Symantec Corp has said that it will integrate its backup software with NeoScale’s CryptoStor key management system, so that CryptoStor will handle any keys created using the encryption option in Symantec’s backup products.
The same commitment to work with CryptoStor has been made by mainframe storage networking specialist Optica Techonlogies Inc.
NeoScale’s only major rival in the supply of external bump-in-the-wire encryption appliances is Decru Inc, which is owned by Network Appliance Inc. Decru has an identical plan to allow third parties to use its key management system, and this summer it announced backing from Symantec, as well as from from tape library giant Quantum Corp.
Both encryption specialists are doing this because encryption is set to become a native feature of tape and disk drives. Over time this will make the duo’s appliances only necessary for encrypting data on legacy storage.
The two companies intend to compensate for this by supplying the systems that will manage the all of the encryption keys generated in futures data centers, automating tasks such as their creation, distribution and deletion.
The integration of NeoScale’s hardware with Entrust’s software will allow customers to use their existing Entrust PKI systems to authenticate NeoScale’s appliances. This integration is something that analysts have been calling for, and NeoScale said that it will also integrate its system with other major PKI systems, among which are those of Microsoft Corp and RSA Security Inc, now owned by EMC Corp.
On this front however, Decru has not taken the same approach. We haven’t heard any customers telling us that this is a priority. It hasn’t popped up yet, said Decru marketing VP Kevin Brown. Decru’s products themselves happen to feature a home-grown PKI authentication system, but Brown insisted: We’re not trying to compete with Entrust that’s a mature market. He said: It’s an issue of prioritization.
