EVA8000 - Secure erase before lease return

[Clinton A Neill]

A leased EVA8000 needs to be returned.

The data has been migrated, vdisks unpresented, host definitions deleted.

Now, someone wants the data 'securely destroyed' before the array is returned.

What does uninitialize system do via Command View EVA?

Any other ideas about 'nuking' the data?

We're not talking DOD classified info, but SSN and employee data might be there ...

Thanks!

[susanta_dutta]

Yes, Uninitialization from Command View EVA will erase all your data

Regards
Susanta

[Steven Clementi · Accepted solution]

For most, un-initializing is enough.

For some, going an extra step might be necessary...

before unitializing, write out the very last bit of data storage with something non useful.. use your favorite disk exerciser.

Un-initialize

re- initialize

Do it again, write out all the blocks, etc.

un-initialize

sent it back.

For the extreme fanatics... use your favorite DoD program to XXX all the blocks, then ||| all the blocks, then /// all the blocks, then....... i think you may get it.


Basically, un-initializing the array effectively wipes out the array configuration and data access would NOT be possible through any normal means. You would need ALL of the disks... in the proper disk group and configuration in order to recover anything through un-conventional means... and even then it's slim. ;o)

[Rob Leadbeater]

Hi,

As previously mentioned uninitialising the array will normally suffice for most people.

If management are paranoid, then you'll need to create a number of large Vdisks to take up all the space, and present them to a server that you can use to run something like DBAN to nuke the disks.

Depending on how many disks you have, this will take a *long* time.

The other option of course is to put the disks through a degausser which will render them completely unusable - but I suspect the lease company may not like that idea !

Cheers,

Rob

[DogBytes]

Interesting. Steven, perhaps you would know:

If I uninitialize the array (without writing any data on the disks), power off, remove a disk and connect it to a PC (with SCSI HBA, independent power source, etc). Could I then use a disk recovery program to extract some data from the disk? I know it takes hours, even days, but I've done it with non-EVA disks. Would this be one of the unconventional means?

Thanks.

[Steven Clementi]

"If I uninitialize the array (without writing any data on the disks), power off, remove a disk and connect it to a PC (with SCSI HBA, independent power source, etc). Could I then use a disk recovery program to extract some data from the disk? I know it takes hours, even days, but I've done it with non-EVA disks. Would this be one of the unconventional means?"

HI-Jacked answer:

Yes and no. Yes in the sense that you "may" be able to recover "data", but without all the disks from the disk group, that data is likely to be useless since you'd only have bits and pieces.

Furthermore, you would need a scsi to fibre adaptor in order to connect the drive to a SCSI hba. I don't think they make one, at least not for customer/consumer purchase.

EVA Disks have a fibre connector on the back, not a standard SCA80 or similiar SCSI connector.


Steven

[McCready]

If you are thinking of doing the "erase a lun" option, I would make sure that you have "disk failure protection" set to none, to insure you have all the space available for allocation, and perhaps even set the raid level on the luns you erase to Vraid0 as well, which should wipe out any of the raid metadata.

If you have the BC license, you can even try makeing snapclones of the same disk over and over again to fill up your array that way.

Keep in mind the horse may already be out of the barn, as unless you have "media renention" on your contract, the failed disks you swap out to your service vendor probably has that data you are worried about already on it somewhere.

Short answer - if someone has a will, they will be able to get at your data.