Friday, December 11, 2015

Introducing the ICY DOCK ToughArmor MB411SPO-B 2.5” SATA/SAS HDD/SSD mobile rack for slim ODD or slim FDD bay





Introducing the ToughArmor MB411SPO-B, a full metal 2.5” SATA/SAS hard drive mobile rack designed for use in any slim ODD/FDD bay. The MB411SPO-B uses full metal construction to ensure maximum device lifespan and is capable of withstanding the harshest environments. The EZ Slide Micro tray provides hot-swap ability for hassle-free drive maintenance. Utilizing its ultra low profile design, the MB411SPO-B is a perfect storage device for system that has limited space but also requires data storage such as OEM/ODM systems, embedded control systems, factory automation systems, rackmount computers, rackmount servers and IPCs.
Almost as Slim as 2.5” Drive
The ToughArmor MB411SPO-B is designed amazingly slim and able to keep its size as small as 2.5” HDD, which makes it a complete space saver for any enterprise systems. This small form factor design allows MB411SPO-B to fit in any system that has tight space constraints such as mobile computers and embedded systems. It is also a great 2.5” mobile rack for any OEM / ODM systems that have space limitation, as system builders can easily configured their storage needs with MB411SPO-B, without wasting unnecessary space from the system.
Designed for Slim ODD & Slim FDD Bay
The MB411SPO-B is designed to fit both slim ODD and FDD bay. To use with slim FDD bay, simply unscrew three screws from metal ODD bracket and then remove the ODD bracket from the device and ready to use. With MB411SPO-B, you can quickly add a 2.5” SATA HDD / SSD to any system that has slim ODD or slim FDD bay. Or replace it with existing slim ODD / FDD device and upgrade to 2.5” solid state drive for significantly improve your overall system performance.
Removable Design with Exceptional Build Quality
The EZ Slide Micro tray supports hot-swap and makes maintenance completely hassle free in the event of a hard drive failure. With a simple swap of the hard drive, your overall down time is greatly reduced which is especially useful for time sensitive projects and applications. The tray is designed to accommodate a 7 to 9.5mm height hard drive or SSD, creating a 2.5” hot swap bay for any standard 2.5” SATA/SAS drive. Once you close the latch, the eagle-hook lock system keeps drives secured within the enclosure.
Ensuring the material used can be relied upon for many years after its deployment, the MB411SPO-B is capable of holding up in the harshest environments, with heavy duty metal construction throughout the entire device. The ToughArmor’s full metal design is perfect for industrial devices that may require a flammability rating since all-metal already complies with flammability requirements. Because of the high build quality, it can be used in various enterprise systems including: military and law enforcement deployment. It can also be used in manufacturing conditions such as embedded control systems and factory automation systems.
Convenient Features
Bringing more utility your hard drives, a LED is installed into the front of the mobile rack to provide drive status information at all times. Active Power Technology (APT) allows power to be on only when a hard drive is inserted into the enclosure. For security, the eagle-hook lock system on the tray makes sure your hard drives will not eject when not needed. Finally, the ToughArmor MB411SPO-B supports 7pin SATA with locking latches so you’ll never need to worry about cables unintentionally disconnecting from your mobile rack. Once the cable is connected, it’ll lock into place and stay that way.
Key Features

* Ideal 2.5” mobile rack for system that has tight space constraints such as embedded systems, mobile computers, rackmount computers, rackmount systems, industrial automation control system, military computers and OEM / ODM systems
* Ultra small form factor design for maximum space saving
* Fits 1 x 7mm to 9.5 mm height 2.5” SAS/SATA HDD /SSD in a slim ODD or slim FDD bay
* Supports 2.5” SAS (single channel)/SATA HDD/SSD up to 6Gbps transfer rate (SAS host is required for SAS drives)
* Removable EZ Slide Micro drive tray for easy maintenance
* Heavy duty full metal construction designed for perfect for enterprise applications
* Multi-Flow Technology provides excellent passive cooling
* Anti-Vibration Technology creates a safe environment for hard drives or SSDs
* Active Power Technology (APT) powers up individual LED if only there is drive installed in the drive bay
* EMI Grounding protects hard drives from electrical damage
* Locking latch designed for SATA 7 pin data port

Quick links:

MB411SPO-B Product Page

MB411SPO-B Product images
MB411SPO-B Datasheet

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

Wednesday, December 09, 2015

ICY TIP: Build Your Own Small Form Factor Server, Home Theater, and Mobile Computer with Intel NUC and ICY DOCK External HDD/SSD Enclosures



Build Your Own Small Form Factor Server, Home Theater, and Mobile Computer with Intel NUC and ICY DOCK External HDD/SSD Enclosures
NUC (Next Unit of Computing) computers designed by Intel are very compact and are reflective of the trend of tech to be smaller, uses less power, but remain just as capable in terms of performance to their traditional desktop computer. Their compactness makes them quite useful in changing the look and feel of computing today. From replacing desktop computers in offices and home theaters to changing the look and performance of servers, NUCs are changing the look and feel of computers.
 
Hmm, ok so what makes NUC special?
A NUC is a computer that is in a small form factor, up to 75% smaller than a regular desktop computer. The processor is generally more power saving than raw computing power, as they are designed for non-intensive applications with large power savings. Processors such as Intel i3 series along with the budget Pentium and Celeron are in the more power saving versions while Intel i5 and i7 are in the performance versions. The GPU is integrated with the board, allowing the NUC to remain small. Other components such as the RAM and hard drive uses laptop sized parts help maintain the small shape. The power supply is outside the unit and does not contribute to computer heating; allowing the NUC to cool without the use of large noisy fans. All of this combines into a capable computer in a compact package.
 
Is there any drawback?
 
However, because of its small form factor, data storage on the unit is limited to the one hard drive in the unit. This makes the NUC reliant on external storage if the amount of data it needs to be stored is huge. The USB 2.0 and 3.0 slots allow external storage devices to connect seamlessly, helping the NUC on its external storage. Various ICYDOCK products have USB 3.0 connections, allowing fast transfers of data, even if the amount of data being transferred is huge. In different scenarios where our products can shine in this function, read below and see the advantages ICY DOCK's products have.
 
What is the recommended application for NUC?
And what do I need to build it?
For the home theater NUC that need storage but the form needs to be small and compact, the IcyBento series can provide this storage without losing the necessary functions of a hard drive enclosure. The ICYBento is a fanless ultra slim USB 3.0/2.0 enclosure that fits well with the home theater. While watching any HD movie or film, your ears are focused on the sound and music of the film. The last thing you want to be focusing on is a loud blowing fan that is cooling off the hard drive you are running the movie from. The IcyBento avoids that completely by being a fanless design. It keeps its cool with its aluminum shell that takes the heat off from the drive, which completely removes the need of a noisy fan for cooling. The removable tray design is also a great fit for the home theater. Want to change the set of movies you have on the disk with different set, not a problem. Just swap out the tray with another drive, put it in and go, just like a DVD, Blu-ray or VHS tape. Hot-swapping is supported in this model, so no need to unplug wires or restarting systems to switch out your movies. All of this is in a small compact package that can be positioned flat or standing with expandable feet, allowing you to have options on how to physically set up the unit. The IcyBento is the perfect blend of size and function for your home theater.
 
 
Product Link:
 
For the NUC that is going to be part of a server cluster such as SMB SFF servers, mobile DVR systems, or even home servers or home surveillance systems, you need to add multiple drives to have enough storage space to store all the data. At the same time, you want all this data to be accessible by the server along with the users that connect to that server.

The ICYCube and Black Vortex can do both at the same time. They are external storage devices that hold up to 4x 3.5"HDD or 4x 2.5" SSD equipped with USB 3.0 super speed. All of this data can be accessed by a single USB 3.0 connection, reducing the wires needed to access such data along with saving the low number of ports on the NUC. Also, when a drive has failed, users can simply swap out the faulty drive and reinsert with a new one; therefore, it helps to minimize the downtime. The sizes of those models are modest based on the drives they support and they both have active cooling with a fan.

The ICYCube features a solid aluminum shell with an elegant black or silver finish which fits nicely to your home or office and effectively dissipates heat generated from multiple hard drives. It takes both 2.5” and 3.5” SATA drives and fully support SATA III speeds making it a perfect enclosure for a high performance server build.

On the other hand, the Black Vortex packs serious power features such as 120mm cooling fan with fan speed control, ambient LED brightness control for drive activity status LED, drive overheat indicators and removable hard drive trays. It is the ideal storage enclosure for any data server that runs 24/7 and will not tolerate any downtime.
 
 
Product Link:
 
 
 
Product Link:
 
Black Vortex MB174U3S-4SB: http://www.icydock.com/goods.php?id=191
The ICYRaid has its own hardware to create a RAID array, allowing the hard drives in the unit to backup each other (RAID 1) or perform quicker operations (RAID 0). This also eliminates the need for a software RAID, which can cause unnecessary complexity and reduced performance for the server cluster or using RAID card, taking up precious space.

With RAID 1 protection, you no longer need to worry about drive failures anymore. If one of the drives does fail, simply replace the bad drive with a good drive and let ICYRaid handle the rest on the restore. This can be done without any downtime, so the server can do what it needs to do while the ICYRaid handles the rebuilding task. With the use of RAID 1, you will have an extra layer of protection for your critical data.

On the other hand, if the server needs strong performance throughout the day, the last thing you need is your hard drives holding you back. With the tip of your finger, you can easily set the unit into RAID 0 mode. Under RAID 0, the I/O speed increase helps with day to day operations of the server. Both hard drives will be working together, allowing the server to finish its tasks faster. All of this power is embedded in a slim size, solid aluminum shell with a small, nearly silent fan to help with cooling.
 
 
Product Link:
 
For the more mobile user that plans to use the NUC as a more mobile computer with a different small form factor from a laptop, the Tougharmor MB991U3-1SB, is the perfect companion for this type of computer. Its rugged full metal design allow it to withstands the hits mobile computing may have while maintaining a small form factor that retains it portability, perfect for the mobile business user dealing with rough travel. If you accidentally knocked over the unit, it is not a problem. The drive inside is safe from the impact, cushioned and latched by the internal tray, preventing the drive from flying out of the unit. Also, the full metal aluminum body allows it to avoid any heating issues and eliminates any need for a fan, allowing it to maintain its slim design. With USB 3.0 support, transfers are quick between the computer and the data stored, keeping up with the quick and light function of the NUC. The removable tray allows the hard drive to be used in other ICYDOCK's Tougharmor products without the need to removing the tray, making swaps between Tougharmor models simple as plug and play with hot swapping. It is a perfect solution integrated into working at home, at office or even on the go!
 
 
Product Link:
 
 
So what is the bottom line?
 
As the shape of computers continues to change more towards smaller and more capable, the need for storage is still needed to support such computers. With ICYDOCK's products, you don’t have to compromise on size and function for your data. We have solid products that are used by major industries and tier one companies and meet or exceed competitors’ build quality with consistency. A 3 year warranty on all products and free, worldwide technical supports mean you don’t have to worry about products that can’t keep up with your computer. With different products that can fit to various computer designs, your data can be with your computer with ICYDOCK, no matter the size or shape of the computer!
 
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)
 

Friday, December 04, 2015

ICY DOCK Write A Review & Get A Free EZ-Adapter MB981U3N-1SA Giveaway (12/04/2015 to 12/31/2015)



 
We are always looking for fresh perspectives and different opinions for our products. Being able to understand consumers' demand allows us to improve and innovate quality products. With that said, your words and concerns are important to us. We would like to thank your help by giving away the EZ-Adapters completely free of charge when you purchase the listed ICY DOCK products and write a review during the promo period of 12/4/15 to 12/31/15.
 
 
Prize:
 
How does it work:
 
1.
Write a review of the selected ICY DOCK hard drive enclosure (Tougharmor MB998SP-B, MB996SP-6SB, MB994SK-1B, ICYRaid MB662U3-2S R1 & ICYCube MB561U3S Series) you’ve purchased during the promotion period of 12/04-12/31, 2015.
2.
Post your review to the qualified online retailer website such as Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, and more (see the complete list below)
3.
Fill out this claim form and be sure to upload your dated purchase receipt or invoice.
4.
Allow 2-6 weeks for us to send your FREE EZ-Adapter MB981U3N-1SA.
 
Here are a few of our favorite sites where you can post your review, but you might have others, too:
 
 
If you have any questions, feel free to leave us a comment at our ICY Community event page. Happy reviewing!
 
 
Terms & Conditions:
 
*
Promotion applies to purchases of selected ICY DOCK made between 12/04-12/31,2015.
*
Promotion is open to United State residents only. Free shipping within the continental US only.
*
In order to be eligible, product review must be accompanied by proof of purchase.
*
Limit 1 per household.
*
We encourage honest feedback and reviews. Content of the product reviews will have no impact on the free gift.
*
Promotion is subject to change without any notice.

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