Using as a Duplicator
The main function of the device is the ability to duplicate a drive to up to 3 target drives.
The source drive slots into Disk 4 and you can put in between 1 and 3 drives in the remaining slots. All you then have to do is press the individual power buttons on the front of the device .
Then you select Duplicator Mode on the dock and start the copy – all very simple!
Depending on the amount of data you are copying and the speed of the drives, the amount of time it takes varies, so you may want to go do something else rather than sitting waiting for it to complete as it performs a sector by sector copy.
Just make sure the the size of the target drive or drives is equal to, or larger than the original drive or it won’t let you start the copy!
Other Functions on the Menu
There are a number of other functions available on the menu.
These include information about the drives, including model, firmware version, serial number and capacity.
There are also options to perform both quick and secure erasure of the drives.
Secure erase is very useful for ensuring that the contents of any hard drive are properly and completely erased so that if you dispose of the hard drive no one can easily see the contents. There have been numerous reported incidents of people buying hard drives on eBay and from other sources only to find that they contained both private, and sometimes even classified data.
Depending on which option you choose, will depend on the amount of time it will take to perform.
Final Thoughts
As usual Aleratec have come up with a very easy to use and useful device.
It can be used as a standalone duplicator – it’s just a case of loading the drives and making your select from the menu then just coming back later. And the great thing about it being a stand-alone box is that you don’t have to worry about being able to use your computer for something else.
Or it can be used as a dock for your computer. Including both eSATA and USB 3.0 connectors was a smart move on the part of Aleratec. I tested both types of connection and found them to be fast and reliable.
Like previous duplicators from Aleratec, I really do like the inclusion of the secure erase functionality. I go through a lot of hard drives, either for testing purposes, or for long term storage and use, and so having something that can perform a secure wipe again without needing to tie up my computer is very useful.
You can also purchase the optional adaptors in order to be able to use mSATA SSD, Compact Flash or CFast. This means that you don’t need to look for another dock to use them and the adaptor packs from Aleratec are very reasonably prices and come with 2 adaptors per pack.
The price of the 1:3 HDD Copy Dock isn’t cheap at $525.00, so it is likely to be a purchase only if you have the need to duplicate a drive to multiple targets on a regular basis. The ability to use it as a dock for 4 drives is a useful function, as is the secure erase, so you should take all that info consideration when looking at the price.
If you think the price is a little high for what your specific needs might be, there are other less expensive devices from Aleratec that might suit you better, so do take a look!
Overall I really liked the dock – I found it very easy to setup and use, it performed every task I wanted perfectly and without having to spend ages looking for the right option. It basically just did what I needed it to do!
