Andy,
In a post under another subject line (ie, "Windows server forensics…"), you stated:
"I foresee problems in the near future with hdd capacities increasing to huge proportions (the magic pixy dust makers have strange new techniques) and requirements to image everything make prove extremely problematic and possibly cost prohibitive to most. "
I completely agree with regards to drive sizes increasing, as this has been an on-going issue for some time. Even in the early days, as drives went from MB to GB, the same problem had to be dealt with.
What I'm not clear on is your comment about "pixy dust makers have strange new techniques". What techniques? How is this important to a larger drive?
Thanks,
H. Carvey
"Windows Forensics and Incident Recovery"
My comment was a light hearted reference to the use of AntiFerromagnetic-Coupled (AFC) technology. Which is a hard disk technology from IBM that uses a ruthenium layer three atoms thick sandwiched between two magnetic layers. The magnetic layers allow for thinner bits, and the bit above and below are polarized in opposite directions. This technology pushes the superparamagnetic limit. The ruthenium layer, which is a precious metal, has been coined "pixie dust" for its magical properties by IBM engineers.
The increase in the superparamagnetic limit for small magnetic nanoparticles is the essence of what I was alluding to in my post. As the magnetic particles that make up recorded data on a hard disk drive become smaller, there will be a point where the data bearing particles are so small that random atomic level vibrations present in all materials even at room temperature can cause the bits to flip their magnetic orientation, and erase recorded data.
This is the "superparamagnetic effect".
The technology was/is susceptible to thermal problems:
Its actually old news now in computing terms, I’m surprised you haven’t heard of it. Disk manufactures are devising new technologies to push the boundaries of hard drive capacities:
Anyone doing a Google with the terms “pixie dust hard diskâ€, will pick up on it….
Does that answer your question or would you like to ‘troll’ a little more? 😉
Andy
Andy,
Thanks for the reply.
Unfortunately, I wasn't "trolling", as you seem to think. I'm very curious about forensic and anti-forensic techniques, as well as things that may affect computer forensics, such as increased hard drive capacities, proliferation of alternative storage mediums, etc.
With regards to "pixy dust", or spelled another way, "pixie dust", take a look at this:
http://www.forensicfocus.com/computer-forensics-and-forensic-accounting.php
I'd read this a while ago, when it was in draft format. I was simply looking for clarification.
"Its actually old news now in computing terms, I’m surprised you haven’t heard of it."
H. Carvey
"Windows Forensics and Incident Recovery"
Superparamagnetic effect animation for dummies - thats me! (courtesy of Hitachi):
“Get perpendicularâ€
Andy
“Get perpendicularâ€â€¦ Enjoy
Bloody brilliant! I can see IT education has come a long way since I was at Uni…
😆
Jamie
Perpendicular in action 🙂
Mr Pait thinks that although many people are already living an accumulative terabyte lifestyle, in about five years PCs will have five terabytes of storage on board.
Andy