Addonics Technologies Cipher SnapIn removable drive system CSN256 User Manual

							 
ADDONICS TECHNOLOGIES 
Model: CSN256 
 
 
 
 
 
           
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I. Detailed Description of Cipher Snap-In Module: 
                  
  
Disable reset switch jumper – By default, Cipher Snap-In 
reset switch is enabled. To disable reset, remove the jumper. 
Disabling the reset switch is recommended if the Cipher 
Snap-In is connected to a boot drive or non-hotswap SATA 
controller card.  
 
Reset switch – Under certain applications, the RESET 
button enables the adding and removing of hard drives 
without restarting the system. Following is an example of 
such an application:  
a. When the Cipher Snap-In is connecting a removable 
drive system to a SATA port that supports hot swap, the 
drive can be removed without powering off the 
computer. However the drive icon will still be there as 
the system does not realize a hard drive is removed 
from the system. In addition, the key code still resides 
inside the Cipher Snap-In. Resetting will turn off the 
Cipher Snap-In, clear the key code and remove the 
drive icon. We recommend resetting the Cipher Snap-In 
whenever a hard drive is removed from a system to 
ensure better security. 
 
b. Likewise when a new hard drive is added to a 
removable drive system. The Cipher Snap-In can be 
initialized again by pressing the RESET button while 
with the Cipher key inserted. Note that if the new hard 
drive is not encrypted or the Cipher key does not match 
what is on the encrypted hard drive, it will show up as 
an unallocated drive under the drive management 
screen and no drive icon will show up in My Computer 
folder. So it is very important to make sure that the 
correct Cipher key is used on the hard drive. 
Proceeding to initialize the hard drive will erase all 
the data beyond any possibility of recovery.  
 
Green Power LED: In order to turn on the power to the 
Cipher Snap-In, the cipher key must be inserted prior to 
power on the system or resetting the Cipher Snap-In. If the 
power LED does not light up, the system will not detect the 
hard drive connected to the Cipher Snap-In. 
 
Yellow Power LED: Lights up when there is drive activity. 
 
 
 
 
Drive door swings open to accommodate a 3.5” SATA drive 
Drive activity  LED 
Power  LED 
Cipher Snap-In  4-pin Molex power connector 
Reserved connector 
Cipher Snap-In module Device SATA port (Connect to SATA device) 
Cipher Snap-In  4-pin floppypower connection 
Reset switch 
HDD LED Cipher keyhole 
Power LED 
Disable reset switch jumper 
Host SATA port (blue color) (Connect to SATA host) 
Host SATA port (blue color) (Connect to SATA host) 
Host SATA port  (blue color) (Connect to SATA host)  
						

							 
ADDONICS TECHNOLOGIES 
Model: CSN256 
 
 
II. Basic Hardware Installation 
 
1. Mount the Cipher Snap-In into a 5.25” drive bay on the 
PC case.      
2. Connect the Cipher Snap-In 4-pin Molex power 
connector to the system’s power supply to provide 
power to the hard drive and CipherChain module. 
3. Connect the Host SATA port (port with Blue color) on 
the Cipher Snap-In to the onboard SATA port of the 
motherboard or an add-in SATA controller card using a 
SATA cable. 
 
 
III. How to operate the Cipher Snap-In: 
 
Note: Hot swapping refers to the ability to plug and unplug 
the component without rebooting. 
 
For a SATA port that supports hotswap and the system is 
turned on. 
1. Insert the AES 256-bit cipher key into the cipher keyhole 
on the Cipher Snap-In. 
2. Slide the 3.5” SATA hard into the Cipher Snap-In. 
3. Observed that the green Power LED should light up. If it 
does not, re-insert the cipher key and re-power the drive 
by removing it from the  Cipher Snap-In. 
4. For new drive, go to the operating system’s 
management utility to partition, format and mount the 
encrypted drive. 
5. Go to File Manager and view the encrypted drive. 
 
 
 
For SATA port that does NOT support hotswap and the 
system is turned off. 
1. Insert the AES 256-bit cipher key into the cipher keyhole 
on the Cipher Snap-In. 
2. Slide the 3.5” SATA hard into the Cipher Snap-In. 
3.  Power on the system. 
4. Observed that the green Power LED should light up. If it 
does not, re-insert the cipher key restart your system. 
5. For new drive, go to the operating system’s 
management utility to partition, format and mount the 
encrypted drive. 
6. Go to File Manager and view the encrypted drive. 
 
Note: You may remove the cipher key from the Cipher 
Snap-In once the Cipher Snap-In is powered on. All the 
files being transferred into the drive are still encrypted 
even if the cipher key is removed. 
 
 
Best Practices: 
 Create a label to identify the SATA storage device and 
the Cipher key used to encrypt the device. 
 Always keep a spare master key in a safe place. 
 
 
 
For additional information about the Cipher Snap-In, refer to 
the Cipher Snap-In manual on the CD or download a copy 
from www.addonics.com 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Procedure on using an existing boot drive in the Cipher 
Snap-In 
 
In case you plan to use an existing boot drive on the Cipher 
Snap-In so you can encrypt it, by just inserting the existing 
boot drive on the Cipher Snap-In does NOT encrypt it. 
 
You would need to either do a fresh install of the operating 
system on another drive that is on the Cipher Snap-In or 
would first clone the boot drive by placing a second drive on 
the Cipher Snap-In then duplicate the boot drive using a 
cloning software. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TECHNICAL SUPPORT 
 
Email:  http://www.addonics.com/sales/query/ 
Internet:  http://www.addonics.com 
 
Technical Support (8:30 am to 6:00 pm PST) 
Phone:     408 433-3855 
Email:  http://www.addonics.com/support/query/