Networker

Re: [Networker] lto4 and encryption

2008-08-17 09:00:16
Subject: Re: [Networker] lto4 and encryption
From: Josef Weingand <WEINGAND AT DE.IBM DOT COM>
To: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:43:51 +0200
The IBM EKM is only for use with IBM Libraries. You may consider IBM 
TS3310 library instead of SL500

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Kind regards
Josef Weingand
Consulting IT Specialist
Technical Sales Systems Storage 

Mobil +49 171 55 26 783 - Homeoffice Tel. +49 8845 757421 
Fax +49 171 13 5526783 
email: weingand AT de.ibm DOT com
SMS/eMail: 01715526783 AT t-d1-sms DOT de

Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats: Erich Clementi
Geschäftsführung: Martin Jetter (Vorsitzender), Christian Diedrich, 
Christoph Grandpierre, Matthias Hartmann, Thomas Fell, Michael Diemer
Sitz der Gesellschaft: Stuttgart
Registergericht: Amtsgericht Stuttgart, HRB 14562 WEEE-Reg.-Nr. DE 
99369940



From:
goony <networker-forum AT BACKUPCENTRAL DOT COM>
To:
NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Date:
31.07.2008 02:05
Subject:
[Networker] lto4 and encryption



> The package is called EKM, search on IBM's web site for it.
> (Encryption Key Management).
> 
> You'll need IBM Java, which is free for Linux, AIX and (I believe)
> Windows, but you have to buy it for Solaris.
> 
> Dave 


Thanks Dave!

I found the IBM EKM info at http://preview.tinyurl.com/2jprlz and I've 
downloaded the EKM Introduction, Planning, and User's Guide.

Questions:

I have a Solaris-based Networker V7.4.2 with a Sun/Storagetek SL500 tape 
library, currently running 3 LTO3 drives, with room for 3 more LTO drives.

Sun sells IBM and HP LTO4 drives for the SL500.

Is there any possible configuration of using IBM EKM for key management if 
I add IBM LTO4 drives to my current configuration? I.e., can I do 
encryption (with a separate key per tape volume) without the explicit 
support for the key management within Networker? It sounds like it might 
work but I'm unwilling to buy LTO4 drives unless I have a clear path to 
success.

If I go the all-Sun path for key management, I'll need to buy 3 key 
management appliances (KMS); a primary and a backup for the data center 
and one for the remote recovery site. Their KMS appliance works with the 
HP LTO4 drives which (I believe) have a separate connection (Ethernet?) 
for out-of-band key management. In comparison, the IBM LTO4 drives appear 
to do key management only via the data interface.

The Sun appliance-based approached is a helluva lot of overkill for my 
configuration, when it appears that with the IBM EKM I can run it on the 
Solaris system itself, or on any handy Linux server (read: a laptop in a 
pinch). I hate the thought of buying 3 Sun KMS appliances ($28.5K list 
each) that will be used to grab keys to write (on average) 3 tapes a day. 
I don't need to manage keys for an enterprise, just for a few tape drives 
and about 60-80 tape volumes.

In fact, a software-based approach (IBM EKM) is more appealing to me since 
as long as I have a save copy of my keys, I have a wider range of platform 
choices in which to create a key server in an emergency situation (as I 
said before, the Solaris Networker server itself, or a Linux laptop)... if 
the "Sun KMS appliance" breaks or goes missing, then it may be a l-o-n-g 
time before I can get another one.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks!

Goony

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