosure.
* Multi-Flow Technology (MFT) - provides excellent passive cooling.
* Anti-Vibration Technology (AVT) - creates a safe environment for hard drives or SSD
* Active Power Technology (APT) - individual led only powers up if there is drive installed in each bay.
* USB 3.0 with UASP support and backward compatible with USB 2.0 interface.
* USB bus-powered, no power adapter is required.
* Removable tray system for easy maintenance.
* Compatible with wireless router / DVR / Smart TV / Android TV box via USB interface.
* Anti-slip rubber protective sleeves enhances enclosure stability and reduces shock impacts.
* Limited 3 year warranty to complement the typical warranty of a hard drive.

Quick links:

MB991U3-1SB Product Page
MB991U3-1SB Datasheet
MB991U3-1SB Product Images

ICY DOCK

Tel: 626.956.8800
Fax: 626.956.8811
11740 Clark St.
Arcadia, California 91006
Sales e-mail: sales01@cremax.com
Support e-mail: tech@icydock.com