Emerging Technologies
Gold Award:
Momentus 5400 FDE.2 Hard Drives
While attention has been on software-based encryption, hardware encryption has arrived. Seagate earns Information Security editors' gold award as the top emerging technology. It was first out of the gate last spring, with its groundbreaking Momentus 5400 FDE.2 hard drives, shipping first on ASI Computer Technologies laptops, but now available on select Dell computers. Hardware-based encryption solves performance issues, and moving keys into hardware makes encryption easier to implement and manage. The drive leverages a hidden partition that stores crypto keys and Trusted Drive Manager applications from partner Wave Systems.
Beyond laptops, Seagate is working with partners IBM and LSI to bring enterprise-class encrypted drives into data centers later this year.
Drive-based encryption is one of two major hardware options. Intel is expected to launch its chip-based encryption, code named Danbury, sometime in 2008.
Even software-based encryption vendors agree hardware is the future, with their role focusing on key and other management services for Seagate, Intel and other hardware solutions.