Addonics CSN256 INSTALLATION GUIDE

r

Power
LED

Drive activity
LED

Cipher Snap-In
module

Host SATA port
(blue color)
(Connect to SATA
host)

ADDONICS TECHNOLOGIES

Drive door swings open to
accommodate a 3.5” SATA drive

Cipher Snap-In
4-pin Molex
power connecto

Reserved connector

Model: CSN256

I. Detailed Description of Cipher Snap-In Module:

Device SATA port
(Connect to SATA device)

Cipher Snap-In
4-pin floppypower
connection

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 L ED: Lights up when there is drive activity.

Reset switch

HDD LED

Host SATA port (blue color)
(Connect to SATA host)

Disable reset
switch jumper

Power LED

Cipher keyhole

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: [phone]
Email: http://www.addonics.com/support/query/