As data growth multiplies, storage security rushes to keep up with networked, encrypted, and cloud-stored data
The move to networked storage was a boon for many businesses, but it added huge security concerns around protecting primary and secondary storage. Organizations are still tackling the hurdles of establishing and implementing policies around secure data storage. Now, cloud storage technology promises to add another security challenge. While cloud vendors offer protection for data in flight, securing data once it’s on the provider’s infrastructure remains a concern.
Cloud storage providers will continue to add security features as use increases. Encryption keeps maturing, too, as new developments include moving encryption away from the backup space, toward encryption via appliance or encryption on storage connectors like host bus adapters (HBAs). There’s also the question of whether built-in tape drive encryption makes sense. Key management around encryption has so far been tied to specific vendors and products, but emerging IEEE and KMIP industry standards promise to make key management easier.
Best-in-Class Storage Security Systems Features:
- Considers how to protect both data at rest and data in flight
- Offers encryption key management that will comply with emerging industry standards to allow interoperability
- Can meet industry standards for encryption, and encrypt data at the right time and place in the data lifecycle for the best performance
Top Considerations before Buying Storage Security Systems Products:
Be vigilant about using cloud storage. Ask providers the right questions about how data is protected, when it’s protected, and who can access or change that data. Encryption solutions are still maturing, and the best ones should integrate seamlessly into the overall storage infrastructure and meet standards without creating bloated backup windows. The trend is toward appliance-based encryption, but it’s expensive. And encryption key management should be centralized, and offer the possibility of industry standard alignment as those standards emerge.
Key Products:
1. BridgeHead Software is a storage management software company that protects and manages data through its lifecycle. BridgeHead specializes in healthcare storage. Their software protects data in part by allowing up to four simultaneous copies of data in different locations and on different platforms. The BH MediStore data archiving tool, which is for electronic health record management, applies advanced user rights and encryption to stored data.
2. Digital Fortress provides outsourced management and co-location facilities for business critical IT operations and applications. They work with clients to provide managed services around systems management, operations management, automated data backup and restore services. Within their co-location facilities, Digital Fortress uses biometric authentication and video surveillance for monitoring. The company partners with Fortress Data Vaulting for backup, archiving and recovery.
3.NetApp DataFort systems offer secure access controls, authentication, storage hardware-based encryption and secure logging for stored data. Their applications fit into existing storage environments, including SAN, SCSI, Fibre Channel disk and tape, and more. NetApp also offers Lifetime Key Management, a centrally managed automated system to render encrypted data unreadable until it is authorized by the right people. It also uses two-factor authentication. NetApp also partners with Brocade for fabric-based data encryption using Brocade hardware devices—encryption switches and blades.
4. SunGard is a software and services provider focusing on financial, higher education and public sector markets. It’s the largest privately held business software and IT company in the industry. SunGard Availability Services offers information availability services, including business continuity strategies and specialized data protection software. Their services are designed for protection against security breaches, network or hardware failures, data losses, power failures and disasters.
5. Continuent’s Tungsten Enterprise uses open source databases to provide high availability and incremental performance scaling. Their solutions work for both SaaS and enterprise use, and implements scalable clusters of open source databases. Continuent also incorporates built-in backup and data integrity checks to prevent data loss, and uses cross-site replication to allow for disaster recovery setup. Automated failure handling helps to raise system availabilitly.
Storage Security Systems
Definition: Storage Security Systems ensure the security of intellectual property and confidential information in an organization’s network. Deploying a storage security systems solution is integral to an organization’s ability to remain compliant with industry and government regulations.
