Icy Dock MB672SKGF Screwless Internal 3.5” SAS/SATA HDD Enclosure
At CES 2010, Home Server Show had the opportunity to meet with the folks at Icy Dock and view their product line. We shot a video interview with Roland Pantaleo and we agreed that their product line should be of interest to the home server community particularly those who are building their own machines.
As part of a series of products sent to the Home Server Show for review, Icy Dock has sent us the MB672 (MB672SKGF) internal SATA hard drive enclosure. The MB672 holds a single SATA hard disk, has a keyed lock on front, and an LCD screen.
Installation
My home build server has gotten pretty cluttered over the years. I have a nice big case, but wires and splitters run in all directions making the removal or addition of hard disks a challenge. I almost never use my CD/DVD drive so that is coming out to make room for the enclosure. I also elected to make this enclosure the home for my system drive which is lodged soundly at the very bottom of my case. Replacing the CD/DVD drive with the MB672 was a snap as the enclosure has 4 screw holes and should install easily and any computer case. I did notice that the front bezel is actually a bit smaller than a standard drive leaving a bit of a gap both above and below the enclosure. This would be great if your case is cramped for space, but I would prefer for the installation to look seamless.
Internally, the enclosure has a fairly low profile protruding less into my case than my CD/DVD drive did. There is a single 4 pin standard power connector and a single SATA data cable. I found it an interesting choice to use a standard power adapter instead of SATA Power but it worked fine for me. There is also a Master/Slave switch, jumpers for other settings (that I won’t mess with) and a small case fan.
Function
Inserting my system drive was without incident. The screwless design makes installing a drive easy and fast. The drive goes in about 80% of the way and is completed by closing the door. I had to push the door a bit to get the door latch to click into place and the click was a satisfying feedback that it was closed. The keys remind me of bicycle lock keys or a kensington style lock. When locked, the latch has no play and seems firmly closed making a quick swiping of your drive less likely (especially important if it’s your system drive!).
The server booted back up with no problems and there was little or no indication that anything had changed at all which is a good sign. As the machine powers on, the LCD screen springs to life showing you enclosure temperature, drive activity, heat warnings, fan status and a couple other basic indicators. The LCD is a cool blue color that nicely matches my case lights. Temperature settings can be changed from Celsius to Fahrenheit for those not not used to the metric system.
Build Quality
Made of steel and heavy plastics, the MB672 feels extremely sturdy. The screwless design may be concerning to some, but the drive seats very snuggly and has little or no play. The LCD is clear and bright even if the display looks like a 1980’s video game. All wire attachments were tightly fitting and functioned well.
Performance
The primary job of the enclosure is to hold a drive and allow it to connect to the motherboard. The MB672 does this job flawlessly. The added function of an LCD display is a nice touch. It gives a direct indication of drive activity and temperature. I did compare the drive temperature on the enclosure to the temperature the drive itself was reporting to home server (through disk manager) and found the enclosure to be reporting 10 degrees cooler. Both temps were well within the safe operating range, but I found it odd that there would be such a large discrepancy. I really have no way to tell which one is more accurate.
Windows Home Server Integration
I have to say (and disclose) that this enclosure is now a permanent part of my home server. A feature that home builders often lack is being able to quickly swap drives like the commercial boxes. Being able to quickly and easily access drives is a big bonus in boxes containing multiple hard drives. The more I think about the lock, the more I like having a swappable system drive that is locked in place. This is likely NOT a drive you want to be taking in and out of the server and the lock is a reminder to the installer or the owner not to mess with that particular drive. The data drives can and should be placed in other enclosures (locked or not) to keep them separate. An alternative use would be to store the Home Server Data Base Backup files to that drive for easy access in the event of a crash.
Pros:
Sturdy Build
Nice LCD display
Reasonably Priced (~$50)
Easy Install and Operation
Cons:
Bezel not flush with (my) case
Choice of non-SATA power (not really a con)
Conclusion:
The MB672SKGF Screwless Internal 3.5” SAS/SATA HDD Enclosure from Icy Dock is a great addition to any home build server for users interested in paying special attention to a particular drive. At around $50, it adds significantly to the price of a hard drive, but those of use building home servers are already convinced that spending a little extra to monitor and secure data is worth it. I give the MB672SKGF a big thumbs up.
Links:
Icy Dock Product Page: http://www.icydock.com/product/mb672skgf-b.html
Amazon: MB672SKGF Screwless Internal 3.5” SAS/SATA HDD Enclosure
ComSource: http://www.compsource.com/ttechnote.asp?part_no=MB672SKGFB&vid=1339&src=JF
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Category: BYOB Hardware, Home Server Storage, Review, User Builds, Windows Home Server
Of course there is some value, I guess, for the digital display and the lock as you talk about it but $50 just to mount the drive is a little steep. I would probably just lay the drive in there loose before spending that kind of money. But I figure there are probaly much cheaper 3.5" to 5.25" converters.
Good review.
ITTOG – I hear you but let's consider that if any or all of the security, flexibility, accessibility, features (etc) are what you need/want, then $50 isn't adding that much to your overall build. Let's continue this in the forums.