Scalable Encryption Solutions For Today’s Environment

Source: SC Magazine

The scope and character of today's computing environment is changing dramatically. There are more systems in more locations and these are often spread across the world.

Many, if not most, IT organizations today, are running lights-out data center operations. There are no management information system (MIS) personnel to oversee the security of the information in those data centers. Many organizations have systems running in remote locations that are not readily accessible to MIS personnel. Some systems may even be running in locations that are under someone else's control - leased space, partner sites, customer sites, etc.
Remote storage technologies (e.g. storage area networks) place sensitive, even critical company information, at a vendor's site on vendors' systems where access is controlled by the vendor. Use of "untrusted" networks is the norm. Connections to potentially hostile networks like the Internet are commonplace. Vendors, partners, regulatory agencies and even customers now routinely need access to information that is stored deep within what used to be the security perimeter of the organization. In fact, the need for information to be readily available to those who need it, when they need it, has made the concept of a "secure perimeter" a misnomer. There is no such thing as a truly secure perimeter in today's business environment because sensitive information flows across those boundaries constantly.