Silicon Image Delivers First Consumer Electronics Storage Processor With Content Security

Silicon Image Delivers First Consumer Electronics Storage Processor With Content Security

Silicon Image has announced the SteelVine SiI5733, the first storage processor with content security enabled by automatic drive locking.

New SteelVine Storage Processor for HDTVs, Set-Top Boxes and PCs Offers Automatic Drive Locking, eSATA Cascading and Multi-RAID Modes

The SiI5733 gives HDTV, digital video recorder (DVR), set-top box and PC motherboard manufacturers a cost-effective storage solution that is simple, scalable, reliable and secure. The processor, part of the second generation of SteelVine processors, offers advanced storage capabilities including automatic drive locking, drive cascading for dynamic capacity expansion, RAID 0, RAID 1 and two multi-RAID modes, SAFE33 and SAFE50, without requiring any software, drivers or special user knowledge.

The SiI5733 is the first storage processor on the market to offer content security through automatic drive locking, making drive security simple and requiring no effort by the user. The portability of external hard drives makes them convenient for storing everything from precious personal information to sensitive corporate data, but also means they are easy to steal or lose, exposing users to possible identity theft, corporate espionage and the invasion of privacy. The SiI5733 addresses the risk of data theft from a stolen or lost drive by locking the drive to the host (HDTV, DVR, set-top box or PC) automatically. If the external drive is removed from the original host, it is inaccessible until re-connected to the same host. There are no passwords to remember, as a unique hidden password is burned into each storage processor. This protects drives that were previously vulnerable, and complements existing encryption schemes by adding an additional layer of security to the link between the host and external drive.

The new SiI5733 storage processor shares all of the innovative features of the second generation of the SteelVine storage processor family, such as cascading and multi-RAID modes. Patent-pending capacity expansion allows users to add capacity as their needs grow by simply adding more drives. eSATA-based and hot-pluggable, capacity expansion allows additional hard disk enclosures to be cascaded in “daisy chain” fashion to increase the size of an existing disk. Using currently available drives, customers can add up to three terabytes of storage to a single system. eSATA’s three gigabit-per-second interface ensures speedy access to all drives in a cascaded array.

SiI5733 also features the signature SteelVine hardware-based multi-RAID solution that addresses both data security and capacity expansion with as few as two external drives. The two multi-RAID modes – SAFE33 and SAFE50 – divide an external drive into virtual storage area that focuses on data protection (33% in RAID 1, for SAFE33) and another area that provides increased capacity (67% in BIG mode, for SAFE33). These multi-RAID modes are the first solution on the market to be implemented entirely in hardware with automatic partitioning using only two drives (instead of a minimum of three drives for RAID5). The new multi-RAID modes present a more efficient way for users to keep critical data safe and increase drive capacity at the same time.

All SteelVine storage processor SATA ports operate at three gigabits per second and comply with the eSATA Gen2m portions of the SATA 2.5 specifications, making them suitable for use with the current crop of high performance SATA Gen II drives. Software development kits are available from Silicon Image allowing OEMs to create custom branded products using these new storage processors.

Pricing and Availability
The next-generation SteelVine processors are currently sampling and are expected to be generally available in March 2007 with volume pricing less than $5.00.