Spectra Logic Announces Encryption Key Management, Connectivity Support

Spectra Logic announced a new enterprise-level encryption key management offering for its T-Series tape libraries. Spectra TKLM is a management solution that meets the highest standard of encryption security, including a FIPS 140-2 level 1 compliant mode. Capable of managing multiple libraries and sites from a central point, Spectra TKLM allows enterprises to consolidate and simplify encryption key management practices, reduce costs, and improve overall security.

“Organizations need encryption key management that is secure, compliant and easy to manage. Options have been limited for multi-site and multi-library encryption solutions with the end of service life of products such as NeoScale and Decru,” said Brian Grainger, senior vice president of worldwide sales, Spectra Logic. “Just like Spectra’s tape libraries, Spectra TKLM Encryption key management scales to meet the needs of the world’s largest, most complex data storage environments.”

Spectra TKLM is a robust encryption key manager that delivers a unified key management strategy to streamline encryption implementation. Key benefits include:

• Centrally managed encryption keys across multiple libraries and data center locations
• FIPS compliant key management to meet regulatory requirements and OASIS (industry standard) compliant
• Support for TS1140 Technology tape drives, LTO-5, LTO-6, and future TS1100 and LTO generation drives

“The announcement of Spectra TKLM comes at a good time. Data security, especially in healthcare and finance verticals, has become increasingly important,” said Jon Toigo, chief executive of research firm Toigo Partners International.  “Moreover, we are seeing a renaissance in tape technology, with more and more firms embracing the low cost, high capacity media not only for backup and deep archive, but for production file storage as well. Multiple libraries with a lot of removable media are driving the need for a coherent encryption key management capability. With Spectra TKLM, all of an organization’s encryption keys can be simply managed, securely protected, and used automatically across a library environment.”

Spectra TKLM is available for Spectra Logic’s full line of tape libraries and offers an extensive feature set including key per tape, audit tracking, and complete key lifecycle management. It also enables secure, third-party data exchange.

Spectra T-Series tape libraries offer highly reliable, high-density storage that seamlessly scales to Exabyte capacities. In addition, Spectra libraries offer efficient, comprehensive library management tools and Spectra Certified Media that simplifies management, extends the life of tape media and drives, and ensures data is secure and available when needed.

Spectra Logic also announced support for 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) iSCSI connectivity as an interface option for the Spectra T-Series tape libraries.  The 10GbE iSCSI connectivity solution is offered in partnership with Bridgeworks utilizing its EFC102200 10GbE iSCSI to Fiber Channel (FC) Bridge, and allows modern data centers to achieve total flexibility, performance, and simple integration of their tape system into 10GbE SANs.

“We’re excited to continue on the path of keeping tape storage systems easy to integrate in the modern data center. By supporting the Bridgeworks solution for 10GbE iSCSI connectivity to our T-series tape libraries, our customers who are designing data center solutions based on 10GbE  iSCSI  no longer need to maintain a FC SAN just for their tape storage system,” said Molly Rector, executive vice president of product management and worldwide marketing, Spectra Logic.

David Trossell, CEO at Bridgeworks, UK adds, “We’re very pleased to be involved with Spectra Logic. Our two companies have rich history in providing innovative solutions that meet the specific needs of their customers. This is a perfect example of how we can bring our 30 years of experience in connecting storage to provide solutions for a market leader such as Spectra Logic.”

The 10GbE iSCSI to FC bridge is available for purchase through Bridgeworks and offers a tape library connectivity solution that is easy to use and housed in an industry-standard 1U 19-inch rack mount enclosure with the following key features:

• iSCSI bridge to enable 10GbE to FC connection
  • IP network connectivity via 2 auto-sensing 10GbE ports
  • FC network connectivity via 2 auto-sensing 8 Gb FC ports
• Integrated power supplies and cooling
• Up to 16,000 initiators
• Non-blocking cache
• Error recovery level 2
• iSNS, jumbo packet support, multipath I/O and, GUI interface

“10GbE is becoming increasingly simplistic to use across all data centers – small and large.  And, customers around the globe note their growing need for high performance access to storage,” said George Crump, lead analyst, Storage Switzerland. “Spectra continues to make advances in making tape connectivity easy to use no matter what architecture a network infrastructure may be built upon. Once again, Spectra Logic is ahead of the curve by leading with this innovative addition to their tape library line.”