Provided By: Key-Computing
Retail Price: 256mb-$300 , 512mb-$400, 1gb-$550
Review Date:10/19/04
Written By: Rusty Newton

Do you like Microsoft Exchange?
Do you like unique gadgets? If you do, then you will love
this small yet powerful device. Referred to as a personal server, it
has the ability to enable users of Microsoft® Exchange to work securely and effortlessly from any PC.

This is a product of Key-Computing, an M-Systems company. 
M-systems, the inventors of the Flash Drive concept.
Now lets examine what all this does and how well it does it.

In The Box:

Business Style, Sweet and Simple

I thought I had escaped the flip open boxes that I have been seeing lately. You know the kind that open like a book, and sometimes have a little window so you can see the product before you take it out. Well this one has it too, its just not the Outer display box, its the white cardboard box inside that flips open.

Very nicely laid out though.

Remember nearly all images in our reviews can be
enlarged by clicking on them.

Design & Features:

The Xkey 2.0 Exchange Edition package includes the following:

1. XKey 2.0 Unit , ( 256, 512, or 1 gb )

2. USB 2.0 Docking Cradle

3. Leather Case with Belt Clip for the XKey unit

4. Quickstart instruction card.

Here is the Technical Specifications for the Xkey itself.

Xkey utilizes M-System’s Smart DiskOnKey platform (www.diskonkey.com) for data storage and hardware security. Smart DiskOnKey is the most advanced, reliable and secure platform in the USB flash drive category, and is the platform of choice for several of the world’s leading manufacturers including IBM, HP, Apple, Iomega, and others.

Xkey 2.0 Tech Specs:

• ARM-7 processor, running at up to 50 MHz
• Embedded high-speed memories (ROM and RAM)
• Unique factory-set ID for every chip
• Read/write speed of 9/7 MB/sec (on USB 2.0 host)
• High performance SuperMAP™ cryptographic engine
o DES (56-bit key)
o 3DES (112-bit key)
o SHA-1
o RSA PKI

• Certified USB controller
o Native support: USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 full speed (up to 12 Mbit/sec)
o External chip support: USB 2.0 high speed (up to 480 Mbit/sec)

• Hardware flash controller and accelerator
o BCH Error Detection Code/Error Correction Code (EDC/ECC) algorithm can  correct up to 4 errors per flash page
o Flash hardware acceleration module on chip

• Tamper protection circuitry
o Voltage glitch detection
o Passivation layer detection
o Physical access prevention to debug and test features
o SPA and DPA protection on cryptographic operations

The Physical Design Elements:

The XKey 2.0 Exchange Edition unit is Silver colored, about
3" and 1/8" tall.

To pull off the cap that covers the USB connector there is a small metal handle, but pull the wrong way and the handle comes off. This is a problem because the cap is round and smooth, its very difficult to pry the cap off without the handle. Now you could look at this as a good thing, because you won't lose the cap if you cannot get it off.

This problem is solved in a way because it does have a hole for a lanyard on top of the cap, I would suggest if you buy the Xkey to also purchase a lanyard for it.

Besides the cap issue, everything else about it is great. You could possibly have some problems inserting it into a deeply recessed USB port but no more than any other Flash Drive.

The Xkey seems to be very sturdy and well constructed. Its more professional looking than most Flash Drives. One really nice thing about the design of this product is the Leather Case it comes with.

The leather case is a nice way to prevent your XKey from getting scratched. The Case has a little velcro strap on the back of it for looping around your belt. I would not put my faith in that little strap to hold this $400 item on your belt. Most people would probably put the case in their shirt or jacket pocket.

Installation, XP SP2 issue, Docking Cradle:

The great thing about the installation is that there is no installation.
Thats right, completely driverless. You just plug it in and it auto installs itself.

Oops another issue, plugged it into a computer that has XP Service Pack 2 installed and the Xkey went haywire. I put in my password several times and it would not function correctly. I contacted tech support as a last resort after I tested my vast array of knowledge on it. Key-Computing tech support responded very quickly and let me know that it was an issue with SP2 and all I had to do was download a little software update for the Xkey. After I downloaded and ran the install it functioned perfectly.

Now about the docking cradle, its nothing special just a USB type A male to female extension cord. It does look rather nice on your desk though. It simply provides a nice little Home for your Xkey when your back at your desk.

Here it sits in its little USB port cradle.

Also notice the little amber LED. It flashes for activity of course but it also turns green when your plugged into USB 1.1, so remember
Amber=Fast, Green=Slow .

Alrighty now we will get to the main course, the reason its called
Xkey 2.0 EXCHANGE Edition.  We will check out the features of the software and what else the Xkey can do.