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5 Dell PS Series Architecture: Self Encrypting Drive Management with PS Series Storage Arrays | TR1093
The emergence of full disk encryption technology and SEDs is timely in mitigating the security vulnerabilities
of data at rest. SEDs are also becoming a standardized technology across many top drive vendors, which
allows for interoperability and ensures greater market competition and competitive pricing.
To further highlight the importance of SEDs, the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) best
practices recommends encryption as close to the information source as possible—which is the media where
the data resides. In addition, many safe harbor laws, such as California state regulations CA 1798 (formerly
SB-1386), protect organizations that store data in compliance with security encryption requirements. With
safe harbor laws such as these, organizations might not have to notify customers of lost data if that data was
stored and secured on SEDs. Current SEDs use the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption
algorithm as defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and has been widely
adopted as an encryption standard. The SEDs selected by Dell for use in the PS Series product line are
approved for use in applications requiring compliance with FIPS 140-2 Level 2.