Greetings,
We use these bags
http//
They come in large rolls with perforations on the long edge. You can write on them with a Sharpie or ballpoint pen. There is enough space to capture all the information we need. The seal is tight and tamper proof. Tear off receipt on the flap…. Good stuff.
And LynnPeavy sells good tape and other items.
http//
-David
Ditto on the Bags.
Uh-oh, I feel bad now. The link to alertsecurityproducts.com for the Alert bag has just reminded me that they sent through some samples for me to review last year and I completely forgot to follow up on it. I'll add their product to the recommended list now and drop them a line -)
I'll also double check whether these sites are already in our links section (admittedly in need of an overhaul). If anyone has other recommendations for bag/tape suppliers outside the US please add them here, thanks.
Added 25/1/08 Just realised I asked exactly the same question a while ago here - I've updated the recommended list and the links section as necessary.
Jamie
Hi all.
I can highly recommend the IBM D10 workstation. I was fortunate enough to use one for a few weeks running EnCase Forensics. I have not been so impressed with a new machine since the 386 was released.
http//
Cheers,
mitch
I've spent the past three / four weeks on precisely this.
I purchased a Mac Pro, 8-core, 8GB of RAM and haven't looked back.
I can install Mac OSX (as expected) as well as Windows (Vista / server 2003 / server 2008 although my preference is by far Server 2003 64-bit) and also Linux. Bootcamp is not needed - but I recommend removing all hard drives apart from those on which you are going to be running the OS install, and replacing them only on completing the install.
There is a superb e-Sata product from span.com (in the UK) - their part no ICxS3Epe2. It's a Pci-e 1x with 2 external e-Sata ports, both fully hot-swappable, and it supports port multipliers. The card costs a measly £20 and it just works with no issues whatsoever, with every OS I have tried. Unlike a RAID card, the system sees these ports as standard SATA - so no initialisation required.
I've tried the Sonnet e-SATA card - but I had all sorts of problems and, at £190 plus VAT, it is going back.
The speed of the Mac Pro is spectacular, when compared with my Intel dual core 3GHz machines with 8GB of memory, running Windows XP. No comparison.
Much as I detest Apple, I will be getting more of these Mac Pros in.
Bear in mind we do far more data recovery work than Forensics, but we are aware of the power required for large-scale, high-capacity forensics work - I cannot recommend the Mac highly enough.
Duncan
Interesting post Duncan, seems to follow what others have found when using Mac Pro machines. Can I ask why your preference is for Windows Server 2003 rather than 2008? Have read some good reports about 2008 and its performance.
I can install Mac OSX (as expected) as well as Windows (Vista / server 2003 / server 2008 although my preference is by far Server 2003 64-bit) and also Linux. Bootcamp is not needed - but I recommend removing all hard drives apart from those on which you are going to be running the OS install, and replacing them only on completing the install.
Duncan
Duncan,
So are you installing the Windows OS natively on the hardware or running it in a VM? I'm only asking because of your comment of removing the other hard drives and replacing them later.
Thanks,
Tom
Interesting post Duncan, seems to follow what others have found when using Mac Pro machines. Can I ask why your preference is for Windows Server 2003 rather than 2008? Have read some good reports about 2008 and its performance.
Hi Jonathan
I first tried 2003 (more likely to be less hardware compatibility issues) and installed about half the apps I normally use. I loved it - absolutely no problems / issues whatsoever.
I then removed that disk, inserted another, and installed Windows 2008.
Within 3 minutes I was becoming more and more frustrated at the differences in everything regarding the operation and commands - it was like moving from Windows to Mac OS - learning another language.
Additionally, it didn't support antivirus programs that 2003 did, it didn't support some of my hardware (the graphics card in the Mac Pro) and just seemed top-heavy, clumsy and "reluctant" to perform.
After an afternoon, I replaced that with the 2003 disk. I am not even going to keep the 2008 install disk.
2003 - slick, quick, very shallow learning curve from XP.
2008 - clumsly, overloaded, bloated, over the top, too complex.
Hope this helps.
Duncan
I can install Mac OSX (as expected) as well as Windows (Vista / server 2003 / server 2008 although my preference is by far Server 2003 64-bit) and also Linux. Bootcamp is not needed - but I recommend removing all hard drives apart from those on which you are going to be running the OS install, and replacing them only on completing the install.
Duncan
Duncan,
So are you installing the Windows OS natively on the hardware or running it in a VM? I'm only asking because of your comment of removing the other hard drives and replacing them later.Thanks,
Tom
Tom,
I simply removed the Mac drives (running a software RAID) and did a clean, straightforward install from the Server 2003 disks. Not VM, no bootcamp - nothing. No additional drivers to load at startup - it's just like installing onto a pc, only a damn sight quicker.
The only issue I have is that in order to eject the CD / DVD you have to use computer manager -> disk management - but I'm thinking of kludging a little switch to the front of the mac that will press the eject button manually.
There's no real need to remove the other drives before the install - but it does mean you don't get a system disk with the drive letter L as I did the first time.
Duncan
To Jonathan (and others)
Re Speed difference between 2003 and 2008.
In general use, including heavy-duty file recoveries - 2003 blows 2008 out of the water. Maybe there are certain tweaks over and above what I performed on 2008 - but the difference was clear.
DUncan