Encryption Phases Of HP LTO-4 C7973W Tape Format

The data center managers require enhancements in backup tape formats so that they can keep pace with increasing demands of fast speed, lower cost, enhanced reliability and grater storage ability. The risk of accessing larger data volumes increases with the growth in tape format’s recording capacitates. The risk of data loss is greatest particularly when the data needs to be transported to other locations. Un-authorized access and protection of critical information has emerged as important and critical concern for the data managers. In case if the sensitive information of the organization is lost, then it can lead to revenue loss and the company will also loose its customers. The organization may also have to face regulatory penalties.

So far in order to encrypt the precious data, the organizations have to bear heavy costs because of the complex integration of encryption software & hardware. Hewlett-Packard has devised a solution for the organizations that can help to minimize the encryption costs. HP has incorporated cost efficient encryption technology in its LTO-4 C7973W tape format. This tape belongs to the fourth generation of ultrium technology.

Encryption mechanism of enterprise-class has been added to the HP LTO4 tape automation products and the tape drives. HP LTO 4 tape belongs to the fourth generation of ultrium technology. It incorporates the latest (256 bit) Advanced Encryption Standard. The encryption key manager sends the encryption keys to the LTO tape drive. These keys are transferred in compliance with the standards of IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), GCM (Galois/Counter Mode of Operation), SCSI stream commands, IEEE SSC-3, SCSI SPC 4 primary commands and P1619.1TM/D13.

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Advanced Encryption Standard block cipher was selected through a process that was considered more transparent and open than DES (Data Encryption Standard) which is its predecessor. The need for encryption keys of more than 56-bit led to the formation of AES standard. The advanced encryption standard operates on state which comprises of an array of bytes (4x4). Advanced encryption standard’s each phase comprises of four stages. The first stage is the Add round key. In this phase the state’s each byte is attached with the round-key. Then a key schedule is used to derive each of the round-key from cipher-key. The second stage is the sub-bytes. In this stage each of the bytes is switched with another. This switching of bytes is done in accordance to the look-up table. Third step is called the “shift-rows”. In this phase each of the state rows is shifted cyclically. This shifting is repeated for a number of steps. And finally the fourth stage is the “Mix-columns”. In this stage, linear transformation is done by mixing the state’s columns, and in each column 4 bytes are combined.

On the other hand the software encryption reduces the server’s performance it uses the processor power of the server. The media capacity and the backup performance are degraded by the software encryption as the tape drive is not able to fully compress the data that has been encrypted by software.

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