MSA 2040 SMU Reference Guide

34 Getting started
• If the firmware in neither controller has the proper midplane serial number then the newer firmware version in
either controller is transferred to the other controller.
For information about the procedures to update firmware in controller modules, expansion modules, and disk drives,
see "Updating firmware" (page 81). That topic also describes how to use the activity progress interface to view
detailed information about the progress of a firmware-update operation.
About Full Disk Encryption
Full Disk Encryption (FDE) is a method by which you can secure the data residing on the drives. It uses self-encrypting
drives (SED), which are also referred to as FDE-capable disks. When secured and removed from a secured system,
FDE-capable disks cannot be read by other systems.
The ability to secure a disk and system relies on passphrases and lock keys. A passphrase is a user-created password
that allows users to manage lock keys. A lock key is generated by the system and manages the encryption and
decryption of data on the disks. A lock key is persisted on the storage system and is not available outside the storage
system.
A system and the FDE-capable disks in the system are initially unsecured but can be secured at any point. Until the
system is secured, FDE-capable disks function exactly like disks that do not support FDE.
Enabling FDE protection involves setting a passphrase and securing the system. Data that was present on the system
before it was secured is accessible in the same way it was when it was unsecured. However, if a disk is transferred to
an unsecured system or a system with a different passphrase, the data is not accessible.
Secured disks and systems can be repurposed without needing the correct passphrase. Repurposing erases all data
and unsecures the system and disks.
FDE operates on a per-system basis, not a per-vdisk basis. To use FDE, all disks in the system must be FDE-capable.
For information about the procedures to change FDE settings, see "Changing FDE settings" (page 50).