Hardware as a service (HaaS) used for ballistic identification, for automated cartridge case digital imaging station comprising computer hardware, photography and topography capture apparatus and instruments, and computer software for the capture of high-resolution 2D images and 3D topographic information of significant regions of interest found on fired cartridge cases; Hardware as a service (HaaS) used for automated bullet digital imaging station comprising computer hardware, photography and topography capture apparatus and instruments, and computer software for the capture of high-resolution 2D images and 3D topographic information of a fired bullet's lands and grooves; Hardware as a service (HaaS) used for comparative analysis station comprising computer hardware, and computer software for reviewing correlation results and for virtual microscopy based on 2D images and 3D topography of fired cartridge cases and bullets