iStorage diskAshur DT Review

iStorage diskAshur DT is the older brother of the portable storage unit diskAshur PRO  (review here). We are dealing with a 3.5 inch HDD that is secured in a very rigid shell made from aluminum. You can secure the data on it using a XTS-AES 256-bit hardware encryption, which has a FIPS PUB 197 certification. The capacities available for the HDD range from 1Tb to 8Tb. It is a stationary storage unit, ideal for users who work in busy and storage demanding environments. The security doesn’t require a software and there is no application available for any product produced by iStorage. The transfer Interface is USB 3.0 and the supplying is power outlet.

Key Specifications:

• Available in capacities ranging from 1TB and 8TB;
• USB 3.0 transfer interface;
• Hard disk drive with a speed of 7200 rpm;
• Compatible with Windows and MacOS systems;
• 64 MB buffer;
• FIPS PUB 197 certification;
• 100% XTS-AES 256-bit hardware encryption;
• Weight: ~ 1200 grams;
• Dimensions: 3.8 cm x 11.4 cm x 18.3 cm.

Visual inspection:

The package is simple and lacks graphics, but has a considerable weight;

The package contents: diskAshur DT 4TB, 4 plug adapters, a charger, a quick start guide and a USB 3.0 data cable;

Thanks to the adapters, diskAshur DT can be used all over the world;

Here you can see the USB 3.0 interface next to the power jack and the on/off button. They are found in the top of the storage unit;

It also has a lock for attaching it on a desk;

Opposite to the connecting interfaces, you can see a grid that helps the evacuation of the hot air released by the 3.5 inch HDD;

At the bottom it has four rubber feet that help fixing the disk drive on any surface;

In the front you can see the wear-proof keyboard, which protects the data with an encrypted password;

It also has a small LCD that indicates the status of the hard drive (locked or unlocked);

You can see here a thickness comparison with his younger brother, diskAshur PRO (review here);

In terms of security, the 2.5-inch diskAshure PRO version is better;

The only downside is the maximum capacity of 2 Tb, compared to dishAshur DT’s 8Tb.

Use

DiskAshur DT was created for storing and protecting large amounts of data on real time. It is a HDD unit that allows fast transfers in my transfers, even on 200+ GB. I managed to obtain a speed of ~140 MBs. We’ll talk about the drive’s performance later on. At the moment, I’m using it only for backing up RAW images and processed photos. DiskAshur DT has storage capacities up to 8TB, enough for normal users concerned about their data security.

The installation is done easily and without any problems. It doesn’t require a special driver or software to access the content.  DiskAshur DT is compatible with the following systems: MacOS – Windows – Linux – Android – Chrome. So it has a very good cross-platform compatibility, without giving you too much trouble. Until now, I have only tested it on Windows 10 Pro 64 bit and Windows 7 Pro 64 bit.

When it comes to performance, I have to mention the protection from „Brute Force” attacks, through a system that operates in three steps. The first step limits the access until you enter the correct PIN, the second step is the automatic shutdown after 5-6 flawed attempts and requires a disconnection and a connection to reintroduce the pin.

If after this procedure you will make a few more wrong authentications, the HDD will suppose is attacked and it will lock itself.  It will destroy the encryption key and the data in the same time. It will take a total reset/formatting in order for the device to be reused. Another integrated technology against attacks is „Variable Timing Circuit” which protects the HDD against attacks aimed at studying „patterns” of functioning.

The access to this HDD can belong to a maximum of six people, one admin and five users, each of them using a different PIN code. This makes it a flexible product that can be used in both personal and business environments. The security on the HDD, at least from the point of view of a normal user, is above expectations.

Performance

As a hardware, we are dealing with a 3.5 inch HDD with a capacity of 4 Tb, a speed rotation of 7200 rpm and a 64MB buffer. The interface is a USB 3.0 type. A thunderbolt interface could have come in handy, since the unit is fully compatible with the MacOS system. Inside the diskAshur DT unit, you can find four HDD brands: Western Digital, HGST, Toshiba and Seagate. Unfortunately all models are from the consumer category. A HDD enterprise version (eg The WD – WD RE) would be useful. The unit tested had inside a 4TB MD04ACA400 Toshiba HDD, which, as I previously mentioned, is from the consumer category.

In the performance tests I focused on transfers, large folders, both with small and large files, videos and photos. This shows the real performance and how much it fluctuates depending on the type of files transferred.

Here you can see the performance that I have obtained:

In the pictures above you can see the transfer of a 200+ Gb folder that contains files of varying sizes, at a transfer speed that starts with ~92 Mb/s and goes up until the ~150 Mb/s during the transfers.The performance fluctuates depending on the type of the file. It is likely to reach a maximum speed during the transfer of video sequences.

CrystalDiskMark confirms mostly of the actual copying speeds that you can see above;

CrystalDiskMark confirms mostly of the actual copying speeds that you can see above;

Here you can see the configuration on which the speed tests were conducted:

• CPU: Intel i7 4770K at 3.5 Ghz;
• Motherboard: ASUS Sabertooth Z87;
• Video Card: Nvidia GTX 770;
• RAM: 32 GB DDR3 Corsair at1600 MHz;
• SSD: Kingston Hyper X Savage 240GB ;
• Operating System: Windows 10 Pro 64 bit.

Conclusion

DiskAshur DT is a drive that I recommend to those who are preoccupied with securing a large amount of data in a single stationary device. The 100% hardware encryption guarantees that the data from your device will not be accessible to everyone. The access to this HDD can belong to a maximum of 6 people, each with his own code, one of them being the admin. The performance meets the expectations for a consumer type internal HDD. However I would have liked to see inside an enterprise HDD for an increased resistance over time. The price of a 4TB tested copy is up to 442 pounds, the equivalent of ~ 2400 lei. It’s a decent price for a drive that guarantees an above average security for the data stored locally. In Romania this model is not available at the moment.

Pros

• Build quality;
• Compatible with any operating system;
• 100% hardware encryption;
• It can be accessed by 6 users;
• Strong performance;
• Wearproof  keyboard.

Cons

• Hefty price;
• The lack of an enterprise HDD.