FireWire enclosures come in different sizes for 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch hard drives, with compatibility for SATA or IDE interfaces. Enclosures are used for storage and transfer, with transfer speeds comparable to USB 2.0 or eSATA. They are made of aluminum, have multiple bays, and can be transported easily. Hard drives are not included in the enclosure.
Some of the different types of FireWire® enclosures are those made for 2.5-inch (6cm) hard drives and 3.5-inch (9cm) hard drives, both of which can be made with compatibility for Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) or drives integrated electronics computer bus interfaces (IDE). 2.5-inch (6 cm) hard drives are typically made for use in laptop computers, and 3.5-inch (9 cm) hard drives are typically used in desktop computers. Care should be taken to note whether the hard drive interface you intend to use is SATA, IDE, or something else because FireWire® enclosures are typically only compatible with one or the other. These enclosures are often used as convenient storage devices for computer users who may have multiple drives to “swap” in the enclosure due to the relatively fast speeds FireWire® can offer.
Individuals considering purchasing one of the many available FireWire® enclosures should note that, in most cases, the enclosure does not come with a hard drive, instead, a hard drive must be provided by the user. The sizes of FireWire® cases vary, but they are usually small enough to be easily handled or transported. Cases may have transfer options other than FireWire®, such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 or External Serial Enhanced Technology Connection (eSATA).
FireWire® cases are manufactured by many different companies and are usually made from aluminum for heat dissipation purposes. They may also include a fan built into the unit for additional cooling. Enclosures are often built for use with a single hard drive, but FireWire® enclosures with multiple hard drive bays are also available. Prices range from very affordable models to more expensive models, especially in the case of cases with multiple hard drive bays.
The primary use of FireWire® enclosures is for data storage and transfer. FireWire® is typically used for its transfer speeds, which can be faster or comparable to the maximum burst speeds of USB 2.0 or eSATA. A FireWire® case can be a popular storage option for people who need to store large amounts of data and easily transport it home from work, for example. The transfer rates are also useful for working directly with files on the hard drive inside the container without having to transfer them to a local machine.
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