Tableau Forensic Universal Bridge
Jonathan Garcia
Opentext is a trusted partner of Ace Computers, providing application management and consulting abilities to each of our customers through their in-depth software. For over 25 years, OpenText has been providing information management solutions to organizations, making them a trusted and quality asset to all of our business consumers.
The Universal Bridge is an important piece of several of our major forensic computer offerings. With OpenText, the forensic analysis process becomes that much more feasible. With the universal bridge, our machines allow you to access any variety of information through all the different connections available.
The Tableau TX1 Forensic Imager is a portable alternative to forensic workstations. The imager has full network connectivity and on-screen notifications and feedback. With multiple imaging and outputting formats, it provides a great portable way to continue full forensic work in the field.
With the Tableau TX1, connecting with our forensic PCs is a breeze on the go. The TX1 Forensic Imager is an ideal companion with us in helping to extend the power of our computing into the field and anywhere you go. Our partnership with OpenText expands our reach and helps you to as well.
The Tableau SATA drive bay is an important part of some of our forensic systems, allowing the user to access write blocking in incredibly dense and compact form. The reading/writing capabilities allow each of our systems that include it to quickly analyze a data drive with no hassle.
While the formal marketing model name/number of this bridge will not change, we have chosen to adopt the R2 suffix convention for this major design change, which will be noticeable in certain situations. The main reason for the use of this R2 suffix is to allow easy, in-system determination of which version of the bridge is in a given system, through the use of the Tableau Firmware Update (TFU) program. Please contact OpenText Customer Support with any questions about the differences between these two Tableau Universal Bridge models.Product SummaryThe next-generation Tableau Forensic Universal Bridge introduces new capabilities and improved performance.
The software and documentation for T356789iu include:
- PCIe, write blocking, compatible with Tableau TDA7 series of PCIe SSD adapters.
- Read/write mode capability for all device ports, controlled via internal DIP switch.
- Improved write block and read/write mode visibility via new lock/unlock LED indicators.
The Universal Bridge fits in a standard half-height computer drive bay, using standard mounting screws. Specific dimensions and weight information is shown in the table below.
The unit must be powered by two SATA power connectors (denoted 1 and 2 in the image below) from the host computer power supply. Both SATA power connectors can be from the same cable, as long as your power supply provides adequate voltage regulation, but the Universal Bridge should be the only device powered by this cable. If your Universal Bridge does not power suspect devices properly, we recommend using SATA power connectors from two separate power supply cables.Connect the unit to a dedicated channel of a USB 3.0 controller on the host computer using a high-quality USB interface cable (connector 3 in the image below).
A PCIe device cable is included with optional Tableau PCIe adapters (see the Tableau PCIe Adapters web page at =Adapters for more information).OpenText does not provide SATA power or USB 3.0 host computer cables with the Universal Bridge. The SATA power cables are provided by the computer power supply, and the USB 3.0 host cable varies in length and connector type depending on the size of the computer, the location of the bridge, and the USB 3.0 controller. Care should be taken by the integrator to minimize cable length and to route the USB 3.0 cable away from possible sources of interference.
The environmental requirements for the Universal Bridge are shown in the table below.Environmental RequirementsOperating ambient temperature range0 to 55 degrees C (no airflow; at bridge inside forensic workstation)Storage ambient temperature range-20 to 60 degrees CMax relative humidityUp to 90% (non-condensing)Note that systems designed for the original T356789iu design should work without issue when used with the new T356789iu-R2 variant. (See the Introduction section at the beginning of this guide for details on the R2 variant.) The main consideration is to ensure that cables and/or other internal system components do not interfere with the air pocket directly above and around the higher power components on the bridge. Those components are the processor/heatsink/fan setup and the SAS host controller.
The image below is a top view of the R2 PCB assembly, which identifies these two components. The component labeled as (1) is the processor/heatsink/fan assembly. This component has not been moved to the new R2 design. The component labeled as (2) is the SAS host controller FPGA. This component is located slightly more toward the front of the bridge and to the left than in the previous version. Please analyze your forensic system with the new R2 design to ensure these components have as much free air space above and around them as possible to help ensure proper bridge operation.Other ConsiderationsStorage media supported
The Universal Bridge supports write-blocked acquisitions of up to nine different types of storage media.