topic Re: MSL2024 encryption in Operating System - OpenVMS

MSL2024 encryption

Eric Dittman — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 02:54:34 GMT

Is the MSL Encryption Kit necessary to use encryption on LTO-4 tape drives in an MSL2024?

What I've read leads me to believe that I can use native encryption on the LTO-4 drive and the MSL doesn't do anything to interfere and the Encryption Kit is only supported by ABS (which I don't use).

Is that correct?

Re: MSL2024 encryption

Hoff — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 11:19:52 GMT

If you've got support, call the support center and see what HP recommends here.

If you search the HP web site via Google, you can find the "HP StorageWorks 1/8 G2 and MSL LTO-4 Encryption Kit Getting Started (AM495-96002, June 2008)", which has some details on the package I think you're referring to.

The HP StorageWorks 1/8 G2 & MSL Encryption Kit is a ("specially formatted" or whatever the current euphemism for this stuff is) USB keydisk that gets inserted into the back of the drive.

There's a VMS host-based tool around that lets you set the encryption key in the drive (not shipped part of VMS, not provided by HP AFAIK, but it's been posted here in the forums) or you can use VMS host-based encryption. See this thread:

http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1171171

Host-based encryption such as that provided by the VMS encryption package (separately licensed and installed on releases prior to V8.2, licensed with V8.2 and later and separately installed, and licensed with and fully integrated into V8.3 and later) can also encrypt the data without regard to the drive, but it'll also very effectively and inherently defeat all drive-level data compression support.

Re: MSL2024 encryption

Eric Dittman — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 14:08:11 GMT

The thread that you referred to is what lead me to wonder if I needed the MSL Encryption Kit or could just use the utility that was posted instead.

If I'd realized that the other thread wasn't closed I would have just posted my question there. I looked at the dates and not the status of the thread.

We tested the host-based encryption and ruled it out due to the increase in backup times, CPU usage, and number of tapes (that was due to drive-level compression being defeated, as you noted in your reply).

Re: MSL2024 encryption

David R. Lennon — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 22:22:43 GMT

Please see:

https://forums.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1446295

Re: MSL2024 encryption

Eric Dittman — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 22:58:56 GMT

David, that thread is perfect and is recent.

I wish it would have turned up when I did a search(maybe that's a glitch at my end).